Click here to view. Steamed Modak, Ukadiche Modak recipe. Here is the Modak recipe made of rice flour shells filled with a succulent mixture of jaggery and coconut. It’s Ganesh Chaturthi ! Time to make umpteen varieties of modak, Ganesha’s favourite.

The authentic sweet filling on the inside of a modak (steamed modak) consists of freshly grated coconut and jaggery. Many people also use dry coconut with nuts and poppy seeds as well. Do not overcook the jaggery mixture, as it will harden once it has cooled.

Ukadiche Modak which is steamed modak is specially made during the first day of Ganesh Chaturti to welcome him.

While this mouth-watering modak delicacy is an inseparable part of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, you can try and make it more often as it is a tasty treat for the whole family, especially the young ones.

Offering to Ganesha usually concludes with an offering of 11 or 21 Steamed handmade modaks. On Sankashti Chaturthi which occurs every month and Angarki Chaturthi, steamed modak is made as an offering to the lord.

We also have the recipe of modak made with modak mould.

Is Steamed Modak, Ukadiche Modak healthy?

Modak is made of rice flour shells stuffed with jaggery and coconut. It's a sweet dish made everywhere during Ganpati celebrations.

Let's understand the ingredients of Modak.

What's good in Modak?

1. Coconut : The fresh coconut has saturated fats but most of it is MCT (Medium Chain Triglycerides) which promote weight loss. The high fibre content 13.6 gm (45.3% of RDA) along with high lauric acid content of coconut improves cholesterol levels in the body. Improving the action of insulin secretion and lowering the raised blood sugar levels is yet another benefit of coconut for Diabetics. See here for 10 amazing benefits of coconut.  

2. Steaming : The modak's are steamed in a steamer over a banana leaf. This is far healthier than having a deep fried dessert. 

3. Ghee : Other than calories and fats, the only nutrients that ghee is rich in are the vitamins – all of which are fat-soluble. All the 3 vitamins (Vitamin A, Vitamin E and Vitamin K) are antioxidants which have a role in removing free radicals from the body and protecting our cell as well as help in maintaining skin health and glow. Ghee is an excellent, high-quality selection medium of cooking because of its high smoke point. As compared to most oils and butter, ghee can handle a smoke point of 230°C, 450°F, thus its less prone to oxidant and destruction of nutrients. Yes, ghee does contain cholesterol, but some amount of cholesterol is needed by the body. Cholesterol has some functions to play too. It is necessary for hormone production, brain function, cell health and lubricating the joints. It is, in reality, a high quality fat for the body and brain. Ghee is loaded with fats but that’s medium chain fatty acids (MCT) which aid in weight loss. Ghee is healthy for daibetics in small amounts and you need to check your fat intake at the same time. Learn to easily make your ghee at home which is free of preservatives. See benefits of ghee. 

What's bad in Modak?

1. Rice flour (chawal ka atta) : 2 cups of rice flour are used to make 21 modak's. Rice flour is high in carbohydrates, not a good source of protein. Consumption of rice flour can cause inflammtion in your body and not goos for heart patients. See full details on is rice flour bad for you? 

2. Jaggery (Gur) : When compared to sugar, which provides only empty calories, jaggery is considered to be a superior natural sweetener. Sugar is definitely one of the causes of many chronic diseases, but jaggery too needs to be consumed in moderate amounts. What you would consume is just about a tbsp (18 g) or a tsp (6 g). While those with heart diseases and weight loss can have a dessert made with this quantity of jaggery occasionally as an option to refined sugar, but diabetics need to avoid this sweetener too as it can spike blood sugar levels instantly. Read is jaggery healthy for complete details.

Can diabetics, heart patients and over weight individuals have Steamed Modak, Ukadiche Modak?

Modak is not a healthy food. It's clear that the problem is rice flour and jaggery as explained above. If you are a healthy individual, then have it as a cheat meal. For diabetics and heart patients, you should find a healthier option.

Can healthy individuals have Steamed Modak, Ukadiche Modak?

No. But as a cheat meal have one piece. 

What is a healthier Indian dessert option ?

We suggest you try low fat gajjar halwa recipe which uses dates as a sweetener and low fat milk which works well for diabetics. Make oats and mixed nuts ladoo recipe which is sweetened by jaggery or oats and dates kheer. 

Low Fat Carrot Halwa, Healthy Gajar Halwa

Try a jowar based Indian dessert which is s a complex carb and will be absorbed slowly in the blood stream and not cause a spike in insulin. The jowar apple sheera recipe is made with the addition of cows milk and apples and sweetened with honey.

8 Pointers to get healthy on a Indian diet

1. Eat healthy and say yes to good home cooked food. Prefer whole grains like oatmeal, quinoa, buckwheat, barley and healthy flours like bajra flour, jowar flour, quinoa flour, wheat flour etc. rather than refined ones like maida. Have healthy Indian fats like ghee, coconut, coconut oil in your diet.

2. Opt out of junk food, packaged food, deep fried foods. Prefer steamed snacks and other non-fried snacks. Check out some Healthy Indian Snacks. Remember to eat small frequent meals through the day as that will keep you always full and prevent your blood sugar from dropping. By starving your body through some diet, will not help you one bit. In fact, dieting will make you binge on 2 to 3 meals which is not good. 

3. Have 4 to 5 servings of vegetables and 2 to 3 servings of fruit is a must. Follow the logic of a vegetable in each main meal of the day and a fruit in-between meals. Check out a few Healthy Indian Soups and Healthy Indian Salads  recipes using this food group. 

4. Cut down on sugar and salt in your diet and pick honey ( very small amounts) or dates to sweeten your food. Slowly cut the sugar habit as this is not going to happen over night. Sugar  is also called white poison. It is a simple carbohydrate with zero nutritional value. On intake, sugar will cause inflammation of the body which will last for many hours. It will spike your blood sugar level and shut down the fat burning process. This also causes high blood sugar levels in your body. The development of prediabetes comes from uncontrolled eating sugar and refined food products for many years and the classic symptom is if you have excess belly fat. This leads to diabetes and further onwards to heart attack, high blood pressure, strokes, impotence and kidney damage. 

Salt and blood pressure. Apart from stress and obesity, one of the main reasons for high blood pressure is excessive sodium and salt intake. Most people find it difficult to limit the amount of salt in their cooking, thinking it will affect the taste of their favourite dishes. 

This is not true. Bajra and jowar are rich in potassium and critical for those with High Blood Pressure as it lessens the impact of sodium. Eating more Potassium Rich Foods will remove more sodium from your body through urine. So include the basic bajra roti and jowar roti in your daily diet to have with Lower Blood Pressure Subzis Recipes. 

5. Befriend a few healthy seeds and nuts like chia seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts and almonds. 

6.  Sprouts are called ‘living food’. They are high is most nutrients and easy to digest as well. Let them feature in your meals at least thrice a week. Also Read : All Benefits about Sprouts. 

7.  Exercise 45 minutes every day. No excuse. You can walk fast, run, do weights, play your favourite sport or go to the gym.

8.  Sleep early and get up early. Get your body into rhythm and it will function best. Sleep helps your body to recover.

How to burn 126 calories that come from one Steamed Modak, Ukadiche Modak?

Note: These values are approximate and calorie burning differs in each individual.