Dry Fruit Modak

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When it comes to Maharashtrian cuisine Modak are rice flour dumplings stuffed with a traditional sweet filling. Also, a favorite of Bhagwan Ganesha. Hence, a Modak Recipe is a popular one from the list of Ganesh Chaturthi Recipes. This Dry Fruit Modak is a variation to the classic steamed modak with a stuffing mixture made of assorted dry fruits, Khoya (evaporated milk solids), poppy seeds and coconut.

top shot of dry fruit modak placed on a turmeric leaf and served on a white plate.

About Dry Fruit Modak

This Dry Fruit Modak recipe is again my mother’s special recipe. During Ganesh Chaturthi, she makes this and a few more varieties including the traditional modak. I would say that as much as I like the original steamed modak, this one made with a mix of dry fruits is also a delicious one.

Dry Fruit Modak recipe is similar to that of ukadiche modak. Only the stuffing is different, which consists of dry fruits, sugar and khoya or mawa. But after shaping, the modak are steamed in a steamer pan just like the traditional version.

dry fruit modaks placed on a turmeric leaf and served on a white plate with text layover.

The nuts and dry fruits that I have used for the filling are cashews, almonds, pistachios, dates and golden raisins. Along with these, the addition of chironji (charoli), poppy seeds (khus khus) and fresh grated coconut makes it simply sumptuous. You’ll actually end up eating small balls of this mixture while making the Dry Fruit Modak!

I have steamed these modak on turmeric leaves which impart an extra unique flavor and aroma. The speciality of these leaves is that they belong to my home terrace garden. So, completely fresh and organic. Try growing your own plants at home and using them in cooking, you’ll know the difference.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Dry Fruit Modak

Prepare Dough

1. Keep all the ingredients ready for making modak. Then, chop all the dry fruits, nuts and set aside.

ingredients for dry fruit modak.

2. In a pan or vessel, pour 1.5 cups water. Place the pan on a stovetop on medium to high heat.

heating water in a pan.

3. Add ¼ teaspoon salt.

adding salt to the water in the pan.

4. Allow the water to come to a rolling boil.

water boiling in the pan.

5. Reduce the heat and add the rice flour gradually. This is 1 cup rice flour.

rice flour added to boiling water in the pan.

6. Quickly stir and mix the flour with water.

mixing the flour with hot water.

7. Mix well and switch off the heat.

flour mixed well with hot water.

8. Cover the mixture with a lid for 4 to 5 minutes.

pan with flour mixture covered with a lid.

9. Then, transfer the mixture to a thali or plate.

flour mixture transferred to a plate.

10. Allow the mixture to slightly cool down. Knead the dough while its still warm but take care not to burn your fingers.

kneading dough for dry fruit modak.

11. The dough should be soft and smooth.

soft and smooth dough for dry fruit modak.

12. Cover the dough with a damp linen cloth or bottom napkin and allow it to rest for 10 to 12 minutes.

covering dough with a damp linen cloth.

Prepare Dry Fruit Stuffing

13. Meanwhile, start preparing the filling or stuffing for the modak. Heat a pan and add 1 tablespoon ghee. You can also use any neutral flavored oil instead of ghee.

adding ghee to a pan for the dry fruit filling.

14. Then, add all the following listed dry fruits and nuts:

  • ¼ cup finely chopped almonds
  • 1.5 tablespoons finely chopped pistachios
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped cashews
  • 4 to 5 finely chopped seedless dates
  • 1 tablespoon chironji
  • 1 tablespoon raisins
finely chopped dry fruits and chironji added to the hot ghee in pan.

15. Begin stirring on low heat.

cooking dry fruit mixture.

16. After 1 to 2 minutes, the mixture will be slightly roasted and turn fragrant. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate.

cooked dry fruit mixture for the filling.

17. In the same pan, sauté 1 teaspoon poppy seeds (khus khus) in 1 teaspoon ghee for a minute on low heat.

sautéing poppy seeds in hot ghee in pan.

18. When the poppy seeds crackle, remove and add it to the bowl with the roasted dry fruit mixture.

sautéed poppy seeds added to the roasted dry fruit mixture in a white bowl.

19. Next, heat a pan and keep the heat to a low. Add 100 grams grated or chopped khoya (mawa) in it.

I have used a non-stick pan for cooking the khoya as it might burn or stick in any metal vessel.

frying grated khoya in a hot pan.

20. Keep stirring on low heat for a minute. The khoya will begin to melt.

khoya melting in the pan.

21. Now, add ¼ cup sugar.

sugar added to the melting khoya.

22. Mix very well.

khoya mixed with the sugar.

23. Keep stirring the mixture. The sugar will melt and the mixture will get a thin consistency.

cooking the khoya-sugar mixture.

24. The mixture will start bubbling.

bubbling khoya-sugar mixture.

25. Then, add ¼ cup fresh grated coconut.

grated fresh coconut added to the khoya-sugar mixture.

26. Stir again on low heat for a minute.

stirring khoya mixture.

27. Add the roasted dry fruit-poppy seeds mixture.

roasted dry fruit-poppy seeds mixture added to the khoya mixture.

