Fried Modak Recipe (Talniche Modak)

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Crispy, golden, flaky on the outside — chewy sweet coconut-jaggery filling inside — fried modak is the festive prasad that is genuinely easier to make than the classic steamed ukadiche modak and delivers an incredibly satisfying crunch that everyone reaches for first.

Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 — Monday, 14 September 2026

Image of fried modaks on plate with bamboo mat underneath.

What is Fried Modak?

Fried modak — called talniche modak in Marathi (talna means “to fry”) — is the deep-fried or shallow-fried version of the traditional Ganesh Chaturthi sweet. While ukadiche modak (steamed modak) is made from a delicate rice flour dough, fried modak uses a maida-and-semolina pastry outer shell – rolled thin, pleated, filled with the same classic coconut-jaggery stuffing, and fried until golden brown and crisp.

Fried modak is offered to Lord Ganesha as prasad alongside or as an alternative to steamed modak. Both are dear to Bappa, the tradition of offering modak is what matters, not the specific cooking method.

Fried modak vs ukadiche modak — what is the difference?

	Fried Modak	Ukadiche Modak
Outer covering	Maida + semolina pastry	Rice flour dough
Cooking method	Deep fried or shallow fried	Steamed
Texture	Crispy, flaky, crunchy	Soft, pillowy, melt-in-mouth
Shaping difficulty	Easier — pastry dough is forgiving	Harder — rice flour dough is delicate
Shelf life	2–3 days at room temperature	1 day at room temperature
Beginner-friendly?	✅ Yes	Requires practice

The most important practical difference: the maida-semolina pastry dough is much more forgiving for hand-shaping and pleating. The dough has gluten and elasticity — unlike the rice flour dough of ukadiche modak, which cracks easily. This makes fried modak the better starting point for anyone new to making modak.

About This Recipe

Fried modak was my gateway into making modak at home. I love the pleated shape of traditional modak, but every time I tried to pleat ukadiche modak by hand, the dough would crack before I could make more than 5 pleats. Fried modak dough is completely different — the all purpose flour gives it elasticity, and the semolina gives the finished shell that incredible crunch. The pleats stay put, the dough stretches instead of cracking, and the whole process feels manageable even without years of practice.

The role of semolina in this recipe is worth understanding: semolina doesn’t just add texture — it absorbs some of the moisture from the filling during frying, which is part of why fried modak stays crisper for longer. It also creates that distinctive slightly rough, almost craggy surface that catches the light and looks beautiful on the prasad plate.

⭐ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The maida-semolina dough is more forgiving than rice flour dough — pleating is genuinely easier
Ready in under 1 hour from start to finish
Stays crispy at room temperature for 2–3 days — better shelf life than steamed modak
Uses the same classic coconut-jaggery filling as ukadiche modak
Only 8 ingredients — a very simple pantry list
Can be made 1–2 days ahead — ideal for Ganesh Chaturthi preparations

🧾 Ingredient Notes

Complete list of ingredients and amounts is written in the recipe card below.

image of ingredients used in fried modak. Shows coconut, jaggery, cardamom, flour, semolina, oil, salt and milk.

For the Filling

Coconut (grated) Fresh grated coconut gives the most fragrant, moist filling. In the USA, frozen grated coconut from any Indian grocery store is the best practical option and works perfectly. Defrost completely before using. Do not use sweetened desiccated coconut — it makes the filling cloyingly sweet.
Jaggery: Use powdered, grated, or semi-soft jaggery — not a hard solid block, which takes too long to melt evenly. The color of your finished filling will match the color of your jaggery: light jaggery gives a pale gold filling; dark jaggery gives a deep caramel-brown. Both taste wonderful.
Green cardamom powder: Freshly ground from cardamom seeds is more fragrant than pre-ground — crack open 3–4 pods, remove the black seeds, and grind fine.

For the Outer Covering Dough

All-purpose flour / maida: The structural base of the pastry. Whole wheat flour (atta) can be substituted for a healthier but slightly denser outer shell.
Semolina / rava / sooji: The secret to the crunch. Semolina makes the outer shell shatteringly crispy after frying — much crispier than an all flour pastry. Do not reduce or skip this.
Oil (for the dough): Adding oil to the dough before kneading creates a flaky, short pastry texture (called moyan in Hindi) — similar to the technique used for samosa pastry. The oil coats the flour particles and prevents them from forming too much gluten, resulting in a flaky rather than chewy shell.
Milk: Used to bring the dough together. Add a little at a time — the exact amount depends on your flour.
Oil for frying Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point — sunflower, canola, or refined groundnut oil. The oil temperature is critical — see the frying step below.

