Modaks break out of traditional mould, go from sweet to ‘sattvic’

MUMBAI: When you think of a modak, the elephant god’s favourite sweet, do you picture the traditional steamed and fried varieties, filled with the traditional jaggery and coconut? Think out of the box, then. If one were to go by the new-age versions featured in a Virar competition on Sunday, one must now add innovative, health-conscious, and in some cases, slightly bitter ones, to the festive platter.
There were 43 different types of the sweet, like diet modak, fruit modak and even the vegetable modak. Around 115 women from the Vasai-Virar region participated in the competition, organized by the Virar-based Young Stars Trust that gave weightage to innovation, taste and presentation.
Apart from the traditional steamed version or ‘ukdiche modak’ that is a must in homes welcoming Lord Ganesha, the judges got to try myriad modak fillings that would fill grated coconut and jaggery—the traditional sweet filling—with a sense of inferiority. The 11-day Ganeshotsav begins on Thursday.
So if one participant used carrots and beetroots, another showed off her modaks filled with bottle gourd (lauki). Mansi Namjoshi, a housewife from J B Nagar, Virar, made a cheese-and-paneer filled modak. Her ‘Panchkhadya’, modak which consists of dates, raisins, powdered sugar, poppy seeds and grated coconut, won her a prize.
There were modaks made of mouth-fresheners (mukhwas) and Indian desserts like basundi and shrikhand. Modaks using ‘sattvic’ ingredients (organic fruits and vegetables) also held their ground in the competition.
Interestingly, the seven-year-old competition has only seen women participants so far. Banners and posters inviting participants are put up across the region.
The modaks are made at the participants’ homes. There is no restriction on the number of varieties that can be made. The dish, along with the recipe, is on display. And the judges, using their knack, test the participants’ modak skills.
The women spoke about the longer shelf-life of the new-age modaks. While the traditional ones must be eaten hot, the new-age ones can be made in advance and stocked during the festival, they explained. Not just the young, but seniors too brought in their experience to bear on the competition. Vaijanti Dighe (84) from Agashi in Virar showcased some of her best creations, with dry fruits and rawa (semolina).
Then there was the modak with tulsi and bajri (pearl millet), which the judges found slightly bitter. Modaks to attract children, modaks for diabetics and modaks for the calorie-conscious, all categories competed.
Even Lord Ganesha would have been left wanting more.