Air Fryer Modak Recipes For A Low-Oil Festive Treat

Skip the deep fryer this Ganesh Chaturthi and make crisp, homemade modaks in an air fryer with coconut, jaggery, nuts, chocolate and other festive fillings.

Modak and Ganesh Chaturthi go hand in hand, and there are plenty of ways to make this festive sweet at home. If you want a crisp exterior without using much oil, an air fryer works particularly well for modaks with a flour-based covering. One tested recipe pairs the covering with a coconut-jaggery filling and uses only a small amount of oil.

Air-frying needs a slightly different approach from steaming or pan-cooking. The dough should be firm enough to hold its shape; the filling should have little excess moisture, and a light coating of oil helps the surface brown evenly.

Here are a few versions you can try at home.

1. Air-Fried Coconut And Jaggery Modak

This is the closest air-fryer version to the familiar fried modak. The filling combines grated coconut, jaggery, cardamom and, if you like, a little poppy seed or nutmeg. The covering can be made with wheat flour, maida and semolina, or a combination of wheat flour and another flour.

Cook the coconut and jaggery together until the mixture thickens and most of the moisture evaporates. Let it cool before filling the dough. A wet filling can make the modaks difficult to seal.

Shape the modaks and brush them lightly with oil. Preheat the air fryer, arrange the modaks in a single layer and cook until the outside turns golden and crisp. Avoid packing the basket tightly. Hot air needs room to circulate around each piece.

2. Air-Fried Dry Fruit Modak

For a richer filling, replace some of the coconut with chopped almonds, cashews, pistachios and dates. You can also add cardamom or a little saffron.

A food processor makes the preparation easier when you’re working with a larger quantity of nuts. Use short pulses to chop them coarsely. You want some texture in the filling rather than a completely smooth paste. Prestige’s food processor range includes attachments for chopping and slicing.

Mix the chopped nuts with finely chopped dates or another binder until the mixture holds together. Fill the dough, seal the edges and shape each piece into a modak.

Brush the outside lightly with oil before air frying. Since nuts and dried fruit can brown quickly, keep an eye on the first batch and adjust the temperature or cooking time if necessary.

3. Chocolate And Coconut Modak

Chocolate works particularly well with the coconut filling because you don’t need to change the basic preparation too much.

Cook grated coconut with jaggery as you would for a traditional filling. Once it cools, add a little cocoa powder or finely chopped dark chocolate. You can also add chopped nuts for some crunch.

For the dough, use a standard fried-modak covering. Roll it thin enough to become crisp but thick enough to hold the filling without tearing.

Seal the modaks carefully. Any gaps can allow the filling to leak during cooking. Brush or spray the outside with a small amount of oil and place the pieces in the air-fryer basket without touching one another.

The result won’t have exactly the same texture as a deep-fried modak, but it will still have a crisp exterior and a soft, sweet centre.

4. Rava Modak With A Coconut Filling

Semolina gives the outer layer a slightly different bite and works particularly well for air frying.

Dry-roast the rava first until it smells nutty. You can do this in a fry pan, stirring frequently so that it colours evenly. Once the rava cools, prepare the dough according to your recipe.

For the filling, use coconut, jaggery and cardamom. Cook it in a kadai until it becomes thick enough to handle.

Keep the modaks relatively small. Large pieces can brown on the outside before the dough has cooked through. A light coating of oil before air frying will help the surface develop colour.

5. Mawa Modak With An Air-Fried Shell

Mawa gives you another option if you want a creamy filling rather than coconut and jaggery.

Cook mawa with sugar, cardamom and a few strands of saffron until the mixture thickens. Let it cool completely before shaping small portions.

For the outer shell, use the same firm dough as you would for a fried modak. Place a spoonful of the mawa mixture in the centre, seal it well and shape it.

The filling is already cooked, so the air fryer only needs to crisp and brown the outer layer. Brush the modaks lightly with oil and cook them in batches.

6. Sesame And Jaggery Modak

Sesame and jaggery are a simple combination that gives the filling a nutty flavour without requiring many ingredients.

Toast sesame seeds in a pan until fragrant. Once cool, mix them with grated coconut, jaggery and cardamom. If the jaggery mixture feels too loose, cook it briefly until it thickens.

A mixer grinder can also help if you want to grind part of the sesame mixture more finely. Keep some of the seeds whole for texture.

Fill and shape the modaks, then brush them with a little oil before placing them in the air fryer.

How To Get Crisp Air-Fried Modaks

A few small details make a noticeable difference.

Preheat the air fryer: Starting with a hot basket helps the outer layer begin cooking immediately. 

Don’t overcrowd the basket: Leave space between the modaks so hot air can move around them.

Use only a little oil: A light brush or spray is enough for most recipes. The aim is to help with browning, not recreate deep frying.

Keep the filling dry: Excess moisture can soften the dough and make it harder to get a crisp shell.

Check early: Different air fryers and different-sized modaks cook at different rates. Start checking before the recipe’s stated cooking time is over.

Which Modak Should You Try First?

If this is your first time making modaks in an air fryer, start with the coconut and jaggery version. The filling is familiar, the dough is straightforward, and you can see how your air fryer handles the shape and size before experimenting with richer fillings.

Once you’ve got that right, try dry fruits, sesame, chocolate or mawa. You can even make a mixed batch for Ganesh Chaturthi. A homemade modak always feels a little more special when it arrives fresh from your own kitchen.