Ukdiche Modak

Ukdiche Modak

Food Blogging Marathon from 2/9/2013 to 30/9/2013. 

Each day a new alphabet. 4 categories. 

Regional Food, 

Baked Dishes, 

International Flavors / Fusion flavors, 

Street Food / Condiments / Misc / Recipe less Posts on Food

I was very tempted to post this on Ganesh Chaturthi with a different name but somehow it did not feel right. Our family Ganapati is the main home where my husband's cousin and his family live. For one and half day's celebration we are there the whole time. Now all the children have flown the coop and it is just us oldies who celebrate, but when everyone was there or was able to come it use to be great. The older generation was there to guide us and 3 generations of guests would be there for the pooja and prasad which is the afternoon meal.
Modak and at least two other sweets is a must. The vegetables too are the same that are used for 'Naivaidya'. 
This is how the Ukdiche Modak are done.
To make the Ukad for the outer covering:
 Rice is the only important ingredient in this.  We use a local variety called 'kasbai'. But any which is sticky is fine. Now a days even Basmati is used.

Ingredients:
1/2 kilo rice
Soak the rice in water for 1/2 an hour and then drain and let dry in shade for a day or two. It should be absolutely dry. The grind it at home or get it done in the flour mill. See to it that it is pure rice flour and not mixed with some other grain. Now to make Ukad
1+ 1/4 cup rice flour
1/2 tsp salt
1+1/2 cups water
1 tsp oil
extra oil for kneading
Keep the water to boil in a thick bottom pan or non stick pan. Add salt and 1 tsp oil and bring it to a rolling boil. lower the heat and while stirring the water add the rice flour in a steady trickle and once all rice flour is gone give a good stir and cover and cook for 10 minutes on low flame. remove lid and give it a good stir. If it has all come together it is done. If not sprinkle some water and cover and cook further for 5 to 8 minutes. Remove in a steel plate to knead. as soon as you can handle it start kneading while still hot. Be careful. Do not burn yourself. If you can't handle the warm dough use a small vessel or back of a katori/steel cup to press and knead the dough. Kneading is very very important. It should become pliable and soft and smooth as you knead. Use oiled palms. Once done keep the dough (Ukad) under a wet muslin cloth or a clean kitchen towel. Now break off a lemon size ball of Ukad and flatten it in the palms of your hands to make a flat disc. Make pleats around the disc and fill about 1 tblsp of the coconut filling and close the open pleated edge by bringing together all the pleats and pinching and making a point at the top. remove excess ukad. In this much amount you should get 21 Modaks. 





To make the coconut filling:
1 big fresh coconut, grated or scraped
Jaggery equal amount of coconut by volume
1 tsp nutmeg powder
1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Mix everything together and keep aside for 10 minutes. In a heavy bottom pan or a non stick pan heat the coconut mixture stirring all the time till jaggery is dissolved and there are no traces of any liquid. Do not over cook or it will become hard. It takes about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool and use to fill the Modaks.
Once you have enough modaks done heat water in the lower half of the a double boiler or modak patra and keep the modaks in single layer in the lined upper basket of the double boiler. Line it with banana leaves. 


Close the vessel and steam Modaks for 15 to 20 minutes or till translucent. 















Let cool and remove to be served with home made ghee.

This is the way the Naivaidya is offered. Each thing has a sequence on how and where to put on the thali.

Traditionally Banana leaf is used But we put it vertical with the narrow part away from you. Salt is never offered with this. It is served after one starts the meal. 

                       

 Decorated Ganapati with offerings in the front. This is a permanent place. The peacocks are done in glazed tiles and are more than 75 years old. The wooden frame is hand carved. 

 The true Naivaidya of Modaks in the special silver vessel for this purpose. 

This is my 6th recipe in regional category

I tried loading a video I had shot while making these modaks but could not upload. Will try again and hope this time it will upload. 

Khandvi

Khandvi

Food Blogging Marathon from 2/9/2013 to 30/9/2013. 

Each day a new alphabet. 4 categories. 

Regional Food, 

Baked Dishes, 

International Flavors / Fusion flavors, 

Street Food / Condiments / Misc / Recipe less Posts on Food

This is a very easy and quick recipe to make and almost an instant sweet to make for the unexpected guests. 
This is not to be confused with the Gujarati Recipe of the same name, which is a savoury one. This is done in some communities of Maharashtra, particularly in the Kokan belt.