Tried this recipe? A star rating ⭐️ and a quick comment below help others (and me!) know how it went.

Fried Modak Recipe (Talniche Modak) — Crispy & Flaky

4.67 from 12 votes

Crispy, flaky fried modak with sweet coconut-jaggery filling, easier to shape than steamed modak and ready in 1 hour. Perfect Ganesh Chaturthi prasad!

Kanan

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1

Serving Size

US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml)

Ingredients

For Stuffing:

2 cup Coconut, grated (fresh or frozen)
1 cup Jaggery (Gur)
½ teaspoon Green cardamom seeds powder

For Outer Covering:

1 cup All purpose flour (Maida)
½ cup Sooji (rava or semolina)
¼ teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoon Oil
½ cup Milk
Oil, for frying

Instructions

Make the Filling

Step 1 — Cook the coconut and jaggery: Take the grated coconut, jaggery, and cardamom powder together in a heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat.
As it heats, the jaggery will melt and the mixture will loosen. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until all the moisture evaporates and the mixture thickens and comes together — about 8-10 minutes (depends on the quantity you're making).
The filling is ready when: it holds together when pressed and doesn't release any liquid. Press a small amount between your fingers — it should clump together, not feel wet.
Do not overcook — if the mixture sticks dramatically to the pan and looks very dry, the jaggery has overcooked and the filling will turn chewy and hard after frying.
Step 2 — Cool completely: Remove the filling to a plate and spread it out. Let it cool completely to room temperature before using — at least 15–20 minutes. Hot filling makes the dough soggy and causes the pleats to slip open before frying.

Make the Dough

Step 3 — Mix the dry ingredients and fat: Take the all purpose flour, semolina, and salt in a bowl. Add the oil. Mix by rubbing the mixture between your fingertips and thumb until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Step 4 — Knead the dough: Add milk little at a time, mixing after each addition, until the dough just comes together.
Knead for 2–3 minutes until smooth and semi-stiff. It should feel firmer than roti dough — not soft, not crumbly.
Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes. After resting, knead once more briefly before dividing.

Shape the Modak

Step 5 — Divide and roll: After resting, knead the dough briefly and divide into 10 equal portions. Roll each into a smooth ball and flatten with your palm. Keep the unrolled portions covered while you work.
Take one flattened disc on your rolling board. Using a rolling pin, roll it into a 4-inch diameter circle — slightly thinner at the edges than at the center. Thinner edges are easier to pleat and seal cleanly; a thicker center holds the filling without breaking through.
Step 6 — Fill the modak: Place 2 teaspoons of the completely cooled filling in the center of the disc. Do not overfill — the dough needs room to pleat over the filling without tearing.
Using your fingertip or a pastry brush, apply a thin layer of water or milk along the entire edge of the disc. This moisture activates the gluten and helps the edges seal firmly during pleating.
Step 7 — Pleat and seal: Using your thumb and index finger, start making small pleats along the moistened edge of the disc — pinching and folding a small section of dough toward the center.
Then repeating all the way around. Work quickly but carefully.
Once all the pleats are made, bring them together at the top and pinch firmly to seal.
Twist the very top slightly to create the characteristic pointed tip. Press the sealed tip firmly — an unsealed tip will burst open in the oil and ruin the frying oil.
Keep shaped modak covered while you shape the rest.

Fry the Modak

Step 8 — Heat the oil to the right temperature: Heat oil in a kadai or deep pan on medium heat. Test the oil by dropping a small piece of dough into it:
– Rises immediately: Oil is too hot — lower the flame and wait.
– Sinks and takes long to rise: Oil is not hot enough — wait longer.
– Rises within 1–2 seconds: This is the correct temperature — approximately 325–340°F (160–170°C).
Step 9 — Fry until golden: Gently slide 3–4 shaped modak into the oil, do not overcrowd the pan. Fry on medium heat, gently turning with a slotted spoon to ensure even browning on all sides. This takes approximately 5–7 minutes per batch.
For shallow frying: Use less oil and flip more frequently — every 1–2 minutes — to ensure all sides brown evenly. Shallow frying takes slightly longer than deep frying.
Step 10 — Drain and cool: Remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Let them drain and cool for at least 10–15 minutes before offering as prasad or serving. The filling inside is extremely hot immediately after frying. The shell also crisps up further as it cools.

