Ukadiche Modakउकडीचे मोदक

Name: Ukadiche Modak
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 20 servings
Cuisine: Maharashtrian
Ingredients: 2 cups Rice flour; 2 cups Water; 1 tsp Ghee (तूप); ½ tsp Salt; 1½ cups Fresh grated coconut (ताजा खोबरे); 1 cup Jaggery, powdered (गूळ); 6 Cardamom pods, crushed; 1 tbsp Poppy seeds (खसखस); ¼ tsp Nutmeg powder

⏱ Prep 30m🍳 Cook 20m🍽 Serves 20🌿 Vegetarian

Video: Your Food Lab (YouTube)

Ukadiche Modak is Maharashtra's most cherished sweet — steamed rice flour shells cradling a fragrant filling of fresh coconut and jaggery. Every household has its own version, but the soul of the dish is always the same: paper-thin dough, a generous filling, and the unmistakable pull of its pleated peak. These are made for Ganesh Chaturthi but eaten with joy year-round.

📍 Make it in Plano

This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.

Finding Desi spots near Plano…

Ingredients

For the dough
▪Rice flour2 cups
▪Water2 cups
▪Ghee (तूप)1 tsp
▪Salt½ tsp
For the filling
▪Fresh grated coconut (ताजा खोबरे)1½ cups
▪Jaggery, powdered (गूळ)1 cup
▪Cardamom pods, crushed6
▪Poppy seeds (खसखस)1 tbsp
▪Nutmeg powder¼ tsp

🌍 Cooking abroad? Substitutions

Fresh grated coconut is key — look for it frozen at South Asian or Southeast Asian grocery stores; thaw and squeeze out excess moisture before using.
Jaggery (gur) gives the filling its characteristic caramel depth; if unavailable, substitute an equal weight of dark brown sugar plus 1 tbsp molasses.
Rice flour varies — use fine-ground rice flour (not coarse) for a smooth, pliable dough. In a pinch, blend regular rice flour for 30 seconds in a dry jar to fine it down.

Method

1Make the filling: combine grated coconut and jaggery in a pan over medium heat, stirring until the jaggery melts and the mixture comes together. Add crushed cardamom, poppy seeds, and nutmeg. Cook 2–3 minutes until the mixture is slightly dry and fragrant. Cool completely.
2Make the dough: bring water to a full boil with salt and ghee. Remove from heat and add rice flour in one go, stirring quickly with a wooden spoon until combined. Cover and rest 5 minutes.
3While still warm, knead into a smooth, pliable dough. If cracks appear, add a few drops of hot water and knead again. Keep covered with a damp cloth.
4Pinch off a golf-ball-sized portion. Using oiled fingers, press and stretch it into a thin disc about 3 inches wide — thin enough to see light through but not tearing.
5Place a generous spoonful of filling in the center. Gather the edges, pinching into 10–12 even pleats, bringing them to a point at the top. Pinch firmly to seal — this is the classic flower-bud shape.
6Arrange modaks on a greased steamer tray, spaced apart. Steam over vigorously boiling water for 10–12 minutes until the shell turns slightly translucent.
7Brush lightly with ghee and serve warm.

A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.