This is actually cooked in sugarcane juice. But now with hygiene of these sugarcane stalls in question and availability of good quality sugarcane juice  has become rare so it is made by dissolving jagery in water and using it to sweeten it instead of sugarcane juice. 
If you have access to good quality sugarcane juice please do try making with it. The taste is much better with it.You will need double the amount of juice and will have to boil it to reduce it. So 10 cups of juice boiled and reduced to make 5 cups and then used, will give a wonderful taste to these Kandvi.

Ingredients:

 1 cup Rice rawa or regular big grain rawa/sooji/semolina
1 tblsp ghee
1 +1/4 cup jaggery* 
1 tblsp grated ginger
1 cup grated fresh coconut
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg/jaiphal (optional)
4 to 5 cups water
1/2 cup chopped mixed nuts (optional)
*These are not very sweet but if you prefer it you can add more jagery.

Keep water to boil in a steel pan/ vessel and add jagerry salt and grated ginger to the water. Once the water boils lower the heat and let it simmer till the rawa is done. The water should simmer at least 5 to 7 minutes after jaggery melts.
Heat a heavy bottom pan/kadhai on medium heat on the other stove and add ghee and let it melt. Add rawa and roast till light golden brown in colour. Now add the grated fresh coconut and roast for about 5 minutes or till you get the roasted coconut smell.
Now add the hot water to the hot rawa and stir quickly so no lumps form. Be very careful when you add the water. Mixture will start to thicken almost immediately. Cover and cook for 10 minutes on low heat. Stir once.

 Pour in a greased tray and shake the tray to level and smoothen it. Leave it to cool. You can  sprinkle chopped nuts as soon as it is poured in the tray to make it richer. I didn't use as I prefer plain.

 Cut into squares or diamond when cool.

 Serve with fresh grated coconut and a spoonful of ghee. 
This can be served at room temperature or cold.




This is my 4th regional recipe.








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Jackfruit Steamed Cakes

 Jackfruit Steamed  Cakes

Food Blogging Marathon from 2/9/2013 to 30/9/2013. Each day a new alphabet. 4 categories. 

Regional Food, 

Baked Dishes, 

International Flavors / Fusion flavors, 

Street Food / Condiments / Misc / Recipe less Posts on Food

This is little known sweet snack. It is typically made where Jackfurit is in plenty and like by all. Jackfruit is a fruit which when ripe gives a sweet smell so strong that it is not like by many but in its raw or tender form the same fruit is used as a vegetables to make delicious curry/cutlets and a few other recipes. My aunt (my mother's sister) who lived in a small coastal town in Maharashtra's Konkan region used to make these as a treat for us, when we visited her during our summer holidays. It is made with the Barka or soft/juicy variety of Jackfruit.  She used to steam in small vatis/katoris. With idlli steamers and idilli stands being available everywhere during late 1960s my mother started using these to make these treats in our home. These are called 'SANDANA' in Marathi. 

Ingredients:

1 cup ripe Jackfruit pulp (blend deseeded ripe jackfruit in a blender 

                                          with a little milk to get one cup pulp)

1/4 cup jagery or as needed

1/4 cup grated fresh coconut

1 cup rice rawa or regular rawa/sooji/semolina 

1 pinch of nutmeg/jaiphal powder

1 tsp baking powder

a pinch of salt

Milk/water as required.

1/4 cup broken cashew pieces (optional)

To serve:

Ghee 

Coconut milk

Jagery

Cardamom or nutmeg powder (optional)

Mix coconut milk and jagery together till jagery is dissolved. add cardamom or nutmeg powder if using. 

Method:

Mix the jackfruit pulp and the rawa. Add about 2 cups of water or milk while stirring so the batter will be smooth. Add jagery grated coconut, nutmeg, salt and broken cashew pieces and stir to mix well. The batter should have the same consistency that of idili batter. Leave aside for 15 minutes. Now add the baking powder and mix well. Pour spoon full of the batter in the  idili mold and steam like idlis for 15 to 20 minutes. 

It can be done in Microwave oven too. I did mine in microwave for 3 minutes. 

If you do not have idlli molds it can be steamed in a thali and cut into squares.

Serve hot or cold with coconut milk and ghee. 

This is my 4th in recipe in miscellaneous category.

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