What is "modak"

A modak (Marathi: मोदक) is a sweet dumpling popular in Maharashtra, India. It is called modak in Marathi and Konkani as well as Gujarati language, Kozhakkatta in Malayalam, modhaka or kadubu in Kannada, modhakam or kozhakkattai in Tamil, and kudumu in Telugu.

The sweet filling inside a modak is made up of fresh grated coconut and jaggery, while the soft shell is made from rice flour, or wheat flour mixed with khava or maida flour. The dumpling can be fried or steamed. The steamed version, called ukdiche modak, is eaten hot with ghee.

Modaks have a special importance in the worship of the Hindu god Ganesha; modak is believed to be his favorite food, which begets him the moniker modakapriya (the one who likes modak) in Sanskrit. During the Ganesha worship ceremony, known in Maharashtra as Ganesha Chaturthi the puja always concludes with an offering of twenty-one modaks to the deity and as prasadam. Modaks made with rice flour shell are preferred for this purpose, however, wheat shell version are also used. Innovative recipes for modaks have also been created. These include banana nachni modak, motichoor modak and chocolate modak.