Ingredients

• For outer cover preparation:
• Raw rice - 1 cup
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 3 tbsp
• Water - 2 cups
• For spiced and steamed rice dumplings:
• Outer covering of modak dough - 1 cup
• Green chillies - 3
• Ginger - small piece
• Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
• For tempering:
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli - 1
• Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
• Grated coconut - 1 tbsp
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves - A few
• Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp

How to Make Steamed rice dumplings

• For outer cover preparation:
• Soak rice for at least 2 hours and grind it to a very smooth batter by adding 2 cups of water.
• Add oil, and salt to the batter, mix well and heat it in a pan on medium flame, stirring the batter continuously.
• Slowly the batter will start thickening, mix well continuously so that no lumps are formed and it thickens into a ball like mass.
• The mixture will start changing its colour from white to a cream colour.
• Dip fingers in cold water and touch the dough, if it doesn't stick, then the dough is ready.
• Switch off the flame and keep it covered.
• When it is still warm, grease your hands well with oil and knead the dough well with a table spoon of oil, and keep it covered until use.
• For spiced and steamed rice dumplings:
• Grind green chillies, ginger and coconut to a fine powder.
• In a mixing bowl add the modak dough, prepared powder, required salt, and knead well to form a smooth dough.
• If the dough is very dry, sprinkle water. Then make small balls out of the dough, repeat for the rest of the dough and keep aside.
• Steam the prepared small balls for 10 minutes and allow it to cool.
• Heat oil in a small pan, add mustard seeds, jeera, dry chillies, curry leaves, asafoetida.
• Then add the steamed balls; sprinkle little salt, fry for a minute or two in low flame. Lastly, add grated coconut and chopped coriander and give a quick stir.
• Transfer to a serving bowl.
• Recipe courtesy: Pachanti