Modak experiments bear delicious fruit

Siblings Meena, Harish and Neena Savla are among the lucky few who’ve managed to turn their childhood hobbies into a full-time profession.  Whether it’s conducting home tuitions, or handicraft, painting and cooking classes, the setup at their shared apartment in SV Road, Santacruz is modest but popular. People trickle in at fixed times during the day to pick up tips on the things the Savlas are masters at. Like say, moulding a diya from a handful of clay or cooking an authentic Italian meal from scratch.

However, these hobby experts have some trade secrets they’ve chosen to keep in the family. But when they wrote to MyCityMyDay and revealed their favourite modak recipes, two very delicious secrets were finally let out. “People believe a modak must always be a dumpling such as the traditional ukadiche modak (rice modak). But this is not the case anymore,” says Meena, a self-confessed foodie who loves to experiment with different textures and flavours.

Her creation, the papaya modak, might therefore not sound very appetising but a bite is all it takes to convert the non-believer. A rich amalgam of ripe papaya, coconut, nuts and a generous helping of sugar, these small modaks are deceptively heavy.

Harish however, prefers taking the less guilty route to piety, and has come up with the sugar-free modak. But sugar-free doesn’t necessarily make these modaks a light affair, packing in as they do a substantial amount of dry fruits and nuts.

Although we arrived bent on picking a winner, as we help ourselves to seconds of both modaks, the sugar rush has effectively blunted our judgment. So in the spirit of the festive season and to safeguard the sibling love which clearly runs in this family, we present both recipes to you. After all, two sweets are better than one. And we’re sure there’s one elephant-headed god who’d agree with us on that.