Ganpati Recipe:Ukdiche Modak by Chef Anupa Das

Ingredients

1. 1½ cups (225 grams) Basmati rice flour
2. A pinch of salt
3. 1 teaspoon oil + for greasing 

Stuffing

1. 1½ cups scraped fresh coconut
2. 1 cup (200 grams) grated jaggery
3. 1 tablespoon roasted poppy seeds (khus khus)
4. A pinch of green cardamom powder
5. A pinch of nutmeg (jaiphal) powder

Method

1. Heat one and one-fourth cups of water with salt and one teaspoon oil in a deep non-stick pan.  
2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and add the rice flour in a steady flow, stirring continuously to prevent lumps from forming. Cover the pan with a deep lid and pour some water into the lid. Cook on low heat for three minutes.
3. Remove the lid, sprinkle some cold water on the rice flour and cover again with the lid with water in it; cook for another three minutes. Repeat this process twice more. Take the pan off the heat and keep it covered for two minutes.
4. Transfer the mixture to a large parat, grease the palms of your hands with oil and knead the dough till completely smooth and pliable. The dough should not stick to your palms. Rest the dough covered with a damp cloth.
5. For the stuffing, combine the coconut and jaggery in a non-stick pan and cook on medium heat for one or two minutes or till light golden brown. Make sure that you do not overcook the mixture. Add the roasted poppy seeds, cardamom powder and nutmeg powder, and mix well. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.  Divide the coconut mixture into twelve equal portions.
6. Divide the dough into twelve equal portions and shape them into balls. Grease the palms of your hands and spread each ball to form a three-inch bowl. Press the edges of the bowls to reduce the thickness.
7. Place a portion of the stuffing in the centre; pleat the edges of the dough and gather them together to form a bundle. Pinch to seal the edges at the top.
8. Heat sufficient water in a steamer. Place the modaks on the perforated plate in the steamer and steam for ten to twelve minutes. 
9. Serve hot modaks with pure ghee.

Makes 12 modaks

About Chef Anupa Das: Chef Anupa Das is a known name in Indian Culinary industry. She Currently associated with Padmashri Awardee Grand Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor. Anupa completes 10 years of working on his books, shows and TV shows.

Born and brought up in Mumbai, Anupa’s passion for cooking drove her towards completing the Diploma in Hotel Management and Food Technology from Sophia Polytechnic, Mumbai in 1998. The campus interviews placed her in the Taj.

Chef Anupa Das, in her mid thirties, who knows now what it takes to survive in an erstwhile male dominated field – the hotel industry. The hotel and catering industry is no longer a man’s domain for more and more women have made their careers in it. Anupa, with her remarkable outgoing nature, has been able to rough it out in the kitchen and has emerged stronger and more determined to go few notches higher. Her passion for food and cooking was clearly evident while she was still schooling and her choice of career was an acceptance of the flow of life.

Having switched over from a boisterous kitchen of the exclusive club Chambers of the Taj Mahal Palace and Towers, Mumbai, Anupa reminisces of the great learning experience spread over more than five years as Continental Chef. She had the opportunity to work closely with Chef Anton Mossiman from UK and Michelin Star Chef Frank Fol from Belgium. She was part of the team representing the Mumbai Taj at the The Taj Culinary Olympics, Delhi in 2000.

Chef Anupa’s Achievements

• Hosts Sirf Tees Minute, a cookery show on 24 hour food channel Food Food.
• Hostess of Rasoi Khajina, a weekly cookery show, aired by a Marathi Channel.
• Heading a business vertical- SK Culinary Studio.
• Team leader for trials for Sanjeev Kapoor cookery books and shows.
•  Assistant to Chef Kapoor for his national and international live cookery demonstrations.

Editor in Chief : Mewati SItaram