1. keep all the ingredients ready for making modak. then chop all the dry fruits and keep aside.

2. in a pan or vessel pour 1.5 cups of water. place the pan on a stove top on medium to high flame.

3. add ¼ teaspoon salt.

4. allow the water to come to a rolling boil.

5. reduce the flame and add the rice flour gradually.

6. quickly stir and mix the flour with water.

7. mix well and switch off the flame.

8. cover the mixture with a lid for 4 to 5 mins.

9. then transfer the mixture to a thali or plate.

10. allow the dough to slightly cool down. knead the dough while its still warm but take care not to burn your fingers.

11. the dough should be soft and smooth.

12. cover the dough with a damp linen cloth. allow the dough to rest for 10 to 12 mins.

13. meanwhile lets start preparing our stuffing for the modaks. heat a pan and then add 1 tablespoon ghee. you can also use oil instead of ghee.

14. then add all the chopped dry fruits – almonds, pistachios, cashews, dates, chironji and raisins.

15. keep stirring on low flame.

16. after 1 to 2 mins, the dry fruits will be fragrant and slightly roasted. remove them and place aside.

17. in the same pan, saute poppy seeds for a minute on low heat with 1 teaspoon of ghee.

18. when the poppy seeds crackle, then remove them. place aside with the roasted dry fruits.

19. i have used a non stick pan for frying mawa as it might burn or stick in any metal vessel. heat a pan and keep the flame to a low. then add grated or chopped mawa in it.

20. keep stirring on low flame for a minute. the mawa will begin to melt.

21. now add ¼ cup sugar.

22. mix very well.

23. keep stirring the mixture. the sugar will melt and the mixture will get a thin consistency.

24. the mixture will start bubbling.

25. then add ¼ cup fresh grated coconut.

26. stir again on low flame for a minute.

27. add the roasted dry fruits and poppy seeds.

28. keep stirring and mixing for a minute more on low heat.

29. switch off the flame.

30. transfer the mixture to another dish and let it become warm or cool down completely.

31. if you are using turmeric leaves then slice them and place them on individual idli moulds . otherwise just grease the idli moulds or steaming plates with some oil or ghee.

32. make small balls from the dough. they should be smooth and have no cracks. some may get cracks, so just rub some water on your palm and shape them into balls again which will get rid of the cracks.

33. take the modak mould. grease it with a bit of ghee or oil. close or lock the mould. put a small ball in the mould.

34. press the rice dough on the walls of the mould creating a cavity or space in the center. if you do not have the moulds, then you could flatten the balls. place the modak filling in the center. make small pleats, bring all the edges together and join. check the method on this ukadiche modak recipe.

35. add the dry fruit mixture.

35. place a small piece of the dough covering the base and gently smoothen and even it.

35. open or unlock the mould gently.

37. gently remove the modak.

38. keep the modak over the turmeric leaves or on the greased idli moulds.

39. either you could use a steamer pan or you could steam the modaks in a pressure cooker for 8 to 10 mins on low flame without the whistle/vent weight. if using a steamer pan then add 2 and ½ cups of water to the steamer. let the water come to a boil.

40. then place the moulds in the steamer. cover the pan with a lid and steam for 10 to 15 minutes on a low flame.

41.  below is a pic of the steamed modaks.

42. once the modaks are steamed remove the modaks and keep aside.

the dry fruits modaks are ready to be offered to lord ganesha. you can also drizzle some ghee on the modaks, before offering to lord ganesha.

Source:vegrecipesofindia.com