Modakam | odak

 OM GAM GANAPATHAYE NAMAHA

Modakam / Modak - a steamed sweet dish made with rice base (outer part) and coconut pooran (stuffing) offered to Lord Ganesha on chathurthi days.  The pooran represents the gyan - which symbolically says that man must find his inner self.

Yesterday was Sankashti Chathurthi, so made some modaks for my favourite God. Sankashti Chathurthi falls on the fourth day after a full moon. This day many holds upvas which is believed to clear all obstacles & worries from one's life. However, I didn't keep any upvas or vrath but just offered pooja after making modaks.

Modaks are done in two methods. 1. Steamed 2. Fried. I am now sharing with you the steamed version.

Video Recipe is here:-

Ingridients :-

1. Processed* Rice Flour - 1 cup
2. Water - 1/2 cup
3. A pinch of Salt
4. Ghee or oil
5. Jaggery - 3/4 cup
6. Coconut grated - 1 cup
7. Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
8. Ghee for pooran - 1 tbsp

* Use raw rice or basmati rice. Soak it for 1/2 hour. Drain completely, spread on a clean cloth & let it dry for 10 minutes under fan. Powder it nicely in a mixer. Sieve and use.Or you can buy store brought processed flour also.

Procedure :-

Making pooran

• Dissolve jaggery adding very little water, strain to remove impurities.
• In a pan add the filtered jaggery syrup, cardamom powder, grated coconut, ghee
• keep stirring till the mixture thickens. Let it cool.

 making the rice flour base for outer shell

• Heat a kadai, pour water. Add a pinch of salt and oil / ghee. I used coconut oil as we like that flavour and is also traditional too.
• when the water boils, add the rice flour mix lightly, cover and keep it aside for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, open the lid, knead the dough (dip your hand in water and knead if required) well divide into equal portions

• to make modaks, you can do it traditionally using hands (it needs lot of practice, so don;t give up. Try & succeed. Or you can use the moulds available in the market)
• Keep a  small cup of water + few drops of coconut oil mixed ready to dip your fingers to moist the dough while making modaks.
• Take a ball of flour, make a depression in the centre, and keep pressing till it takes a cup form.

• pinch the sides at equal intervals
• place a spoon of pooran inside. 
• gather the sides to the centre, press and slightly twist to get the modak shape. (this you will easily attain with practice)

• steam it for 10 minutes
• Yummy modak is ready

Tips :

If you don't get a perfect shape, don't give up. You can flatten the ball like a thin disc, keep the pooran and gather the ends to the centre, press, twist. If you don't get the perfect fan shape, you can use the fork, place it on the top sides all around of the prepared modak and then steam it.

Ganpathy Bapa Moriya
Mangal Murti Moriya

எந்த இலக்கை நோக்கி?

புனிதமாய் தொடங்கிய பயணம்
கள்வரால் கவரமுடியா கல்வி
பள்ளி என்னும் கடைகளில்
சொப்பனமாய் விற்பனைக்கு
பகல் கொள்ளையர்களால் சிலருக்கு எட்டாக் கனியானது
சுகமான கல்வி சுமையானது
இளம்பருவம் போட்டியினால் புதைந்துபோனது
ஆடும் தெய்வம் வகுப்பறையில் சிலையானது
பாடும் தெய்வம் மனப்பாடத்தில்  மூழ்கிப் போனது

Rava Uppuma / Upma / Uppit

The most common and easy to make tiffin variety, comes handy when you have unannounced guests . Uppuma or upma is a tiffin variety made of Broken wheat called rava / sooji, onions, spices and herbs.

In every household, this dish is prepared in different methods using different measures of the ingredients, which gives it an unique taste and texture.

Two important thing to get a perfect looking upma is Roasted Rave and Ratio of water to Rava.

Quantity of water is very important in upma making otherwise it will turn into paste. So right measure will give right consistency. 

