Ganesh Chaturthi 2023: 6 Artisanal Modak Recipes For Those Who Are Welcoming Ganpati For First Seven Days

At the heart of Ganesh Chaturthi festivities lies the tradition of preparing delectable offerings to Lord Ganesha, known as naivedya. These offerings are not only a symbol of devotion but also a treat for the taste buds, showcasing the rich culinary diversity of India. Add an extra layer of sweetness and flavour to your celebration with these artisanal and irresistible modaks, which are different than the ones you make at home.

Pistachio and Cranberry Modak

Ingredients:

White chocolate: 150gm, Pistachio: 50gm, Dried cranberry: 10gm

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 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 scraper.

• Refrigerate for 1min.

• Pour the chocolate back into bowl from moulds. Scrap off the excess and refrigerate for 1 minutes.

• 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 in the left space in the moulds, tap lightly, scrap off the excess and refrigerate till fully set.

• Demould, brush edible gold dust on top of modak.

Vanilla and Matcha Modak

Ingredients:

Milk chocolate: 150gm, White chocolate: 50gm, Matcha Green Tea Extract: 10gm, Vanilla Bean Pod: 2gm

Method:

• Add Milk chocolate to the Matcha Green Tea extract and vanilla beans pulp mixture and mix well, allow chocolate to melt until the mixture is smooth in consistency.

• Melt milk chocolate using 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 scraper.

• Refrigerate for 1min.

• Pour the chocolate back into bowl from moulds. Scrap off the excess and refrigerate for 1 minutes.

• 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 in the left space in the moulds, tap lightly, scrap off the excess and refrigerate till fully set.

• Demould, brush edible gold dust on top of modak.

White Chocolate and Kashmiri Saffron

Ingredients:

White chocolate: 150gm, Milk chocolate: 50gm, Kashmiri Saffron: 3gm, Edible gold dust: 2gm

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 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 scraper.

• Refrigerate for 1min.

• Pour the chocolate back into bowl from moulds. Scrap off the excess and refrigerate for 1 minutes.

• 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 in the left space in the moulds, tap lightly, scrap off the excess and refrigerate till fully set.

• Demould, brush edible gold dust on top of modak.

Mango Chilli Modak

Ingredients:

Milk chocolate: 150gm, Mango Pulp: 50gm, Red chili flakes: 3gm, Edible gold dust: 2gm

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 chili mixture and mix well, allow chocolate to melt until the mixture is smooth in consistency.

• Melt milk chocolate using 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 scraper.

• Refrigerate for 1min.

• Pour the chocolate back into bowl from moulds. Scrap off the excess and refrigerate for 1 minutes.

• Fill a piping bag with the prepared mango, chilli- chocolate ganache and pipe into the moulds, leaving a little space. Refrigerate for 1 minute.

• Pour the melted milk chocolate in the left space in the moulds, tap lightly, scrap off the excess and refrigerate till fully set.

• Demould, brush edible gold dust on top of modak.

Dates and Orange Modak

Ingredients:

Milk chocolate: 150gm, Dates: 50gm, Orange marmalade: 10gm

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 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 scraper.

• Refrigerate for 1min.

• Pour the chocolate back into bowl from moulds. Scrap off the excess and refrigerate for 1 minutes.

• 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 in the left space in the moulds, tap lightly, scrap off the excess and refrigerate till fully set.

• Demould, brush edible gold dust on top of modak.

Zero Sugar Khajur Modak Recipe

Ingredients

250 gms Kalmi dates, deseeded and chopped, 60 gms ghee, 1 Tblsp Walnuts, 1 Tblsp Almonds, 1 Tblsp Pista, 1/4 Tsp Khus Khus ( Poppy seeds)

Method

In a saute pan, roast khus khus and set aside to cool. In the same pan roast Almonds, Walnuts and Pista .

Cool the nuts and roughly chop them. Set aside.

Take another saucepan, heat the ghee on medium heat.

Add in the chopped Kalmi dates and stir till softened on medium heat.

Once the dates soften, add in the khus khus, roasted & chopped nuts.

Mix well to combine.

Set aside and let cool.

Grease the modak moulds with ghee and shape the date modaks using the modak moulds.

Remove and serve

Recipe by Chef Amal Farooque of Sage & Olio, Mumbai