Artisanal modaks have become an increasingly popular way to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi. These exquisite sweet treats are made by skilled artisans with traditional ingredients and methods. Modaks can be prepared as either fried or steamed versions and shaped into a wide variety of designs and sizes. They can also be filled with a variety of different fillings such as dry fruits, nuts, or jaggery. As part of the festivities, modaks are offered to Lord Ganesha as a form of prasad (food offering) and are a key element in the celebrations. For those who prefer something a little more decadent, artisanal modaks are the perfect way to pay homage to the Lord and celebrate the festival in style.
On the indulgent occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi - Altamsh Patel, Executive Chef, Hilton Mumbai International Airport has curated five easy-to-prepare handcrafted variants of artisanal modaks along with the classic dry fruit mawa modak.
DATES AND ORANGE MODAK
Ingredients:
- Milk chocolate
- Dates
- Orange marmalade
Method:
- Combine dark chocolate and orange marmalade and mix well, allow chocolate to melt until the mixture is smooth in consistency.
- Melt milk chocolate using the double boiler method. And keep aside.
- Stir melting milk chocolate. Remove from heat and keep mixing till smooth.
- Pour in melted milk chocolate into modak moulds.
- Tap lightly and scrap off the excess chocolate using a scraper.
- Refrigerate for 1min.
- Pour the chocolate back into the bowl from the moulds. Scrap off the excess and refrigerate for 1 minute.
- Fill a piping bag with the prepared dates and orange marmalade- chocolate ganache and pipe into the moulds, leaving a little space. Refrigerate for 1 minute.
- Pour the melted milk chocolate into the left space in the moulds, tap lightly, scrap off the excess and refrigerate till fully set.
- Demould, and brush edible gold dust on top of the modak.
PISTACHIO AND CRANBERRY MODAK
Ingredients:
- White chocolate
- Pistachio
- Dried cranberry
Method:
- Add dark chocolate to the dried chopped cranberry and mix well, allow chocolate to melt until the mixture is smooth in consistency
- Melt milk chocolate using the double boiler method. And keep aside.
- Stir melting milk chocolate. Remove from heat and keep mixing till smooth.
- Pour in melted milk chocolate into modakmoulds.
- Tap lightly and scrap off the excess chocolate using a scraper.
- Refrigerate for 1min.
- Pour the chocolate back into the bowl from the moulds. Scrap off the excess and refrigerate for 1 minute.
- Fill a piping bag with the prepared Pistachio and cranberry-chocolate ganache and pipe into the moulds, leaving a little space. Refrigerate for 1 minute.
- Pour the melted milk chocolate into the left space in the moulds, tap lightly, scrap off the excess and refrigerate till fully set
- Demould, and brush edible gold dust on top of the modak.
VANILLA AND MATCHA MODAK
Ingredients:
- Milk chocolate
- White chocolate
- Matcha Green Tea Extract
- Vanilla Bean Pod
Method:
- Add Milk chocolate to the Matcha Green Tea extract and vanilla bean pulp mixture and mix well, allow the chocolate to melt until the mixture is smooth in consistency.
- Melt milk chocolate using the double boiler method. And keep aside.
- Stir melting milk chocolate. Remove from heat and keep mixing till smooth.
- Pour in melted milk chocolate into modakmoulds.
- Tap lightly and scrap off the excess chocolate using a scraper.
- Refrigerate for 1min.
- Pour the chocolate back into the bowl from the moulds. Scrap off the excess and refrigerate for 1 minute.
- Fill a piping bag with the prepared matcha green tea and vanilla pod pulp - chocolate ganache and pipe into the moulds, leaving a little space. Refrigerate for 1 minute.
- Pour the melted milk chocolate into the left space in the moulds, tap lightly, scrap off the excess and refrigerate till fully set.
- Demould, and brush edible gold dust on top of the modak.
WHITE CHOCOLATE AND KASHMIRI SAFFRON MODAK
Ingredients:
- White chocolate
- Milk chocolate
- Kashmiri Saffron
- Edible gold dust
Method:
- Add White Chocolate to the Kashmiri Saffron and mix well, allow chocolate to melt until the mixture is smooth in consistency.
- Melt milk chocolate using the double boiler method. And keep aside.
- Stir melting milk chocolate. Remove from heat and keep mixing till smooth.
- Pour in melted milk chocolate into modakmoulds.
- Tap lightly and scrap off the excess chocolate using a scraper.
- Refrigerate for 1min.
- Pour the chocolate back into the bowl from the moulds. Scrap off the excess and refrigerate for 1 minute.
- Fill a piping bag with the prepared saffron-chocolate ganache and pipe into the moulds, leaving a little space
- Refrigerate for 1 minute.
- Pour the melted milk chocolate into the left space in the moulds, tap lightly, scrap off the excess and refrigerate till fully set.
- Demould, and brush edible gold dust on top of the modak.
DRY FRUIT MAWA MODAK
Ingredients:
- Mawa
- Almond
- Sugar
- Pistachio
- Green cardamom
- Saffron
Method:
- Heat a non-stick pan, add mawa and sugar and stir on low heat till both mawa and sugar melt.
- Add soaked saffron and mix well. Add chopped nuts, mix and cook till the mixture thickens.
- Take the pan off the heat transfer the mixture into a large bowl and set aside to cool down to room temperature.
- Grease the modak mould with some oil. Stuff it with a portion of the mixture and press gently.
- Demould, arrange the modaks on a serving platter, garnish with pistachios and serve.
MANGO CHILLI MODAK
Ingredients:
- Milk chocolate
- Mango Pulp
- Red chilli flakes
- Edible gold dust
Method:
- Heat mango pulp in a non-stick pan. Simmer it for some time on low heat.
- Add dark chocolate to the hot mango pulp and chilli mixture and mix well, allow chocolate to melt until the mixture is smooth in consistency.
- Melt milk chocolate using the double boiler method. And keep aside.
- Stir melting milk chocolate. Remove from heat and keep mixing till smooth.
- Pour in melted milk chocolate into modakmoulds.
- Tap lightly and scrap off the excess chocolate using a scraper.
- Refrigerate for 1min.
- Pour the chocolate back into the bowl from the moulds. Scrap off the excess and refrigerate for 1 minute.
- Fill a piping bag with the prepared mango, and chilli-chocolate ganache and pipe into the moulds, leaving a little space. Refrigerate for 1 minute
- Pour the melted milk chocolate into the left space in the moulds, tap lightly, scrap off the excess and refrigerate till fully set.
- Demould, and brush edible gold dust on top of the modak.
(With IANS Inputs)
