Fried Modak / Talniche Modak

5 from 112 votes

Fried Modak is a popular Indian sweet dish commonly made during the festive season of Ganesh Chaturthi. These crispy and delicious dumplings are filled with a sweet mixture of coconut, jaggery, and nuts. This easy and fail-proof recipe yields perfect results every time. I am including all the necessary tips and tricks and answers to common questions that you will need to know to make perfect fried modakums. They can be made ahead and stored, making them an ideal dessert for gatherings or celebrations.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Hindu, Vegetarian

Servings: to 18 modakas

Calories: 130kcal

Author: Shilpa Kerur

Ingredients

For the outer cover:

1½ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoon semolina
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon ghee melted (use store-bought or homemade ghee)

For the filling:

1 cup coconut fresh, grated
½ cup jaggery
1 teaspoon ghee
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon pistachio
1 tablespoon almonds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Other ingredients

Ghee or oil for deep frying

Instructions

Make the filling:

Dry roast the sesame seeds and set them aside.
Heat one teaspoon of ghee in a heavy bottom pan or kadhai. Once it heats, add the grated coconut and jaggery.
Mix well and cook the mixture. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens and comes together like a ball.
Add ground cardamom, pistachio, almonds, and roasted sesame seeds.
Mix well and turn off the heat. Let the coconut filling cool down completely.

Make the dough:

In a large bowl, combine maida, suji, and salt. Give it a good mix.
Add 2 tablespoons of ghee and mix well. Rub the ghee and flour together well for 3-5 minutes.
Incorporate the ghee and flour very well. To check if it is done, take some dough and press it in your fist. It should hold together without falling apart.
Slowly add water and knead into a stiff dough. Do not overmix the dough.
Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Shaping:

Once the dough is rested, gently knead it again for 2 minutes. Divide it into five parts
Lightly dust the rolling surface with some flour and roll the dough into a slightly thick disc.
Using a sharp lid or cookie cutter, cut out two circles (approximately 4-5 inches in diameter).
Brush water on the edges. Place approximately 1-2 tablespoons of filling in the center.
Start pleating the edges together and bring them together.
Seal the pleats together in the center firmly (see step-by-step pictures above).
Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling. Keep the modak under a damp kitchen towel to make sure they do not dry out.

Deep frying:

Take a deep heavy bottom pan and add ghee (or oil). Place it on medium heat.
The ghee should be medium hot. To check if the ghee is ready, drop a small piece of dough in the oil. If it slowly rises up, the oil is ready.
Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to low.
Carefully put the modaks in batches. Do not flip them for the first 5-6 minutes. Once they begin to firm, increase the heat to medium and carefully flip the modak.
Fry until they are golden brown. Take them out and place them on a paper towel.
Fried modak is ready to be served or stored.

Notes

I am using ghee to fry the modakums; however, you can use any cooking oil of your choice to fry. I recommend using oil with a high smoke point for deep frying.

Make sure the filling is cooled completely before stuffing it into the dough. A hot or warm filling will make the dough moist and the fried modaks will lose their crisp texture.

See the tips section above for more useful tips.

Nutrition