Easy, simple and quick modak rolls in 40 minutes

Wishing all my readers happy Ganesh Chaturthi. May lord Ganesh shower his blessings and remove all the obstacles in your life.

Ganesh Chaturthi is a 10 days festival which comes each year on 31st August and goes on till 9th September. It is celebrated as birthday of Lord Ganesh all across India on a large scale. Celebrated all across India, people in Maharashtra celebrate it on a very massive scale.

People visit temples, preform Ganesh aarti and offer bhog or prasad to lord Ganesh. They pray to him to remove all obstacles in their lives and shower his blessings on them. A variety of dishes are prepared on this occasion and people invite their friends and family members over to celebrate the festival together and distribute sweets among each other. This makes it a special festival where all the devotees come together and celebrate.

In Southern parts of India, it is celebrated as Vinayaka Chaturthi. 

On this special occasion Lord Ganesh favourite sweet is also prepared, yes you guessed it right they are his favourite “Modak” and are equally loved by all his devotees. They are relished by all but children relish them more, as they are sweet and filled with delicious filling. They are white in colour stuffed with healthy filling of dry fruits, ghee, coconut and sugar/jaggery powder.

On tenth day of the festival people in Maharashtra of every group be it celebrity, politician, businessmen, middle class, laborer's all gather in large numbers during the immersion ceremony where the idols of lord Ganesh is immersed in the river or sea.

We will learn how to prepare modak rolls on this festive occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. They are also called dumplings. People in Maharashtra call them Ukadiche modak, which means steamed modak. We can prepare modak in any shape. So, let's start with the preparation of lord Ganpati most favourite sweet Modak by knowing their benefits.

Benefits of modak

Modak filling has many benefits as it is prepared with coconut, jaggery powder and its outer covering is prepared from rice flour. If you are frying the modak then you should use wheat flour as outer covering.

Prevents constipation

Modak is prepared with ghee which aids in preventing constipation. Ghee helps stomach lining build itself which prevents stomach from strong acids that are present in it to digest the food.

Rich in fiber

As the filling contains coconut, they are high in fiber. Coconut contains tocopherol properties; they are rich in fibers and has the presence of healthy fats. This is the best sweet which not only is delicious but also keeps the bowel movement smooth.

Prevents inflammation

Ghee contains vitamin A and has omega-3 fatty acids. It aids in curing gut inflammation. It may help to keep the heart healthy when consumed in moderate quantity.

Keeps cholesterol under control

Coconut in the filling also aids to bring down the levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and increases the level of good cholesterol (HDL).

 Immunity booster

Jaggery is another ingredient which makes this sweet beneficial. It is rich in iron and folate which keeps the production of red blood cells normal. It also contains saturated fats which prevents various infections.

Good for diabetic patients in moderation

Diabetic patients too have craving to eat sweets but, due to diabetes they can’t enjoy sweets. But, on modak this rule doesn’t apply because it’s prepared with ingredients like jaggery, ghee and coconut which are low to medium in glycemic index. But, remember to take them in moderation as they too contain natural sugar.

Difference between Chironji and Kalonji

One can easily confuse chironji with kalonji. Let me tell you the basic difference between the two.

Chironji is brown in colour while kalonji is black in colour.

Chironji seeds are bigger in comparison to small kalonji seeds.

Chironji has a nutty flavor while kalonji is bitter in taste.

Chironji is used in various sweets and rich dishes having rich flavors while kalonji is used on breads like naan, curries, samosa and kachori.

Benefits of chironji

Chironji is a seed from a plant which is brown in colour and is also used as a substitute for almonds. It gives the dish consistency along with wonderful flavor. It is mainly used in sweets preparation.

Aids in digestion

Chironji is an excellent digestive. When took in powdered form it boosts the digestion process. They also aid in reducing bloating.

Prevents constipation

Chironji powdered form prevents constipation.

Act as an ant acid

These seeds have an ant acid property which prevents formation of excessive acid in the stomach preventing one from stomach problems like ulcers, gastritis etc.

Boost immunity

Chironji have antioxidant properties which aids in boosting the immune system making a shield and preventing us from common cold, pyrexia etc.

