Ganesh Chaturthi: Easy Modak Recipe to Make Your Festivities Extra Special

Ganesh Chaturthi is incomplete without modak, the beloved sweet offering to Lord Ganesha. Learn how to make traditional modak at home easily and celebrate the festival with love and devotion. 

Modak is a popular sweet from Maharashtra, traditionally made during the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. While there are many varieties available in the market, such as chocolate modak, dry fruit modak, fried modak, and steamed modak, nothing beats the taste of the traditional modak that most people prefer to make at home. So, here’s an easy modak recipe you can quickly prepare in your kitchen.

Ingredients for Modak

• 1 cup grated coconut
• 1 cup grated jaggery
• A pinch of nutmeg
• A pinch of saffron
• 1 cup rice flour
• 1 cup water
• 2 teaspoons ghee (clarified butter)

How to Make Modak

1. Heat a pan and mix the grated coconut and jaggery.
2. Stir the mixture continuously for about five minutes. Then add the nutmeg and saffron.
3. Cook for another five minutes, making sure to keep stirring to prevent the mixture from sticking.
4. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool.
5. In a large vessel, bring water to a boil and add ghee.
6. Slowly add the rice flour, stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
7. Cover the vessel and let the mixture cook. Once done, grease a bowl with ghee and transfer the dough into it.
8. Knead the dough well and make small balls.
9. Roll each ball lightly and fill it with the coconut-jaggery mixture.
10. Shape the modak and place them on a muslin cloth.
11. Steam them for about 15 minutes. After steaming, remove from the heat and let them cool.

Your modaks are now ready to be offered as prasad (offering) to Lord Ganesha. After offering, enjoy the sweet treat yourself and share it with others. Homemade modaks are greatly loved by Lord Ganesha, so instead of buying from outside, prepare them at home with love and devotion.

It is believed that offering modak pleases Lord Ganesha the most, and he grants the devotee’s wishes. As mentioned in the Ganapati Atharvashirsha:

"Yo modakasahastrena yajati sa vanchhitaphalam avapnoti."

This means: "One who offers a thousand modaks to Lord Ganesha attains the desired fruits of their wishes."