Rajma Modak | Modakam | Ganesh Chaturthi Recipes

I know I know Rajma Modak? Really?? You wil ask but then why not.  I was making rajma curry and it strike me to try modak with it as I was using small rajma variety.  And what a wise decision it was the puran tasted delicious, just too good.  Rajma adds wonderful texture to the otherwise boring plain filling.  Like I said in my previous post of Modak, this year first time I am trying this and am happy with the result, still need to work on the getting good shaped modaks but hey end of day all matter is taste right?  I am sure Ganeshji going to happy with these goodies.  Here again if you haven’t tried modak/kozhukattai yet, don’t not hesitate give a try not only during Vinayakar Chaturthi but it also makes a wonderful snack for any time or even for those sweet craving days.



Ingredients:

For Filling/Puran/Pooranam
Rajma – 1/2 cup
Jaggery – 1 Cup [ or 3/4 cup]
Coconut – 3/4 Cup
Cardamom Powder – 1 tsp
Nutmeg Powder – 1/2 tsp
For Modak Outer Layer
Rice Flour – 1 Cup
Water – 1 1/4 Cup
Salt – 1/4 tsp
Ghee/Sesame Oil – 1 tsp




Method:

For Filling/Puran
1. Wash and soak rajma overnight or 4-5 hours.  Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles, allow the cooker to cool down.
~ 1/2 cup of rajma will be 1 cup after it’s cooked.

2. Discard water and mash rajma well.  (I used small variety of rajma)
3. In a pan melt jaggery with little water (around 1/4 cup), strain the water to remove impurities and bring it back to pan again, when it starts to boil well, add mashed rajma, coconut, cardamom powder, nutmeg powder and mix everything well.  Once the mixture becomes dry and start leaving side of pan it’s ready. 

Once our purna ready allow it to cool meanwhile we work on the outer layer.

For outer layer
4.  Boil water in a pan add ghee or oil whatever using.   Add salt and rice flour.
5. Mix quickly in slow flame not forming any lumps.
6. Once everything come together off flame and let the dough sit for 2 minutes.  In the same pan or in a different bowl knead dough to make it smooth.  It will be warm so big careful while doing this.  If required keep dipping hand in a bowl of water.  Cover the dough with damp cloth at all times.

To make Modak
7. Pinch a medium lemon size dough and make it into smooth ball.  Grease hands with oil, start pressing with fingers edges of ball to make a small cup/katori.  Make sure cup is not very thick.
8. Fill 1-2 tsp of rajma  filling and gather corners together to form a bundle and seal the edges at the top.  Repeat same for rest.
9. Heat a steamer with water or idli cooker, grease idli plates and steam modak for 10-12 minutes, once done the outer layer will be shinny.


Our modak is ready.  Serve this warm or microwave for 20-30 seconds before serving.  Serve warm modak with a dollop of ghee and it taste fabulous. 


And this goes my Festive Food: Ganesh Chaturthi Event.

Have a nice day ~~