Mango Modak

Mango Modak in Marathi

Time: 30 minutes
Makes: 25 to 30 small modaks

Ingredients:
1/2 cup thickened Mango pulp (Click here for the recipe)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup khava (Khoya in Hindi)
1 tsp ghee

Method:
1) Grind sugar to a fine powder. Sift the ground sugar through a fine mesh. Grind the remaining coarse sugar to make fine powder.
2) Take a microwave safe bowl. Add ghee and thickened mango pulp. Microwave for 1 and half minute. Take the bowl out. Stir well. Again microwave for 1 and half minute.
3) Remove the bowl out, stir for 30 seconds. Add khava and mix well. Break all the lumps. Microwave for 30 seconds two to three times. (Always check the mixture by taking the bowl out)
4) If the mixture is loose in consistency, microwave for 20 to 30 seconds more as required. (When you take the bowl out, mixture will be bubbly and slightly thin in consistency. Hence stir first for a minute, then it will thicken a bit)
5) Mixture will become sticky and thick. Stir till it cools down and become warm. Add sugar little at a time and stir. Do not add sugar when mixture is hot, otherwise sugar will melt and mixture will become thin and runny.
6) Let the mixture cool down. (wait till mixture becomes thick enough to form a modak, incase mixture is sticky wait for sometime) Use modak moulds and make modak.

Tips:
1) You may need to microwave modak mixture a minute more or less. It depends on the consistency of mango pulp. Thick mango pulp will require little less amount of time in the microwave.
2) If the mixture is not getting thick even after waiting, add little milk powder.
3) After adding sugar, do not microwave.
4) After grinding sugar, sift it through a fine mesh. Grind the remaining sugar as well. If you use ground sugar without sifting, you will get coarse sugar bits while chewing modak.
5) These modak can be made on stove top. Roast Khava over medium heat until butter oozes out. Then transfer roasted khava into a medium bowl. Stir until it cools down and becomes warm. Add sugar and cardamom powder and mix. Add milk powder if the mixture is still sticky. Use the mould to make Modak.
6)  In USA, khoya is usually available in Indian grocery stores, in the frozen section.
7) Frozen khava should be thawed for two hours before proceeding.
8) If the Mango mava is not available, you may use canned mango pulp. However it needs to be thicken in the microwave for a bit longer. Also canned mango pulp has sugar in it, so it might change the color after microwaving.