Fried Modak Shweta In The Kitchen

I’m sharing how to make a fried modak recipe at home using deep-frying, baking, and air-frying methods. Fried Modak also is known as Talniche Modak in Marathi is my absolute favorite and I look forward to them every year during Vinayaka Chaturthi.

My kids know this is Ganpati Bappa’s favorite food and claim to be theirs too!! If you love modak like Lord Ganesha, you must try these other varieties of modak - Ukadiche Modak and Kesar Mawa Modak Peda.

Why You’ll Love These Fried Modak

Extremely delicious Crunchy on the outside Sweet and coconutty on the inside They can be deep-fried (traditional way), air-fried, or even baked. Easier to make Has more shelf life compared to the steamed ones

What is Fried Modak

Modak is a popular Maharashtrian sweet dumpling made during the Ganesh Chaturthi Festival as an offering to Lord Ganesha as it is his favorite food. There are many variations of modak but the two main types are, fried modak and steamed modak also known as Ukadiche modak. Fried modak, also known as Talniche modak is made with a covering of all-purpose flour (maida) or wheat flour and a sweet stuffing made of coconut, jaggery, and cardamom. If you are making modak for the first time, I would highly recommend trying the Fried Modak recipe first as it is easier than Ukadiche modak which requires more practice and patience (unless you use molds). Also, fried modak has a longer shelf life so you can make them ahead of time and store them.
Modak recipe may look intimidating to make but it is not. Here is a full-proof recipe with all the tips and tricks so let’s see how to make fried modak at home.

Recipe Ingredients

For the stuffing - you will need shredded coconut (fresh, frozen, or desiccated), I’ve used frozen shredded coconut. You will also need jaggery, cardamom powder, cashews, and saffron (optional). For the Covering - Flour (all-purpose, wheat flour, or both), salt, ghee, and oil (for frying). I prefer using a combination of all-purpose flour and wheat flour. Please refer to the recipe card for exact measurements of ingredients.

How to Make Fried Modak (Stepwise Photos)

Make stuffing

1 - Heat a pan on medium heat and dry roast the coconut for 5 mins to dry out the moisture if any. I’ve used frozen, thawed coconut. Fresh coconut can be used too. 2 - Add the grated jaggery, mix till it’s melted and well combined with the coconut. 3- Stir in the cardamom powder, saffron, and cashew pieces (optional). 4 - Keep stirring continuously (approximately 2 mins) until the mixture dries. Turn off the heat and set aside. Don’t overcook the jaggery coconut filling; otherwise, it will harden. Allow this coconut jaggery mixture (saran) to cool completely before filling.

Make the dough

Make Fried modak

13 - Divide the filling into 22 portions roughly. 6 to 8 - Add hot ghee to it and mix well with a spoon. The mixture will be crumbly and soft. 10 - Sprinkle some oil and knead the dough. Coat it with a little oil and cover it with a cloth or plastic wrap. Let it rest for 15 mins. 11 and 12 - Once the dough has rested, knead it one more time and divide it into equal portions. I divided the dough into 22 balls. Keep the dough balls covered with a wet cloth to prevent them from drying. Usually, 11 or 21 modaks and 1 karanji are recommended as Prasad to Lord Ganesha so I made 21 small (bite-size) modaks and 1 karanji. 14 - Grease the rolling pin with oil and roll the dough ball into a paper-thin circle (the thinner the better). Approximately 3-inch circle. 15 - Take 1 portion of the filling and place it in the center of the circle. Apply very little water around the edges. 16 - Using a pinch action, pinch the dough edges from 5-7 or more sides as shown. 17 and 18 - Pull all the pinched edges together into a peak. Take off the excess dough and seal firmly. If not sealed properly, the modak will split open while frying and cause the filling to spill out in oil. Line a dish or tray with parchment paper and keep this modak on it to prevent the bottom of the modak from sticking. Keep them covered with a wet cloth at all times to prevent them from drying. Continue similarly making the remaining modak. 19 and 20 - Optional - Make a karanji out of the last ball. Roll into a circle, add the filling, and close to make a semi-circle. Seal the edges either using a fork or using the pinch-and-tuck method. Here is a video on how to shape fried Modak

Deep Fry Modak

You can also bake or air fry modak. Please see the recipe card below for instructions. 21 and 22 - Once you are done making all the Modak, heat the oil in a wok on medium-high heat for deep frying. Once the oil is hot, turn the heat down to medium. Test by dropping a small dough ball into the oil. It should slowly sizzle back to the top and turn golden which means our oil is ready. Add the 4-5 modak to the oil (or as many as your pan can hold without overcrowding). Keep stirring gently intermittently to help them brown evenly. 23 - Once they turn golden remove and drain on absorbent paper. Keep frying all the remaining modaks.
24 - Cool them completely and store them in an airtight container. Consume within 3-4 days.

Serving Suggestions

Offer Fried Modak as a Prasad to Lord Ganesha first and then enjoy it with your meal as a dessert or snack. They are served at room temperature so they are perfect to make ahead of time.

Recipe Tips to Make Fried Modak

For the outer covering: Use all-purpose flour, wheat flour, or a combination of both to make a modak covering. Whole wheat flour covering: covering made with only Whole wheat flour will be denser and darker when fried compared to all-purpose flour. For Crispy flaky outer crust: Add hot ghee to the flour while mixing, it makes the covering nice, flaky, and crispy. Knead a stiff dough: stiff dough prevents the modaks from absorbing too much oil while frying. Roll dough thin: since a thick dough will result in a denser and harder crust. Avoid overcooking the stuffing: overcooking the jaggery coconut filling will make it hard. Stuffing color: Depending on the color of the jaggery, the color of the saran (filling) will vary. Dark jaggery will result in a darker saran. Nuts are optional: adding nuts to the filling is optional but highly recommended as it adds a nice crunch. Seal the modaks well: Even a small opening in the modak can drain the filling while frying and making the oil messy. Cooking methods: You can also bake or air fry this fried modak if you are conscious of deep-frying them.

Frequently asked question

Sweet Recipes for Ganesh Chaturthi

Savory Recipes for Ganesh Chaturthi

I hope you enjoy this Fried Modak Recipe!! If you try this recipe, please rate it by clicking stars ⭐️ on the recipe card. Thank you ❤️! You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram to see what’s cooking in my kitchen!!