Modak

Two versions, one fried and one steamed, and the shell can take khoya.

Vegetarian, but not vegan — contains dairy (ghee), dairy (khoa).

Ingredients

• 250 g rice flour
• 400 ml water
• 80 g khoa
• 1 tablespoon ghee
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 250 g fresh coconut, grated
• 200 g jaggery, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• ghee, to serve

Method

1. TWO VERSIONS, ONE FRIED AND ONE STEAMED, AND THE SHELL CAN TAKE KHOYA. That is what its article gives that kozhukkatta's does not, and it is why this is a separate page: THERE ARE TWO DISTINCT VARIETIES OF MODAK, FRIED AND STEAMED. THE STEAMED VERSION (CALLED UKADICHE MODAK) IS OFTEN SERVED HOT WITH GHEE. And the shell is not only rice flour: it is MADE FROM RICE FLOUR OR WHEAT FLOUR MIXED WITH KHOWA OR MAIDA FLOUR.
2. THE KHOA IN THE SHELL IS THE DIFFERENCE YOU TASTE. Eighty grams worked into the hot rice-flour dough makes it richer and more pliable, and it is why a modak can be pleated into the folded shape it is known for where a plain rice shell cracks. Khoa is on its own page here.
3. THE FILLING IS COCONUT AND JAGGERY, as in its article: THE SWEET FILLING INSIDE A MODAK CONSISTS OF FRESHLY GRATED COCONUT AND JAGGERY. Cook them together ten minutes until the mixture holds in a mass, then cardamom and nutmeg off the heat, then cool completely.
4. MAKE THE SHELL WITH BOILING WATER AND THE GHEE. Water, salt and ghee to the boil, rice flour in, stirred to a mass, then the khoa kneaded through while warm.
5. KEEP THE DOUGH UNDER A DAMP CLOTH AND WORK IN SMALL AMOUNTS. It stiffens as it cools and a stiff dough will not pleat.
6. SHAPE A CUP, FILL IT, AND PLEAT THE RIM. Press a hollow with your thumb, thin the walls, spoon in the filling, then pinch five or six pleats round the edge and draw them up to a point. A mould makes this easy and doing it by hand is the skill.
7. FOR THE STEAMED ONE, TWELVE MINUTES OVER BOILING WATER. The shell turns from matt to glossy. Served hot with ghee poured over, which the article asks for by name.
8. FOR THE FRIED ONE, USE A WHEAT-FLOUR SHELL INSTEAD AND DEEP-FRY THEM. A rice shell will burst in oil. Wheat flour with ghee rubbed in, rolled thin, filled, sealed, and fried at a medium heat until golden -- which keeps a fortnight where the steamed one is eaten the same day.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

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