Celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi with tasty modaks

Modaks are Maharashtrian desserts in floral designs with sweet coconut-jaggery filling. They are cooked and exchanged during the Ganesh Chaturthi, which is one of the biggest annual festivals in the state. Check out the recipe of sweet modak.

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Ingredients
2 cups roast rice flour
3 cups water
1 cup grated coconut
½ cup jaggery
¼ tsp dried ginger and cumin powder
2 cardamom pods
½ tsp ghee
Salt as required
Oil as required

Preparation
Boil the water with some salt and ghee (Water in which beetroot has been cooked too is added for colour)
Add the roasted rice flour gradually when the water boils rapidly
Lower the flame; stir and mix for 5 minutes
Turn off the flame and keep it aside
Heat ghee in a pan and roast the grated coconut
When the raw smell of the coconut is gone, add the jaggery syrup
Add the dried ginger-cumin powder when this mixture is still wet
Roast until the coconut-jaggery mix turns dry
Keep it aside
Wet the palms and mix the cooked rice flour into soft dough
Mix for at least 5 minutes
Make small balls and keep them aside for some time
Grease the rolling board with some oil
Rub flour on each ball and roll them into thin sheets
Cut two disks of different sizes from this sheet by pressing lids
Now place the smaller disc in a way its edge is on the centre of the bigger disc
Place the coconut-jaggery mixture on this
Fold the sheet into a floral shape
Cook in steam for at least 10 minutes
Tasty modaks could be prepared using moulds as well
Grease the mould with oil and fill it with dough and the filling
Press the mould to make floral shaped modaks
Cook them in steam.

Notes
There is a chance that the dough cracks while folding the modaks in floral shapes depending upon the consistency of the rice flour.