Photo: Prakrutim · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Maharashtra · Dessert

Modak Kheer

A creamy, saffron-scented rice kheer enriched with crumbled steamed modak — a Ganesh Chaturthi innovation where leftover modak (or freshly made ones) are dissolved into thickened milk, infusing the kheer with the coconut-jaggery filling's fragrance. A dish that celebrates resourcefulness and the festival's abundance simultaneously.

🧺 Ingredients

• 750 ml (3 cups) full-fat milk
• 4 steamed modak (leftover or freshly made), crumbled
• 3 tbsp sugar (adjust — modak filling is already sweet)
• 15 saffron strands, soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 2 tbsp cashews, halved
• 1 tbsp pistachios, slivered
• 1 tbsp charoli seeds

👩‍🍳 How to make Modak Kheer

1. Bring 750 ml full-fat milk to a boil in a heavy pan over high heat.
2. Reduce to low-medium heat.
3. Simmer, stirring every 4–5 minutes, for 20–25 minutes until milk reduces to about half its volume and thickens noticeably.
4. Stir from the bottom at each interval.
5. Crumble the steamed modak coarsely — the rice shell and coconut-jaggery filling will break apart.
6. Add the crumbled modak to the simmering milk.
7. Stir gently over low heat for 8–10 minutes — the modak will dissolve into the milk, the coconut filling melding into the base and the rice shell adding body.
8. The kheer will become noticeably sweeter and more fragrant.
9. Taste the kheer — the modak filling contributes significant sweetness.
10. Add 3 tbsp sugar (or less) to balance.
11. Stir for 2 minutes until dissolved.
12. Add saffron milk, cardamom powder and ghee.
13. In a small pan, heat ½ tsp ghee, toast cashews for 1 minute until golden, add pistachios briefly, remove.
14. Stir into kheer.
15. Serve warm or chilled.
16. Garnish with charoli and saffron strands.
17. The kheer will be slightly textured from the coconut — this is desirable and characteristic.

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