How to make halwai-style saffron malai modak at home for Ganesh visarjan

Ganesh visarjan is approaching, and the aroma of modak fills homes at this time of year. Traditional steamed and fried modaks are made every year, but there is also a growing trend of making modaks in different flavours and attractive styles for the festival. One such modak is the soft, creamy and fragrant saffron malai modak.

Made with milk and khoya, this modak is as delicious to eat as it is beautiful to look at. If you are planning a special offering for Bappa at the time of visarjan, this modak can be a great option. It is just as good as a recipe to give guests as prasad. Saffron gives the modak a lovely colour and a distinctive fragrance, and garnishing it with almonds, pistachios or cashews makes it look even better.

Here is what you will need: 250 grams khoya, 100 grams sugar, 3 to 4 teaspoons milk, 8 to 10 strands of saffron, 1 teaspoon cardamom powder, 1 teaspoon ghee, 2 teaspoons finely chopped almonds and 2 teaspoons finely chopped pistachios. Keep a little extra saffron and pistachio pieces aside for garnishing.

The method is simple too. First, soak the saffron strands in lukewarm milk for a few minutes and set aside; this lets the saffron's colour and fragrance seep well into the milk. Heat a pan, add ghee, then add the khoya and roast it on low heat, stirring continuously. Take care that once the khoya softens, its colour does not change.

Now add the saffron milk to the khoya and mix the mixture well, stirring continuously on low heat. After this, add sugar and mix properly; as the sugar dissolves the mixture will turn slightly thin, so cook it again on low heat until it thickens. When the mixture starts to thicken, add cardamom powder, almonds and pistachios and mix everything well.

When the mixture stops sticking to the bottom of the pan and starts forming a single ball, turn off the gas. Transfer the mixture to a plate and let it cool slightly until lukewarm. Apply a little ghee to a modak mould, fill it with the prepared mixture and press well, then open the mould and gently take the modak out. Garnish with pieces of pistachio and strands of saffron on top. Let the prepared saffron malai modak cool for a few minutes before serving.