Modak (Steamed Dessert Dumplings)

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Modak (Steamed Dessert Dumplings)

 

For the filling:

2 cups shredded fresh coconut

1 cup jaggery

1 teaspoon roasted poppy seeds

1 teaspoon rice flour

3 to 4 cardamoms

 

For the outer cover:

1 cup rice flour

1 cup water

1 teaspoon ghee

1/2 teaspoon oil

a pinch of salt

 

Filling:

Combine and cook coconut and jaggery together on medium heat. Stir continuously

until they are mixed properly. Do not overcook.

Add cardamom, roasted poppy seeds and 1 teaspoon rice flour to the mix. Cook for

some time. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.

Outer Cover:

Boil 1 cup of water. When bubbles rise on top, add ghee, salt and oil and

immediately add rice flour. Stir well. Cover for some time. Remove the lid and

stir and cover again for a minute.

Remove from heat. Take all the mixture in a flat plate. Knead it properly while

hot (You can use a flat bowl for kneading to keep the hands from burning). Make

a soft pliable dough.

(Do it very carefully. The dough should be neither too sticky nor too dry.)

Divide this dough into small balls. Roll each ball into 1.5 inch diameter

circle. Hold it in a hand and make a small bowl of it. Put some coconut filling

into this bowl shaped dough. Dip thumb and index finger in the oil and make 5-6

small pinches side by side on the edges of the bowl. Bring them together, join

to form a peak. It should look like a whole garlic. Prepare all other modaks

like this.

Spread a damp cloth onto a flat round sifter and arrange all the modaks onto it.

Place the sifter in a steamer and cover. Steam for about 15 minutes.

(Use a big size saucepan or pressure cooker if you don't have a steamer. Do not

put the whistle if you use the pressure cooker.)

Serve with the ghee.