28. Keep stirring and mixing for a minute more on low heat.

cooking dry fruit mixture.

29. Switch off the heat.

cooked dry fruit filling.

30. Transfer the cooked dry fruit filling mixture to another dish and let it become warm or cool down completely.

cooked dry fruit filling mixture transferred on a plate.

31. If you are using turmeric leaves, then cut them and place them on individual idli moulds. Otherwise just grease the idli moulds or steaming plates with some oil or ghee.

turmeric leaves placed on idli mould.

Prepare Dry Fruit Modak

32. Make small balls from the dough. They should be smooth and have no cracks. Some may get cracks, so just rub some water on your palm and shape them again into balls to get rid of the cracks.

dough divided into smooth balls.

33. Take the modak mould. Grease it with a little ghee or oil. Close or lock the mould. Put a small dough ball in the mould.

small dough ball added to a modak mould.

34. Press the rice dough on the walls of the mould creating a cavity or space in the center.

If you do not have the moulds, then you can flatten the balls. Place the dry fruit filling mixture in the center. Make small pleats, bring all the edges together and join.

Refer for the method in my Ukadiche Modak Recipe.

making a cavity in the center of the dough in the modak mould.

35. Add the dry fruit mixture in the cavity.

dry fruit mixture added in the cavity of the dough in the mould.

35. Place a small piece of the dough covering the base, gently smoothen and even it.

cavity covered with a small piece of the dough.

35. Open or unlock the mould gently.

mould opened gently.

37. Gently remove the modak.

prepared modak from the mould.

38. Keep the modak on the turmeric leaves placed on an idli tray or greased idli moulds. You can also place the modak on a greased round baking pan.

shaped modaks placed on turmeric leaves.

Steam Dry Fruit Modak

39. Either you can use a steamer pan or you can steam the modak in a pressure cooker for 8 to 10 minutes on low heat without the whistle/vent weight.

If using a steamer pan, add 2½ cups water to the pan. Let the water come to a boil.

adding water in a steamer pan.

40. Then, place the idli tray with the modaks in the steamer. Cover the pan with a lid and steam for 10 to 15 minutes on a low heat.

modaks kept in the steamer pan for steaming.

41.  Below is a picture of the steamed modak.

steamed modaks inside the pan.

42. Once the modak are steamed, remove them from the pan and keep aside.

steamed dry fruit modaks on a white plate.

43. Dry Fruit Modak is ready to be offered to Bhagwan Ganesha. You can also drizzle some ghee on the modak, before offering to Bhagwan Ganesha.

top shot of dry fruit modak placed on a turmeric leaf and served on a white plate.

Expert Tips

  1. Make sure to use premium quality fresh khoya or mawa, and not a stale or rancid one.
  2. You can fine-tune the quantity of sugar as per the sweetness level you want to have in the modak. If you feel that it is enough with the addition of sweet dates, you can lessen the quantity of sugar.
  3. Ghee or any neutral oil, any of these can be used for this Modak recipe.
  4. Shape the modak using your hands or moulds, whatever you are comfortable with.
  5. Steam the modak in a steamer pan or pressure cooker or Instant Pot, whatever you have. If you are using a pressure cooker, steam for 8 to 10 minutes on low heat without the vent weight or whistle.
  6. Maintain hygiene, purity and a prayerful inner state while making this sweet, especially if you’re preparing them for naivedyam or bhog for Lord Ganesha.
  7. Consume these dry fruit modak the same day you prepare. They taste best when fresh.

More Ganesh Chaturthi Sweets To Try!

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top shot of dry fruit modak placed on a turmeric leaf and served on a white plate.

Dry Fruit Modak

Dry Fruit Modak is a variation to the classic steamed modak. These are sweet steamed dumplings made from rice flour dough and filled with a mixture of assorted dry fruits, nuts, khoya (evaporated milk solids), poppy seeds and coconut.
5 from 6 votes
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Cuisine Maharashtrian
Course Sweets
Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 18 Dry Fruit Modak
Units

Ingredients

For the outer covering

  • 1 cup Rice Flour
  • 1.5 cups of water
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

For the dry fruits stuffing

  • 1 to 2 tablespoon ghee or any neutral oil
  • 100 gram Mawa (khoya)
  • 1 teaspoon khus khus (poppy seeds) – optional
  • ¼ cup almonds or about 16 medium sized almonds, chopped finely
  • 2 tablespoons cashews – chopped finely
  • 1.5 tablespoons pistachios – chopped finely
  • 1 tablespoon chironji (charoli)
  • 4 to 5 dates – seedless, chopped finely
  • 1 tablespoon golden raisins
  • ¼ cup fresh grated coconut
  • ¼ cup sugar

Other ingredients

  • 2.5 cups water for steaming modak in a steamer pan
  • 1 turmeric leaf – optional
  • 1 to 2 teaspoon ghee or oil for greasing the steamer pan or idli moulds if not using turmeric leaf

Instructions
 

Prepping dry fruits and preparing the rice dough

  • Keep all the ingredients ready for the dry fruit modak. Chop all the dry fruits, nuts and keep aside.
  • In a pan or vessel add 1.5 cups of water. Place it on a stovetop on medium to high flame. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon salt.
  • Let the water to come to a rolling boil.
  • Reduce the heat and then add the rice flour gradually.
  • Quickly stir and mix the rice flour with water.
  • Mix very well and switch off the heat.
  • Cover the mixture with a lid and keep aside for 4 to 5 mins.
  • Then transfer the mixture to a thali or plate.
  • Allow the dough to slightly cool down. Knead the dough while its still warm but take care not to burn your fingers.
  • The dough should be soft and smooth.
  • Cover the dough with a damp muslin or cotton cloth. Now allow the dough to rest for 10 to 12 mins.

