Ukadiche Modak

Make the Rice Flour Dough (Ukad)

• In a separate pot, bring 1.25 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add the remaining ghee (about 1 tsp) and the salt.
• Reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Add the entire cup of rice flour all at once.
• Immediately and vigorously mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until the flour absorbs all the water and forms a single, cohesive lump. There should be no dry flour visible.
• Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, turn off the heat, and let the dough steam in its own heat for 5-7 minutes.
• Transfer the hot dough to a large plate or a 'parat'. Be careful as it will be very hot.
• Grease your palms with a little ghee. While the dough is still hot but manageable, begin to knead it for 5-6 minutes until it is completely smooth, soft, and pliable, with no cracks.

Shape the Modaks

• Divide the smooth dough into 12 equal portions and roll them into crack-free balls.
• To shape by hand: Take one ball, grease your fingers, and flatten it into a 3-4 inch disc (like a small puri). Make the edges thinner than the center.
• Hold the disc in your palm and use your thumb and index finger to create pleats along the edge, about 8-10 pleats per modak.
• Place about 1 to 1.5 teaspoons of the cooled filling in the center.
• Gently gather all the pleats together at the top. Pinch and seal them, forming a pointed tip.
• Alternatively, use a modak mould: Grease the inside of the mould, close it, and press a portion of the dough firmly against the inner walls. Fill the cavity with the coconut-jaggery filling, seal the bottom with a small piece of dough, and carefully open the mould to release the perfectly shaped modak.

Steam the Modaks

• Prepare a steamer by adding water to the bottom pot and bringing it to a boil. Grease the steamer plate or line it with a turmeric leaf, banana leaf, or a damp muslin cloth for extra flavor and to prevent sticking.
• Arrange the shaped modaks on the plate, ensuring they do not touch each other to allow for even steaming.
• Place the plate in the steamer, cover with a lid, and steam on medium heat for 10-12 minutes.
• The modaks are done when they have a slight, glossy sheen and are no longer sticky to the touch.
• Turn off the heat and let them rest in the steamer for 2-3 minutes before carefully removing them.

Serve

• Serve the Ukadiche Modak warm, traditionally drizzled with a little extra pure ghee.