Notes

Make the dough semi-stiff, not soft. This is the most common mistake. A soft dough puffs up like a poori and loses the flaky, flat shape. If your modak are coming out puffy, the dough was too soft — reduce the milk next time.
Seal the top firmly — this is the most important step. If the pleats are not fully sealed at the top, the filling will burst out the moment the modak hits the hot oil. It ruins the oil and the modak’s appearance. Pinch firmly, twist slightly, and check each one before frying.
Keep the oil temperature consistent. Between each batch, let the oil return to the right temperature before adding the next. Oil that’s too cool gives greasy modak; too hot gives uneven browning.

Nutrition

🛠️ Troubleshooting

The filling burst out while frying: The top was not sealed firmly enough, or the modak was overfilled. Press and twist the pleated tip firmly before frying. Use 2 teaspoons of filling maximum per modak.
The modak turned out greasy: The oil was not hot enough when the modak went in. Always test the oil temperature with a small piece of dough before adding the modak.
The outer shell is doughy/soft after frying: The dough was too soft (too much milk added), or the oil temperature was too low during frying — the shell didn’t crisp properly. A semi-stiff dough fried at the right temperature gives a crisp shell.
The pleats keep opening before I can seal: The filling was too warm (warm filling makes the dough slippery) or too much filling was added. Always use completely cooled filling and stick to 2 teaspoons.

🔄 Variations

Whole wheat outer shell: Substitute all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour (atta) using the same quantities. The outer shell will be slightly denser and more nutritious, with a slightly earthier flavor. Still very delicious.
Air fryer fried modak: Brush or lightly spray the shaped modak with oil on all sides. Air fry at 350°F (175°C) for 12–15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown. The texture will be less crispy than deep-fried — more like a baked pastry — but significantly lighter. This is a popular option for anyone who wants to avoid deep frying.
Add nutmeg to the filling: A small pinch of freshly grated nutmeg with the cardamom adds a subtle warmth to the filling that works beautifully.
Add cashews and raisins to the filling: Fold in 1 tablespoon each of chopped cashews and raisins to the cooled filling for little pockets of crunch and sweetness inside.

Fried modak cut open in half to show inside.

🍽️ How to Serve and Offer

Let the fried modak cool completely before placing on the prasad plate — at least 15–20 minutes. They continue to crisp as they cool, and the filling sets from molten to chewy. Offering hot-from-the-oil modak risks scalding the plate and can make the modak look shiny rather than crisped.

For the traditional prasad presentation, arrange on a steel plate or banana leaf. Fried modak look beautiful on their own without any garnish — the golden, pleated shape is its own decoration.

🧊 Storage

Room temperature: Fried modak stays good at room temperature in an airtight container for 2–3 days — significantly longer than steamed modak. The semolina in the outer shell keeps them crispy longer. Do not refrigerate — the moisture in the fridge softens the shell and they lose their crunch.
Make-ahead: This is one of the advantages of fried modak over steamed. Make them 1–2 days before Ganesh Chaturthi and store in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll be perfectly crispy when you’re ready to offer them.
Re-crisping: If the shell has softened slightly, heat in an oven at 300°F (150°C) for 5 minutes or in an air fryer at 350°F for 3–4 minutes to restore crunch before serving.
Freezing: Not recommended.

Close up of fried modak on a plate with bamboo mat underneath

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Yes — substitute whole wheat flour (atta) in the same quantity. The outer shell will be slightly denser and the flavor more earthy. Still very good, and a healthier option.

Two causes: (1) the dough was too soft — it should be semi-stiff, not soft like roti dough; (2) the oil temperature was too low, which causes oil absorption rather than crisping. Test the oil with a small piece of dough before frying — it should rise to the surface within 1–2 seconds.

More Modak Recipes

All 12 Modak Recipes for Ganesh Chaturthi
Rava Modak
Chocolate Modak
Mawa Modak
Kaju Modak
Coconut Modak

More Ganesh Chaturthi Recipes

Ganesh Chaturthi Recipes (Full Collection)
Puran Poli
Besan Ladoo
Panchamrut

PS Tried this fried modak recipe? Please leave a star rating in the card below and/or a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback! Plus, Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for all the latest updates.

4.67 from 12 votes (5 ratings without comment)

21 Comments

Shaheen says:

September 23, 2023 at 5:32 am

Thanks you so much for this recipe

1. Kanan Patel says:
  
  September 25, 2023 at 9:39 am
  
  you’re welcome.
  
Sushmita Dutt says:

September 17, 2019 at 3:09 am

Thanks for this recipe, seems really very simple and nice

1. Kanan says:
  
  September 18, 2019 at 5:22 pm
  
  yes it is easy

What is Fried Modak?

Fried modak vs ukadiche modak — what is the difference?

About This Recipe

⭐ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

🧾 Ingredient Notes