Journalism of Courage
One of the legends that surrounds the Maharashtrian delicacy,modak,is that they are the favourite food of Lord Ganesha. According to the legend,one of the gods came to visit Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati (Ganeshas parents) and presented them a divine modak. The round,white,dumpling was very special,and whoever ate it would become knowledgeable in all scriptures,science,art and writing. After a tussle with his brother,Ganesha used his wit to get the modak from his mother and thus became the master of all things intellectual.
To celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi,many Maharashtrian families prepare elaborate modak to offer them on the first day of the 11-day festival. The traditional modak, says Sachin Joshi,Executive Chef at Vivanta by Taj,is an elaborate preparation of the cover made with rice flour and the stuffing made with fresh coconut,jaggery,poppy seeds,cardamom and other spices. This modak,famously known in colloquial Marathi as Ukadiche (steamed) modak,is one of the specialties of Pune.
But despite the draw of Ukadiche modak,foodies in the city are trying their hand at innovative modak recipes ahead of the festive season. There is,of course,the fried variant,where the rice flour-based cover is replaced by wheat in a preparation similar to the dough made for chapatti. The small,puri-shaped cover is then stuffed with the coconut and jaggery mixture,sealed to form a dumpling-like shape,and then deep-fried, says Jyotsna Apte,a 66-year-old retired schoolteacher,who is famous in her apartment building at Deccan,for her delicious modak.
Girija Bapat,a homemaker in Kothrud,is an enthusiastic cook too. She loves to try out new recipes that give a twist to the traditional food items. I often research online and have learnt how to make five different kinds of modak,just by reading different blogs, she says. One of her favourite kind is the banana modak. They are an extention of the appams from South Canara. One must grind soaked rice and jaggery to a semi-coarse consistency. Then add crushed,ripe bananas,sesame seeds,cashews and raisins to taste,till it becomes a stiff pulp. With wet fingers,take small lumps of the paste and drop it into the oil. Fry till golden brown and drain on kitchen paper, says Bapat.
There are,however,more contemporary versions of the modak. Much like the pedha shaped as a modak,the chocolate modak are the preferred gifting options this season. Rohan Sovani,Chef de Cuisine at Courtyard by Marriott,Pune City Centre,says he makes modak from soft white khoya. He mixes the melted khoya with powdered sugar,cardamom powder,slivers of pistachio and orange crush,and binds them in a modak form,with the help of a mould. This modak lasts longer and the orange flavour and colour act as a refreshing change to the palette, says Sovani.
