Modaka & Kai Kadabu

Modaka is a sweet dish and it is mostly done during Ganesh Chaturthi. Fried or steamed Modakas are prepared with different ingredients. Traditionally it used to be prepare with rice or wheat flour and used jaggery or sugar. But now a days people have tried with chocolate and prepared chocllate modakas, kova modakas, paneer (cottage cheese) modakas etc.

Here is a traditional way of preparing modaks and kaikadubu which is also done during this Ganesha festival. 

Things Needed : 

Outer layer : 

Rice flour : 1 Cup 

Water : 2 Cups 

Salt : a pinch

Hoorana (to stuff it inside)

Coconut : 1 Cup 

Jaggery : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Cardamom:  2 to 3 pods. 

Method :  

1. Keep water for boiling in a pan or bowl.

2. Add rice flour when the water starts to boil and stir well. Let the flour mix well with water and turns thick

3. Stir continuously til it starts to leave the pan. 

4. Put off the fire and mix the thick dough nicely by just touching the water. ( The mixture will be very hot). 

5. Keep another pan and put jaggery and 1 tablespoon of water. 

6. Let the jaggery melt nicely. Sieve the content with tea strainer. 

7. Grate coconut and dry grind it with cardamom seeds. (remove the seeds from pods and add it to coconut).

8. Keep the cleaned jaggery content and add dry ground coconut. Stir well and let the coconut mixture turn thick.

9. Now take a small size of rice dough and  shape as ball. Flattened the rice dough on your palm. 

10. Keep a teaspoon of coconut jaggery mixture in side and bring up all the sides of the modaka upside. Let it be like a stick shape.

11. Prepare all the dough the same way and then arrange them in a tray or idli cooker. 

13. Keep the modaka plate/ tray on the top of the bowl. Cover the pressure cooker with its lid and cook for 10 to 12 minutes.

14. Check the modakas that done with a knife edge. (just prick the knife and if the dough does not stick to the edge, modakas are done).

15. Keep the modakas for naivedya (samarpan) and serve as prasadam.   

 Note : The consistency of the dough should not be water or too hard. You can also use modaka mould to prepare modakas. Just place a small size of spread dough and then place the sweet content. close it. The mould helps to fold and gives a good shape. Add jaggery according to your wish. (more /less). Do not add any maida or rava to the dough.
Time :40 minutes
20  Modakas can be prepared.

Besan Laddu

Besan laddu/laadu/ Unade is a sweet dish, you can have them any time of the day. Besan laddu is very easy and quick to prepare. This yummy, delicious sweet just melts in your mouth and gives energy too.

Besan/Channa flour/Chick Pea flour/ Kadale hittu, sugar and ghee are the main ingredients that are used in Besan Laddu.
As I said it it energetic because channa flour is loaded with carbohydrates and suger adds to the calories. Some people do have a habit of having besan laddu for breakfast along with their normal food. It goes well with Upma, Avalakki/ Beaten Rice Upma or khara bath, puliyogre and bisibele bath.
It is very precious prasadam to prepare during Gokulastami/Shree Krishna Janmastami, may because people do fast the whole day and have their limited prasadam after midnight. It is good to take this besan laddu for travelling, kids party, kids snack box and ladies parties.
Lets see the recipe now:
Things needed:
Besan _ 2 cup
Sugar -1  cup ( dry grind and powder it)
Ghee - 1 cup
Cardamom - 5 to 6 pods
Dry fruits - 1/4 cup ( Cashew ( cut in to small ) and raisens )+ Almonds (Optional)

Method :
1. Keep a pan on the fire, put 1 table spoon of ghee and fry cashew and raisens and remove them. 
2. Add besan and fry in that ghee until raw smell disappears. (Approximately  6 to 8 minutes). Put off the fire and shift the roasted flour to a big bowl.
3. Powder the sugar along with cardamom seeds. Melt the ghee and keep it ready.
4. Add powdered sugar and mix well. Divide the mixture into small portion.
5. Add ghee (Little by little) to one portion and mix it well and prepare laddus.
6. Once that portion of mixture is done, add ghee to the next portion and repeat the same.
7. Prepare laddu and shift them to a serving tray and serve or keep it in a air tight box.

Note :
Fry besan on slow flame so that it does not get burnt. Do not add ghee immediately . let it cool a bit . Then add ghee. Dividing the mixture into small portion helps you too prepare laddu easily. Mixture does not get dry very soon since it is small portion. You can also add some hot boiled milk instead of ghee and prepare laddu. But not only the taste differ, the shelf life of laddu prepared with ghee will be more. (At least 15 days) and milk used laddu will be only 3 to 4 days.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 15 to 16 laddus. (According to the size).