How to Make the Perfect Indian Modak with Sweet Coconut Filling
Indian · Medium · 45 min · 6 servings
Modak are sacred sweet dumplings from Maharashtra in India, traditionally offered to the Hindu deity Ganesha during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival and made with a soft rice flour shell filled with a fragrant mixture of freshly grated coconut and jaggery. They can be steamed for a soft delicate texture or deep-fried for a crispy golden shell.
Why this recipe works
This Indian Modak with Sweet Coconut Filling recipe has been crafted to deliver restaurant-quality results in your home kitchen. At just 45 minutes from start to finish, it fits perfectly into a busy schedule without sacrificing flavor. Each serving comes in at 210 calories with 3g of protein, making it a balanced choice for any meal.
What you will need
This recipe uses 6 simple ingredients that you can find at any grocery store:
- 1.5 cups rice flour
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1.5 cups freshly grated coconut
- 1 cup jaggery grated or powdered
- 0.5 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 tablespoon chopped cashews
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Cook the Filling
Combine grated coconut and jaggery in a pan over medium heat and stir continuously until the jaggery melts and the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cardamom and cashews. Allow to cool completely before using.
Step 2: Make the Rice Dough
Boil one and a half cups of water with ghee and a pinch of salt. Add the rice flour all at once, remove from heat, and mix vigorously with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms. Knead while warm using damp hands until completely smooth and pliable.
Step 3: Shape the Modak
Divide the dough into 12 equal balls and keep covered. Flatten each ball into a small thin cup shape using your fingers, then fill with a tablespoon of coconut filling and bring the edges up to form a pointed tip, pressing together to create the traditional ridged modak shape.
Step 4: Steam Until Glossy
Grease a steamer plate with ghee and arrange modak upright without touching. Steam over boiling water for 10 to 12 minutes until the rice flour shell turns glossy and translucent. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before handling as they are fragile when hot.
Easy substitutions
Missing an ingredient? Here are some swaps that work perfectly:
- jaggery → dark brown sugar or coconut sugar as a closer substitute that provides a similar caramel-like sweetness
- freshly grated coconut → desiccated coconut rehydrated with a splash of coconut milk for a slightly different but acceptable texture
Common mistakes to avoid
Watch out for these pitfalls that can affect your results:
- Working with the rice dough after it has cooled down completely which makes it crack and impossible to shape without crumbling
- Cooking the coconut and jaggery filling too long which makes it hard and dry instead of soft and moist inside the dumpling
Nutrition facts
Per serving: 210 calories, 3g protein, 38g carbs, 7g fat, 3g fiber.
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