Ingridients :-

1. Rava - 1 Cup (roasted)
2. Water - 2.5 cups
3. Salt to taste
4. Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
5. Onions - 1 no.
6. Ginger - 1/2" piece
7. Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp (optional)
8. Green chillies - 2 nos or as per taste
9. Oil - 3 tbsp
10. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
11. Channa dhal - 1/2 tsp

Procedure

• If you are not using roasted rava then Roast 1 cup rava till it lets out a good aroma. spread on a paper and let it cool.
• Chop onions, green chillies, ginger and coriander leaves
• Heat oil in a wok, add  mustard seeds. When they start spluttering, add channa dal and roast till it turns into golden colour.
• Add ginger, green chillies, curry leaves and chopped onion, saute till onion becomes translucent.
• Add coriander leaves, salt to taste and 2.5 cups of water, mix well, cover and cook for 2 minutes.(this is to let the flavour blend with water)

• Now open the lid and slowly add the roasted rava little by little and stirring simultaneously to prevent lumps and let is boil.
• When the water on top has dried and you see only bubbles coming out of holes, put off the flame and keep it covered for 10 minutes.
• Hot and delicious upma is ready! When you scoop you can see each granule is visible & cooked well. Put in your mouth & relish the delicious upma that is cooked perfectly.

PS: Texture of rava is as per one's preference. If you like it to be crumbled and dry then use 2 cups of water.

Misal (Misal Pav)

Misal with pav is a famous Maharashtrian dish which can be had as a breakfast or as a snack or a evening tiffin. The pav bread gives a filled up feeling like pav baji.  Farsan (mixture) is added to the prepared ras (gravy liquid), garnished with coriander leaves & finely chopped onions and served along with a bread called Pav.

I have shared two photos.. One with simple farsan (sev and ghatia mix) with boiled potatoes and the second one is with tempered potato and mix farsan.

The tempered potato and mix farsan version I had tasted good so sharing that version as well with you.

Ingredients :-

1. Dried yellow peas (Vatana) - 1/2 cup
2. Onion (Sliced) - 1 No.
3. Onion (finely chopped) - 1 no. (for garnishing)
4. Tomato (finely chopped) - 1 No.
5. Cloves - 3 Nos.
6. Pepper - 1/2 tsp
7. Red chilli - 4 to 5 Nos. (or as preferred)*
8. Cinnamon - 1" stick
9. Dry coconut grated - 2 tbsp
10. Garlic pods - 2 big
11. Farsan (mixture)- 1 cup
12. Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
13. Oil
14. Water - 2.5 cups 
15. Salt to taste
16. Kandha Lasun masala powder - 2 tsp (optional)-a spicy masala powder.
17. Pav Bread or plain bread slices

* I used kashmiri chillies along with the normal red chilli to add colour to the ras. Kashmiri chilli powder or deggi mirchi powder can also be used.

Procedure :-

• Soak dried yellow peas (Vatana) overnight or for 6 hours, pressure cook adding little salt & keep ready.
• In a kadai, dry roast the grated dry coconut till golden colour. transfer to a plate and allow it to cool.
• In a blender grind coarsely - garlic,  pepper, cinnamon, cloves and dried red chillies.

• Heat oil, add the crushed masala, saute for 15 seconds. Add sliced onions and saute till onion turns golden brown, let it cool.

• In a blender grind together the fried onion masala mixture + tomato + roasted coconut to a smooth paste. (If required add little water to grind).
• Heat 3 tbsp oil, add the ground masala paste and saute well. Cover & cook with stirring in between, till oil oozes out.
• Now add water, salt, cover and cook till oil floats on top (approx. 5 minutes)

Now the "Ras" is ready!

You can use boiled potato as it is or you can give a tadka of mustard, curry leaves and potato with salt, lightly mashed... and use it while serving.

Now comes the interesting presentation for serving.

with plain boiled potato and simple farsan

with mix farsan and tempeted potato

Making the bowl of Misal:-

• In a small shallow plate or a wide mouthed bowl, first put 2 tbsp of pressure cooked vatana.
• Add a spoon of boiled potato or the tempered potato
• Sprinkle some Farsan (mixture)
• Over that sprinkle the finely chopped onion
• Pour the Ras over it
• Sprinkle the finley chopped coriander leaves (optional).
• On another small bowl pour some Ras for additional helping.

Serving :-

• On a plate place plain pav or pav toasted in butter, a bowl of Misal & the additonal serving of ras and serve.

Enjoy the Mumbai's 'home made' street food  :-)