Good for heart

Chironji leaves have antioxidant properties and when the juice is extracted from them, they make heart muscles stronger. They also prevent the formation of blood clots and heart attacks.

Good for skin

The tocopherol properties in these seeds are supposed to be beneficial for the skin. They protect the skin from UV rays and thereby prevents wrinkles, pimples and other skin diseases.

Diabetes controller

In today’s time people have become less active, leading to diabetes. These seeds have anti-diabetes properties. They can slow down the release of sugar in the blood with their extract from the leaves.

Ingredients (serve - 4 pax)

For covering

1 cup milk

1/2 cup rice flour roasted for 2-3 minutes

1/4 th cup desiccated coconut

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 th tsp small green cardamom powder

1/4th cup malai/ cream

For filling

5 cashews

5 almonds

1 tbsp chironji seeds

1 tbsp poppy seeds

2 pinches ground small green cardamom

2 tbsp jaggery powder

2 tbsp desiccated coconut

1 tbsp ghee

Photo steps

Roast the filling without the jaggery for a minute with 1 tsp ghee.

Put the malai and coconut into a mixer with a little milk and make it into a smooth paste.

Pour the milk into a heavy bottomed pan and let it come to boil.

Add the malai coconut paste and keep stirring till it boils.

Add the sugar and cardamom powder and keep stirring till it dissolves and comes to boil. Now turn off the flame.

Slowly, a little at a time, add the roasted rice flour and keep stirring and mixing.

Now put on the flame and keep cooking.

Keep cooking till it starts turning into a ball of dough.

Keep a piece of butter/ baking sheet on a plate or shelf and spread the dough with your hands into a thick rectangle.

Now put the filling ingredients into the grinder and with short pulses grind into a coarse powder.

Next put the filling mixture in a heavy bottomed pan and on low flame mix and cook the filling with 1 tbsp ghee and a few spoons of water till the jaggery slightly melts around two minutes.

Place the mixture in the middle of the rectangle and fold it slightly by folding the paper from both sides and later closing it with your fingers by pinching and pressing it together.

Roll it in the paper and put it in the freezer for 30-40 minutes.

After 40 minutes take it out from the freezer and cut it into 1-inch pieces. Garnish it with a few rose petals from your garden.

Video

Method

Put the malai and coconut into a mixer with a little milk and make it into a smooth paste.

Pour the milk into a heavy bottomed pan and let it come to boil.

Add the malai coconut paste and keep stirring till it boils.

Add the sugar and cardamom powder and keep stirring till it dissolves and comes to boil.

Now turn off the flame.

Slowly, a little at a time add the roasted rice flour and keep stirring and mixing.

Now put on the flame and keep cooking.

Keep cooking till it starts turning into a ball of dough.

Keep a piece of butter/ baking sheet on a plate or shelf and spread the dough with your hands into a thick rectangle.

Filling

Roast the filling without the jaggery for a minute with 1tsp ghee.

Now put the filling ingredients into the grinder and with short pulses grind into a coarse powder.

Next put the filling mixture in a heavy bottomed pan and on low flame mix and cook the filling with 1tbsp ghee and a few spoons of water till the jaggery slightly melts around two minutes.

Place the mixture in the middle of the rectangle and fold it slightly by folding the paper from both sides and later closing with your fingers by pinching and pressing it together.

Roll it in the paper and put it in the freezer for 30-40 minutes.

After 40 minutes take it out from the freezer and cut it into 1-inch pieces. Garnish it with a few rose petals from your garden

I was in a hurry to taste them so I removed them from the freezer in 15 minutes and they were still soft but tasted awesome.

The roll is for those like me who are too lazy or too busy to give the modak shape. You can use your hands or the mould to give the modak shape. Do try you will make it again and again.

Conclusion

Ganesh Chaturthi is birthday of lord Ganesh which is celebrated all across India with devotion of the devotees. This is a 10 days festival which comes each year on 31st August and ends on 9th September.

The offering made to lord Ganesh are in many forms from money to sweets. Modak is the favourite sweet of lord Ganesh and is made with love and devotion. It is distributed among the devotees as prasad on this special occasion.

Modak is prepared from major ingredients like jaggery, coconut, ghee. They not only taste delicious but also have numerous health benefits.

I have prepared modak rolls but can also be shaped into modak.