Modak is a sweet dumpling stuffed with a filling of coconut and jaggery.

Ingredients:

For the filling
• 2 cups of shredded fresh coconut
• ½ cup of mixture of unsalted pistachios and unsalted cashews
• ½ pinch of cardamom powder
• ½ cup of milk
• 1 cup of jaggery or sugar

For the outer cover
• 1 cup of rice flour
• 1 tablespoon of ghee
• 1 cup of water
• ½ tablespoon of salt

Preparation

To prepare the filling, combine coconut, milk and jaggery (sugar with a caramel taste) or plain sugar, mix well.
Cook it over medium flame, stir continuously till they are mixed properly.
Add cashews and pistachios and cook for about one minute.
Now add cardamom powder.
Let it cool, keep aside.
Bring water to a boil.
Now add flour, ghee and salt, stir quickly so as to remove all lumps.
Cover with a lid for some time and cook.
Remove the lid and keep stirring.
Now remove the pan from the heat and transfer all the mixture on a flat plate.
Knead it to make soft dough.
It should be neither too sticky nor too dry.
Grease the palms of your hands properly and make a ball from the dough.
Flatten the dough to make a cup shape.
Put ¾ tablespoon of coconut filling into this cup.
Dip thumb and index finger in the oil and make 5-6 small pinches on the outside edges of the cup.
Bring them together on top and join to shape a peak.
Put modak on a pre greased plate.
Make rest of the modaks.
Now steam them for about 15 minutes and serve with ghee.