Preparing dry fruits stuffing

  • Meanwhile prepare the stuffing for the modaks. Heat a shallow frying pan and add 1 tablespoon of ghee.
  • Add all the chopped almonds, pistachios, cashews, dates, chironji and raisins.
  • Keep stirring on low heat.
  • After 1 to 2 mins the dry fruits will be fragrant and partly roasted. Remove them on a plate and set aside.
  • In the same pan add 1 teaspoon ghee. Add poppy seeds and saute them till they crackle on low heat.
  • Then remove the poppy seeds and also the ghee. Place aside with the roasted dry fruits and nuts.
  • Then add grated or chopped mawa.
  • When the mawa begins to melt, then add ¼ cup sugar.
  • Mix very well. Keep stirring the mixture.
  • The mixture will start bubbling. Then add ¼ cup fresh grated coconut.
  • Stir again on low heat for a minute.
  • Add the roasted dry fruits and poppy seeds.
  • Keep stirring and mixing for a minute more on low heat.
  • Switch off the flame.
  • Transfer the mixture to another plate.
  • If you are using turmeric leaves then cut them. Place the leaves on individual idli moulds or line them on a baking pan or steaming pan. Or else simply grease the moulds or steamer pan with oil or ghee.

Assembling & shaping

  • Grease the modal moulds with little ghee or oil.
  • Make small balls from the dough. They should be smooth and have no cracks.
  • Close or lock the mould gently. Put a small ball in the mould. Press the dough along the surface of the mould, so that a cavity or space is made.
  • Add the dry fruit mixture. Then cover with small piece of dough on top. Press to even it.
  • Now open or unlock the mould.
  • Gently remove the modak from the mould.
    Alternatively you could flatten the ball. Then place the modak filling in the center. Make small pleats bring all the edges together and join.
  • Keep the modak over the turmeric leaves or on greased idli moulds or steamer pan.
  • Either you could use a steamer pan or you could steam the modaks in a pressure cooker for 8 to 10 mins on low heat without the whistle and vent.
    If using a steamer pan then add 2 and ½ cup of water to the pan. Let the water come to a boil.
  • Now carefully place the moulds into the steamer pan taking care that the water does not touch the idli moulds or baking pan on which the modaks are kept.
    Cover the pan with a lid and steam for 10 to 15 minutes on a low heat.
  • Once the modaks are steamed gently remove and keep aside.
  • The Dry Fruit Modak are ready to be offered to Bhagwan Ganesha. You can sprinkle some ghee or saffron infused milk on the modaks prior to offering it to Bhagwan Ganesha.

Notes

  • You could use a neutral flavored oil instead of ghee.
  • Either you could shape modak with your hand or use moulds.
  • Eat the modaks same day you make. They taste better when they are freshly made.
  • Ensure that the khoya or mawa is fresh and not rancid. 

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Dry Fruit Modak
Amount Per Serving
Calories 116 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Trans Fat 0.01g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 4mg1%
Sodium 51mg2%
Potassium 63mg2%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Fiber 32g133%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 29IU1%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 0.03mg2%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.03mg2%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 0.4mg2%
Vitamin B6 0.1mg5%
Vitamin C 0.2mg0%
Vitamin E 1mg7%
Vitamin K 1µg1%
Calcium 54mg5%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 3µg1%
Iron 0.5mg3%
Magnesium 16mg4%
Phosphorus 79mg8%
Zinc 0.3mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This Dry Fruit Modak post from the blog archives first published in August 2016 has been republished and updated on 30th July 2022.

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10 Comments

  1. if measure 1\2 cup of rice flour then how much water do we need to add ???

    1. for 1/2 cup of rice flour, you can add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup water. usually the addition of water depends on the quality of rice flour. so if the rice flour is very fine like a powder, then 1/2 cup is ok. if its slightly coarse, then 3/4th cup water is fine.

  2. hello .. can we substitute mawa with milk -mawa powder? If yes what qty may we use ?5 stars

  3. Hello,

    I have tried your other recipes like chutney’s, momo’s and some south veg tawa and it turn out awesome. i am sure this is also going to be wow dish and like i am hoping my wife will love it too. just question though who took this photographs and which camera you use?5 stars

    1. pleased to know this jagtap thank you for your kind and positive words 🙂 keep us posted about your wife’s reaction. i have clicked this photographs and used a dslr camera thanks.

    1. this one my sis got for me from amazon.in. just type modak mould in the search bar on amazon.in and you will get the results.