5 Traditional Modak Recipes to Sweeten Your Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi is just around the corner, and it’s time to welcome Lord Ganesha with his favorite sweet treat—modak! These delicious dumplings are a must-have during the festival, and making them is not just about cooking; it’s a way to celebrate with your family, bringing everyone together by cooking some modaks with traditional modak recipes.

If you’re looking to add some variety to your modak-making this year, we’ve got you covered!

Here are five traditional modak recipes that will not only sweeten your Ganesh Chaturthi but also bring the authentic flavors of this beloved festival into your home. 

And if you’re wondering where to get all the fresh ingredients, you can easily find them on Milkbasket, your go-to online daily milk delivery app.

1. Coconut Modak

Coconut modak is perhaps one of the most popular varieties of traditional modak recipes, revered for its sweet and aromatic filling. This modak is traditionally steamed and boasts a soft, delicate texture.

Ingredients:

• For the outer dough:
  • 1 cup rice flour
  • 1 cup water
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp ghee (clarified butter)

• For the filling:
  • 1 cup freshly grated coconut
  • ½ cup jaggery (or sugar)
  • ¼ tsp cardamom powder
  • A few chopped cashews and raisins for added texture

Preparation:

1. Prepare the filling: In a pan, combine grated coconut, jaggery, and cardamom powder. Cook over low heat until the jaggery melts and the mixture thickens. Stir in the cashews and raisins, then remove from heat and let it cool.
2. Make the dough: Boil water in a pan with a pinch of salt and ghee. Once boiling, add the rice flour and mix well. Cook for a minute, then cover and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
3. Shape the modaks: Grease your hands with a little ghee, take a small portion of the dough, flatten it in your palm, and place a spoonful of the coconut filling in the center. Gather the edges and shape it into a cone or a round modak. Repeat the process for the remaining dough and filling.
4. Steam the modaks: Arrange the shaped modaks in a steamer and steam for about 10-15 minutes until they are glossy and cooked through. Serve warm.

2. Chocolate Modak

Embracing modern tastes while honoring tradition, chocolate modaks have emerged as a delightful twist on the classic sweet. They are particularly appealing to children and chocolate lovers.

Ingredients:

• For the outer dough:
  • 1 cup mawa (khoya)
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp ghee
• For the filling:
  • ½ cup chocolate chips or grated chocolate
  • 2-3 tbsp chopped nuts (almonds and hazelnuts)

Preparation:

1. Make the dough: In a mixing bowl, combine mawa, milk, all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and ghee to form a smooth dough. Allow it to rest for 20 minutes.
2. Prepare the filling: In a bowl, mix chocolate chips with chopped nuts.
3. Shape the modaks: Take a small amount of the chocolate dough, flatten it, place a teaspoon of the chocolate filling in the center, and enclose it to form a modak shape.
4. Chill and serve: While traditional modaks are steamed, chocolate modaks can be simply left to set in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving.

3. Puran Modak

A unique yet traditional offering, puran modaks combine the goodness of lentils and finely crushed jaggery, providing a hearty twist on the sweet dumpling.

Ingredients:

• For the outer dough:
  • 1 cup rice flour
  • 1 cup water
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp ghee
• For the filling:
  • 1 cup chana dal (split Bengal gram)
  • ¾ cup jaggery
  • ½ tsp cardamom powder

Preparation:

1. Prepare the filling: Boil chana dal until soft, drain excess water, and mash. In a pan, cook the mashed dal with jaggery until it melts and they combine well. Add cardamom powder and let it cool.
2. Make the dough: Follow the same process as the coconut modak to make the outer dough.
3. Shape the modaks: Fill the dough with the dal mixture, shape it into modaks, and place them in a steamer.
4. Serve: Steam for about 15 minutes and serve warm with ghee.

4. Kesar Modak (Saffron Modak)

Kesar modaks exude a rich aroma and vibrant color, elevating your Ganesh Chaturthi offering both aesthetically and flavorfully.

Ingredients:

• For the outer dough:
  • 1 cup rice flour
  • 1 cup water
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp ghee
  • A few strands of saffron (soaked in warm water)
• For the filling:
  • 1 cup freshly grated coconut
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ tsp cardamom powder
  • 1 tbsp khoya (optional)

Preparation:

1. Prepare the filling: Sauté coconut in a pan, add sugar, and sauté until sugar melts. Mix in cardamom powder and khoya, then cool.
2. Make the dough: Prepare the dough by mixing saffron water in the boiling water before adding rice flour.
3. Shape the modaks: Like the previous recipes, fill and shape the modaks with saffron-flavored dough and coconut filling.
4. Steam and serve: Steam for 10-15 minutes, and these fragrant modaks will make a stunning offering for Ganesha.

5. Mysore Pak Modak

Mysore Pak modaks combine the unique texture of gram flour sweet with the traditional modak shape.

These traditional modak recipes showcase the regional delicacies and this one especially showcases one of South India, celebrating the rich culinary heritage associated with Ganesh Chaturthi.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup besan (gram flour)
• 1 cup ghee
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• 1/2 cup grated coconut (optional)

Preparation:

1. Prepare Mysore Pak: Heat ghee in a pan. Add besan and roast until golden brown. In another pan, prepare a sugar syrup by boiling sugar and water until it reaches a single-thread consistency. Add the roasted besan to the syrup and cardamom powder and stir continuously until it thickens.
2. Shape the Modaks: Once the mixture cools slightly, shape it into small balls or modaks. You may add grated coconut for an enhanced flavor.
3. Allow to Cool: Let the modaks cool and set before serving.

Sweeten Your Ganesh Chaturthi With Milkbasket

Ganesh Chaturthi is a time for joy, family, and tradition, and what better way to celebrate than by preparing these delightful modaks with the above delish modak recipes?

Whether you go for the classic coconut modak or try something new like chocolate or Mysore Pak modak, these sweet treats will surely enhance your celebrations.

If you’re looking for a convenient way to gather all the ingredients, Milkbasket has you covered! From fresh coconut and jaggery to saffron and khoya, you can get everything you need delivered right to your doorstep and a bonus is that you can buy groceries online from our app as well. 

Plus, with next-day delivery, no minimum order requirement, and the convenience of ordering till midnight, Milkbasket makes preparing for festivals a breeze. 

Why wait? Download the Milkbasket app, head to our Ganesh Chaturthi collection (or buy from our sweets collection), and buy all the modak ingredients directly. Add them to your cart before midnight, and everything will be delivered by 7 AM, ready for your festive cooking!

Make this Ganesh Chaturthi stress-free and extra sweet with Milkbasket and don’t forget to use the modaks when preparing for the Ganesh Chaturthi essential puja items as it is a big part of it!✨🙏