Modak are Ganapati’s favourite sweets. Ganapati or Lord Ganesha is our Agrim -Devta or God who is worshiped before starting any prayers. In Maharashtra, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated on a large scale since pre-independence period in India.
I still remember my childhood days spent in Mumbai with awe and excitement, when I along with my friends would run to get a glimpse of the huge procession and Idols as huge as 150 feet from the terrace of our buildings. 🙂
This is a simple recipe to appease Lord Ganesha and have festive fun. Unlike Ukadiche Modak(rice flour modak) these are quite easier to make and consume. 😛

INGREDIENTS:
1. Mawa or khoya(milk solids) finely grated – 341 gms/12 oz/1.25 cups
2. Sugar – ³⁄₄ cup
3. Cardamom powder (chhoti Elaichi)- ¹⁄₂ tbsp
4. Yellow gel food color – 4 pinch (optional)

METHOD:
| Preparation time: Nil | Cooking time : 4 mins | Makes 15-16 Modaks (medium size) |
1. I have used the store bought mawa/khoya. If you are using store bought then, thaw it first by keeping in refrigerator for 9-12 hrs because it is usually frozen in stores.For how to make khoya at home ,click mawa.

1. Finely grate the mawa using a shredder or a food processor.
   

2. Now heat a wok on medium heat and add khoya to it.
   

3. Within a 1-2 mins it will release some ghee and you will see that khoya has turned softer. Alternately you may add the khoya and sugar together too in the wok, just you need to stir continuously.
   

4. Turn the heat to lowest possible heat and add sugar and cardamom powder slowly to it stirring and mixing continuously.
   

5. After a while (Usually 2-3 mins)when everything has mixed well , turn off the heat. Now to check the consistency pick a drop of the mix from the side of the wok and check if you are able to shape it in a round ball with just two fingers without sticking . The heat retained by mawa is enough to blend everything well. Hence it requires negligible cooking.
   

6. Add the yellow color to give it a nice yellow to the appearance of the modaks.
   

7. Allow it to cool for 2 hrs in the refrigerator.
   

8. Now bring the mixture out, it will be crumbly in texture but its not dry or hard.
   

9. Now take 3 pinches from the dough and using a modak mold stuff it like this.When you open the mold, you will get a perfect Modak shape out of it intact.
   

10. If you don’t own a mold, just roll it in a round shape and then give it a peak at the top to give it a Modak shape.

11. In a similar way, make all the modaks from the dough and your Ganapati’s Offering (prasad) is ready !!
    Serve Lord Ganesha and then have this prasad modaks..They are really divine..

You may store the modaks in refrigerator and enjoy them for a week.
Since they are made from Milk product , they do not have a long shelf life! So they have to be kept in fridge.
Please feel free to ask and suggest!! We warmly welcome your advice and time and try to get back to you asap!!:)
Ganpati Bappa Moriya!!