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Quick answer
Dry fruit modak is made by grinding soft dates and anjeer into a paste, mixing in chopped kaju, badam and pista, and pressing it into a modak mould. It needs no sugar and no mawa, and about 400 g of mixture makes around 21 small modaks, the number many families offer to Bappa.
Mumbai’s Ganeshotsav, in August or September, runs on modak. Ukadiche modak, steamed rice flour with coconut and jaggery, is the classic, and it has to be eaten fresh. Dry fruit modak is the one people make when they need something that keeps for the days of the festival, travels to relatives, or suits a guest who avoids refined sugar.
The no-mawa dry fruit modak
For about 21 modaks (roughly 18–20 g each):
| Ingredient | Quantity | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Soft seedless dates | 200 g | The base; sweetens and binds |
| Anjeer (dried figs) | 100 g | Adds body and the little crunch of fig seeds |
| Kaju, badam and pista, chopped | 100 g in total | Bite and texture |
| Charoli | 1 tablespoon | A small, soft crunch and a traditional flavour |
| Ghee | 1–2 teaspoons | Helps the mixture come together and release from the mould |
| Green cardamom, ground | 2–3 pods | Smell |
- Soak the anjeer in warm water for 20–30 minutes, then drain and pat dry. Seed the dates if they have stones.
- Dry-roast the nuts on a low flame for a few minutes until they smell toasty, then chop them small. Big pieces make modaks crack.
- Grind the dates and anjeer to a thick, coarse paste. Do not add water.
- Warm the paste in a pan with the ghee for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until it comes together and leaves the sides.
- Mix in the nuts, charoli and cardamom. Let it cool until you can handle it.
- Grease the mould lightly, press in the mixture, level the base, and open it.
If the mixture is too loose, add more chopped nuts. If it cracks, add a few more dates or a few drops of ghee.
Choosing the dates and anjeer
Soft dates grind smoothly and bind well. Kimia Black Dates are very soft and dark, which gives a deep colour and a caramel taste. If you use a firmer date, soak it for 15 minutes first. Our guide on how to judge a good khajur helps you pick.
For the figs, Jumbo Anjeer is softer and grinds more easily. Regular anjeer works too, with a longer soak.
The nuts, and where to save
The nuts are chopped anyway, so broken ones are fine. Regular Cashew and Regular Badam do the job well. Pista Kernels add green flecks that show well on a plate. Charoli is a small quantity but a traditional touch in Maharashtrian sweets. All of these are on our dry fruits shelf and the nut shelves beside it.
The mawa version
Mawa modak is softer and richer, closer to a peda, and many families make both.
- 200 g mawa, crumbled and roasted on a low flame until soft and fragrant
- 60–80 g powdered sugar, added once the mawa has cooled a little
- 75 g chopped kaju, badam and pista
- A pinch of cardamom, and a few strands of saffron if you have them
Mix, mould while still slightly warm, and fill a little of the chopped dry fruit into the centre if your mould allows. This makes around 15–16 modaks.
How long dry fruit modak keeps
| Type | Room temperature | In the fridge |
|---|---|---|
| No-mawa dry fruit modak | 2–3 days in a Mumbai monsoon; longer in dry weather | About a week to ten days, in an airtight box |
| Mawa modak | Same day only | 2–3 days, in an airtight box |
| Ukadiche modak | Same day | Best eaten fresh |
Ganeshotsav falls in the wet season, so keep dry fruit modaks in the fridge between offerings and let them come to room temperature before serving. Any sour smell or soft spots mean they should not be eaten.
Buying for the festival
For two batches of the no-mawa modak, buy a 500 g box of soft dates, 250 g anjeer, 250 g each of kaju and badam, some pista and 100 g charoli. Orders reach Mumbai in 2–4 days, so order at least a week before the festival starts. Delivery is free on orders over ₹1,000. Below that, a delivery charge is added at checkout. Check today’s dry fruit prices in Mumbai before you order.
Questions people ask
Can I make dry fruit modak without sugar?
Yes. The no-mawa version gets all its sweetness from dates and anjeer, with no sugar added.
Why do my dry fruit modaks crack in the mould?
Usually the nuts are chopped too coarsely or the mixture is too dry. Chop smaller and add a few more dates or a little ghee.
How many modaks does 400 g of mixture make?
About 21 small modaks of 18–20 g each, depending on your mould.
Can I make dry fruit modak a few days before Ganeshotsav?
The no-mawa version can be made two or three days ahead and kept in the fridge. Make mawa modak no more than a day ahead.
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Written at our counter, where these questions get asked every week.
