Modak Recipes for Ganesh Chaturthi – The Sweet Love of Bappa

Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the most loved festivals in India. It is a festival full of joy, devotion, and delicious food. When we think of Ganesh Chaturthi, one sweet instantly comes to mind – Modak. It is believed to be Lord Ganesha’s favorite sweet, and that is why no celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi is complete without offering modaks to Bappa.

Why We Celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi ?

Ganesh Chaturthi marks the birth of Lord Ganesha, the god of wisdom, prosperity, and remover of obstacles. The festival is celebrated with great devotion, especially in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka, and many other parts of India.

People bring home beautifully crafted idols of Lord Ganesha, decorate their houses with flowers and lights, and worship Him with rituals and prayers. The atmosphere is filled with chants of “Ganpati Bappa Morya”. This festival also spreads a message of unity, devotion, and positivity.

In ancient times, Lokmanya Tilak made Ganesh Chaturthi a public celebration to bring people together during the freedom struggle. Since then, it has become a grand festival celebrated across India with music, dance, cultural programs, and lots of festive food.

Significance of Modak in Ganesh Chaturthi:

Now let’s talk about the star of the festival – Modak.

• Modak is believed to be Lord Ganesha’s most favorite sweet.

• It is said in mythology that once Goddess Parvati made modaks and gave them to her sons, Ganesha and Kartikeya. Ganesha loved the modak so much that it became His most loved sweet.

• In every Ganesh puja, devotees offer 21 modaks as prasad (bhog) to Bappa. “कहते हैं कि जो भी सच्चे मन से बप्पा को मोदक चढ़ाता है, उसकी हर मनोकामना पूरी होती है।”

The modak is not just food; it is a symbol of spiritual knowledge and bliss. The outer covering represents the body, while the sweet filling inside represents inner joy and wisdom.

Lets make some Modak Recipes for Ganesh Chaturthi

Types of Modak

1. Steamed Modak –

Traditional Maharashtrian recipe made with rice flour dough filled with coconut and jaggery. These are soft, healthy, and melt in the mouth.

Ingredients

• Rice flour – 1 cup
• Water – 1 cup
• Ghee – 1 tsp
• Salt – a pinch
• For Filling:
• Grated coconut – 1 cup
• Jaggery – ¾ cup
• Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
• Ghee – 1 tsp

Method

1. Prepare Filling (Saran):

• Heat ghee in a pan, add grated coconut and jaggery.
• Cook till jaggery melts and mixes with coconut.
• Add cardamom powder, mix well, and keep aside.

2. Prepare Dough (Ukad):

• Boil water with salt and ghee.
• Add rice flour slowly, stir well, cover and let it steam for 2–3 minutes.
• Knead into a soft, smooth dough while it’s warm.

3. Shape Modak:

• Grease your hands with ghee.
• Take a small ball of dough, flatten it into a cup shape.
• Fill with coconut-jaggery mixture.
• Seal and shape into a modak (pinch at the top).

4. Steam Modak:

• Place modaks in a steamer or idli cooker.
• Steam for 10–12 minutes.
• Serve hot with ghee.

“गर्मागर्म मोदक पर थोड़ा सा घी डाल कर खाने का मज़ा ही कुछ और है!”

2.Fried Modak –

Made with wheat flour or maida, deep-fried for a crunchy taste.

Ingredients

For Dough:

• Wheat flour – 1 cup (or you can mix wheat flour + maida)
• Rava (semolina) – 2 tbsp (optional, for crunch)
• Ghee – 1 tbsp
• Salt – a pinch
• Water – as needed

For Filling:

• Grated coconut – 1 cup
• Jaggery – ¾ cup
• Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
• Poppy seeds (khus khus) – 1 tsp (optional)
• Chopped dry fruits – 2 tbsp
• Ghee – 1 tsp

For Frying:

• Oil or ghee – for deep frying

Method

1. Prepare Filling:

• Heat ghee in a pan.
• Add coconut, jaggery, and cook until jaggery melts and combines.
• Add cardamom, poppy seeds, and dry fruits.
• Cool the mixture.

2. Prepare Dough:

• Mix wheat flour, rava, ghee, and salt.
• Add water and knead into a firm dough (like puri dough).
• Rest for 15–20 minutes.

3. Shape Modaks:

• Roll out a small puri from dough.
• Place 1 spoon filling in the center.
• Gather edges and seal at the top (like modak shape).

4. Fry Modaks:

• Heat oil/ghee.
• Fry modaks on medium flame until golden and crisp.
• Drain on paper napkin.

5. Offer & Enjoy:

• Serve to Ganpati Bappa as prasad, then enjoy with family.

TIP: Fried Modaks stay fresh for 3–4 days in an airtight container, so they are perfect if you want to prepare in advance.

3. Chocolate Modak – A modern twist for kids and youngsters who love chocolate.

Ingredients

• Dark or milk chocolate – 1 cup (chopped or chocolate chips)
• Condensed milk – ½ cup
• Cocoa powder – 2 tbsp
• Biscuit powder (Parle-G/Marie/digestive) – ½ cup
• Ghee – 1 tsp
• Dry fruits (optional, chopped) – 2 tbsp

Method

1. Melt Chocolate

• In a bowl, melt chocolate using double boiler method or microwave.

2. Mix Filling

• Add condensed milk, cocoa powder, biscuit powder, and dry fruits to the melted chocolate.
• Mix well into a soft mixture.

3. Shape Modak

• Grease modak moulds with ghee.
• Fill mixture inside and press tightly.
• Demould carefully to get beautiful chocolate modaks.

4. Chill & Serve

• Refrigerate for 15–20 minutes for firmness.
• Offer to Bappa and enjoy!

4.Dry Fruit Modak –

Rich and nutritious with nuts, dates, and ghee.

Ingredients

• Dates (seedless) – 1 cup
• Almonds – ½ cup
• Cashews – ½ cup
• Pistachios – ¼ cup
• Walnuts – ¼ cup
• Raisins – 2 tbsp
• Desiccated coconut – 2 tbsp
• Ghee – 1 tsp
• Cardamom powder – ½ tsp

Method

1. Chop & Roast

• Roughly chop all dry fruits.
• Lightly roast almonds, cashews, pistachios, and walnuts in a pan (without oil) for 2–3 minutes.

2. Prepare Dates Paste

• Grind dates into a sticky paste (this will act as a natural sweetener & binder).

3. Mix Everything

• In a pan, heat 1 tsp ghee.
• Add dates paste, roasted nuts, raisins, coconut, and cardamom powder.
• Mix well until everything combines into a thick mixture.

4. Shape Modak

• While warm, grease hands with ghee.
• Use modak moulds or shape small modaks by hand.

5. Cool & Serve

• Let them set for 15–20 minutes.
• Offer to Bappa and enjoy guilt-free modaks full of health and taste.

The most beautiful part of this festival is how families come together. From preparing modaks in the kitchen to decorating the idol and singing aarti, everything is done with love and unity.

Children enjoy making clay Ganesha, women prepare bhog, men arrange decorations, and the whole family feels connected. “बप्पा घर में आते हैं तो खुशियां भी साथ लाते हैं।”

So, this Ganesh Chaturthi, make modaks with your family, offer them to Lord Ganesha, and enjoy the sweetness of life.
“Ganpati Bappa Morya, Mangal Murti Morya!”