Goan Style Purnache Modak | Purnachi Nevri | Ganesh Chaturthi Special Fried Modak | Ganapati Special Talniche Modak | Karanji | Prasad | Naivedyam recipe with detail step by step instructions and a video. Purnache Modak is an authentic and traditional Goan sweet which is offered as naivedyam to Ganapati Bappa during Ganesh Chaturthi. Modaks are considered to be Ganapati Bappa’s most favourite sweet and hence it is mandatory in Goan homes to make purnache modak for Chaturthi.
Traditional Purnache Modak
The name ‘Purnache Modak’ comes from the Konkani words ‘puran’ which refers to a sweet jaggery and chana dal mixture and ‘modak’ which means a small sweet dumpling. These modaks consist of an outer wheat flour layer with a sweet inner chana dal and jaggery filling. These dumplings are then deep fried in oil till golden brown. In Goa, we make these dumplings in 5 different shapes like modaks, nevris, toffees, etc
Making & Serving Modaks
The recipe is simple but needs some efforts and time to make the modaks. But the festive spirits and joy of having Ganpati Bappa at home justifies it all. The modaks need few basic ingredients like wheat flour, chana dal, jaggery, coconut, cardamom powder and salt, all of which are easily found at home. After offering to Bappa as naivedyam, the modaks are then served to devotees as prasad. Purnache Modak is served along with pure vegetarian (no onion no garlic) meal on Ganesh Chaturthi. They are also served as prasad to guests. Since these modaks are fried they will stay good if kept outside for 1 – 2 days. They can also be refrigerated and stored for a few extra days.
You might also like to try out our Ganesh Chaturthi special recipes like panchakhadya, payas, patoli and mangane.
You might also like some of our other Goan sweets like nachni satva , kangachi kheer , atwal , tavsali , amras , sheera and kangachi nevri.
Check out more traditional and authentic Goan recipes on our youtube channel Bhukkad Recipes. Do not forget to like, share and subscribe!!
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup chana dal – soak for 3 hours
- 2 cup wheat flour
- 1/4 cup fresh grated coconut
- 1/3 cup and 2 Tbsp jaggery
- 1/4 Tsp cardamom powder
- salt as per taste
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Add salt to the wheat flour. Mix well.
- By adding little water at a time, knead the wheat flour to form a roti like dough.
- Cover the dough with a plate. Allow it to rest for atleast 15 minutes.
- Add the soaked chana dal to a pressure cooker. Close the lid of the cooker.
- On a medium flame, cook the chana dal till 1 whistle.
- Take a collander or a strainer. Strain the pressure cooked chana dal to remove all the liquid.
- We will not be using the strained liquid in our recipe. Refer to tips and tricks below.
- Add the strained chana dal, jaggery and coconut in a pan. Mix well.
- Cook on a low flame and allow the jaggery to melt.
- While cooking, mash the dal with a spatula or a masher. Continue mashing and cooking till the mixture thickens.
- Add cardamom powder. Mix well. Cook for a minute and switch off the flame.
- The puran stuffing for the modak/nevri is now ready. Let it cool down.
- Make small balls out of the wheat flour dough. Also make slightly bigger balls from the puran for the modak stuffing.
- Coat the dough balls in wheat flour. Roll each of the dough balls into a small circle.
- Method for Modaks: Place the puran ball at the centre of the circle. Pleat the edges of the circle to form the folds of the modak.
- Remove any extra dough from the top fold of the modak. The modak is now ready for frying.
- Repeat steps 15 and 16 for all the modaks.
- Method for Nevri: Place the puran on one half of the circle. Apply water to the edges of the half circle.
- Fold over the other half of the circle to form a semicircular nevri. With the help of a cutter, cut off any extra dough from the edges. The nevri is ready for frying.
- Repeat steps 18 and 19 for all the nevris.
Tips & Tricks
- Do not throw away the liquid strained from the pressure cooked chana dal in step 7 above. You can use this liquid to make kathachi amti. You can also add this liquid to your roti or paratha dough.
- The fried modaks can be stored outside and consumed within 1 – 2 days. The modaks will last a little longer if refrigerated.
- Allow the wheat flour dough to rest for atleast 15 minutes before rolling it to form modaks and nevris. The longer the dough rests, the better.
- I was able to make 10 nevris and 10 modaks using the above measurement. So adjust according to your need.
- Fry the modaks and nevris on a medium low flame.
- If the oil is too hot or the flame is high, the dough coating will burn from the outside and will be uncooked from the inside. So keep the flame medium low.
- Before frying the modaks, add a small ball of dough to the heated oil. The ball should immediately float to the top. This means the oil is just right for frying.