• Soak kesar / saffron in 1 tbsp warm milk for 10 mins
• Until then in a heavy bottom pan melt 3 tbsp ghee on medium flame
• Once ghee is melted add milk and soaked saffron .
• Mix well until milk is heated
• Once milk starts boiling add milk powder in batches keep stirring it continuously. Break lumps if any. Keep the flame low.
• The khoya / mawa mixture will begin to thicken
• After 3-4 minutes you will notice that it starts to separate from the pan. Cook for another couple of minutes until it forms a dough like consistency.
• Now switch off the flame and place it in a bowl and let it cool down for few minutes. Don’t let it cool down completely or else mawa will turn hard and it will also become difficult to shape the Modak. 
• To the semi cooled mawa add sieved powdered sugar and cardamom powder and mix till everything is well combined. The mawa mixture is ready.
• Now take a modak mould and put some mawa mixture on all the sides of the mould and press it firmly, and then close it. Ensure that the modak mould is stuffed entirely. Remove the excess mawa from the sides and gently open the mould. 
• Now while pressing the bottom of the modak, remove it from the mould. 
• Similarly make all the mawa modaks. 
• Alternatively you can also stuff crushed nuts in the middle of the modak (for clear demo please watch video)
• Store them in airtight container it has shelf life of one week.

Modak recipe step by step procedure with pictures:

• Soak kesar / saffron in 1 tbsp warm milk for 10 mins
  
• Until then in a heavy bottom pan melt 3 tbsp ghee on medium flame
  
• Once ghee is melted add milk and soaked saffron
  
  
  
  
• Mix well until milk is heated
  
• Once milk starts boiling add milk powder in batches keep stirring it continuously. Break lumps if any. Keep the flame low.
   
  
• The khoya / mawa mixture will begin to thicken
  
  
  
  
• After 3-4 minutes you will notice that it starts to separate from the pan. Cook for another couple of minutes until it forms a dough like consistency.
  
• Now switch off the flame and place it in a bowl and let it cool down for few minutes. Don’t let it cool down completely or else mawa will turn hard and it will also become difficult to shape the Modak. 
  
• To the semi cooled mawa add sieved powdered sugar and cardamom powder and mix till everything is well combined. The mawa mixture is ready.
  
  
  
  
• Now take a modak mould and put some mawa mixture on all the sides of the mould and press it firmly, and then close it. Ensure that the modak mould is stuffed entirely. Remove the excess mawa from the sides and gently open the mould. 
   
  
  
  
• Now while pressing the bottom of the modak, remove it from the mould. 
  
• Alternatively you can also stuff crushed nuts in the middle of the modak (for clear demo please watch video)
  
  
  
  
• Mawa Kesar Modak is now ready to be served to Lord Ganesha
  

• 1 cup/ 200gms moong dal/ husked and split moong lentils 
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar (adjust depending upon the sweetness)
• 4 tbsp ghee / clarified butter 
• 4-5 green cardamom 
• 6-7 almonds (or any nut of your choice)
• 10-12 Raisins (for garnish)

• In a heavy bottom pan dry roast moong dal in a low flame 
• Roast for 10-15 minutes or until moong dal turns golden and aromatic.
• Let it cool completely. In the meantime grind sugar and cardamom into a powder.
• Sieve them in a bowl.
• Once moong dal cools downs, grind it into fine powder.
• Coarse grind almonds as well
• Now transfer the moong dal powder in a pan, in a low flame add 3 tbsp ghee  and coarsely grounded almonds and roast them well for about 10 minutes or until the mixture turns golden brown 
• Transfer to a bowl and cool slightly 
• Now transfer the powdered sugar over the mixture and mix well 
• Add 1 tbsp ghee or as needed to make it a semi moist flour mixture (do not overdo with ghee or else the flour will not stand its shape)
• Take a small proportion and prepare a ball sized ladoo or peda and garnish with raisins/cashews 
• Store it in an air tight container. It will be good for atleast 2 weeks.

• Make sure to use organic moong dal, else rinse the moong dal and pat dry before roasting.
• Make sure not to over use ghee or else it will be difficult to give it a shape of ladoo or peda.
• Adjust the amount of sugar depending on the sweetness.
• Additionally, roast on low flame to prevent from burning.

               You can also watch this recipe video on my YouTube channel: