Steamed Modak with Sesame, Coconut & Jaggery Filling

There are some recipes I keep saving for “someday.” Modak has been one of those for a very long time.

I have always wanted to make them, especially around the Ganapati festival, but somehow kept postponing it. And I have to admit, it was mostly because of the shape. Those beautiful little pleats meeting perfectly at the top looked far more complicated than anything I wanted to attempt!

But after watching a few videos and convincing myself that my first batch certainly didn’t need to look perfect, I finally decided to give them a try.

Interestingly, once I started making the dough, everything suddenly felt familiar. The outer covering of traditional steamed modak is made with rice flour, and being Assamese, rice-based sweets and snacks are something I have grown up around. So although the shape was new to me, the ingredient itself felt very much like home.

Traditionally, steamed modak or ukadiche modak are filled with coconut and jaggery. I wanted to keep that beautiful combination but bring in another flavour that I grew up loving — the sesame and jaggery filling used in Assamese til pitha.

So into my modak filling went toasted sesame seeds, coconut, and jaggery.

A little Maharashtra, a little Assam, and a sweet that somehow brought both together beautifully.

With the Ganapati festival around the corner, it seemed like the perfect time to finally get over my modak-making fear. And while my pleats may still need a little practice, the flavour certainly didn’t.

The soft, slightly chewy steamed rice flour shell with the nutty sesame, coconut and molten jaggery filling was absolutely delicious. Even better, my family loved them.

Sometimes it really is worth trying the recipe that has been sitting on your list for far too long.

Steamed Modak with Sesame, Coconut & Jaggery Filling

Makes: 10–12 modaks
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

For the Sesame, Coconut & Jaggery Filling

• ½ cup black sesame seeds
• ¾ cup freshly grated or desiccated coconut
• ¾ cup grated jaggery
• ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
• 1 teaspoon ghee
• Pinch of salt

For the Rice Flour Dough

• 1 cup fine rice flour
• 1¼ cups water
• 1 teaspoon ghee
• Pinch of salt

To Finish

• A little ghee for greasing your hands and steamer
• Extra sesame seeds, optional

Method

1. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over low to medium heat for a few minutes, stirring continuously, until aromatic. Take care not to burn them.
2. Allow the sesame seeds to cool slightly, then pulse them (I saved a tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds) in a grinder until coarsely ground. You don’t want to turn them completely into a paste — a little texture makes the filling much more interesting.
3. Heat the ghee in a pan and add the coconut. Sauté gently for about a minute. Add the grated jaggery and cook over low heat until it melts and combines with the coconut. Stir in the ground sesame seeds, cardamom, and a tiny pinch of salt.
4. Cook for another 2–3 minutes, just until everything comes together. Avoid cooking the mixture for too long, as the jaggery will harden once it cools. Transfer the filling to a bowl and allow it to cool completely.
5. Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan with the ghee and salt. Reduce the heat and add the rice flour. Stir quickly with a wooden spoon until the flour absorbs the water and comes together into a rough dough.
6. Cover the pan and leave it over the lowest heat for about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and allow the dough to rest, covered, for 5–7 minutes. While it is still comfortably warm, transfer the dough to a plate or work surface.
7. Lightly grease your hands with ghee and knead the dough until completely smooth and soft. If it feels slightly dry or cracks while kneading, wet your fingers with warm water and continue kneading. The smoother the dough, the easier it will be to shape the modaks without cracks.
8. Divide the dough into 10–12 equal portions and keep them covered with a damp cloth while you work.
9. Take one portion and roll it into a smooth ball.
10. Flatten it between your palms, then gently press into the mold and use your fingertips to press the dough towards the walls. This creates space for the filling. Place approximately 1 tablespoon of the sesame-coconut filling.
11. Close the base with more dough. Lightly grease your steaming tray or line it with a banana leaf or piece of baking paper. Arrange the modaks on the tray, leaving a little space between each one.
12. Steam over medium heat for approximately 10–12 minutes, or until the rice flour covering develops a slightly glossy appearance. Turn off the heat and allow them to rest for a couple of minutes before removing them from the steamer. Brush them very lightly with ghee while still warm. Serve warm.

A Few Tips for Your First Batch

The most important thing is to keep the rice dough covered while shaping. Rice flour dries quickly, and once the surface dries, cracks begin to appear.

Kneading the dough while it is still warm also makes an enormous difference. It should feel soft, smooth, and pliable before you start shaping.

Don’t overfill your modaks. 

And finally, don’t let the shape stop you from making them.

That was exactly what kept me from trying modaks for so long, and now I wish I had made them sooner.