Steamed Chana Dal Modak

Steamed Chana Dal Modak

Modak is a popular Indian sweet. Normally it is a steamed dumpling with sweet filling. This sweet filling is normally made from grated coconut and jaggery. Outer soft covering is made of rice flour dough.Sometimes wheat flour or maida is also used as the outer shell. But with time this modak has gone through many changes.

Lord Ganesha's favourite sweet dish is modak. Lord Ganesha is also known as Modakpriya (who likes modak). During Ganesh Chaturthi every household make modak as offering to the most popular God.  

There are lots of variety of modaks. Like steamed, fried and also made of mawa (khoya) or sooji (rava). Here i am sharing a recipe of  steamed modak where the stuffing is made of chana dal. Chana dal cooked with jaggery up to dry. Then stuffed inside the soft rice flour shell. 

Here is the recipe

Stuffing 

Chana Dal- 3tbsp

Jaggery - 2tbsp

Raisins- 1tbsp

Dessicated Coconut- 3tbsp

Green Cardamom Powder- 1tsp

Haldi- a pinch

Salt - 1/4tsp

Ghee- 1tbsp

Modak

Rice Flour- 1cup

Water- 1.5cup

Salt- 1/4tsp

Ghee- 1tbsp

Clean and soak chana dal for 2 hours. After 2 hours in a pressure cooker add soaked chana dal, salt and haldi and also add water. Cook up to 2 whistles. Keep aside and let it cool down naturally.

In a kadai heat ghee and add cooked chana dal and cook. Then add jaggery, coconut and green cardamom powder and cook up to dry. This is our stuffing. 

Again heat water in a kadai and add salt and ghee to it and let it boil up to bubbly. Then add rice flour and mix. Now switch off the gas and cover it and keep aside for 5 to 7 mins

After that remove the dough to it a big plate. Let it cool down.When it is cold enough to touch with hand knead it with adding little little water to a very soft dough.

Keep a steamer on gas with around 2.5 cups of water.

Now we will shape the modaks. Make small balls from the dough. Now grease yours hands with ghee. Flat the ball and shape like a small bowl. Then add the stuffing in that bowl. Gather the edges and press and shape like modak. It can be made with modak mould which id easily available in market. If needed grease your hand with water and ghee.

Now grease the steamer with little ghee. Place the modaks in that steamer. cover and cook for 7 to 10 mins.Then remove from steamer and keep aside to cool down. Serve as prasad to Lord Gnesha