Manda Pitha or Modak

Ingredients:

1 cup rice flour

1 1/2 cup water

1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup cottage cheese

1 cup jaggery or to taste

Pinch of salt

Pinch of cardamom powder

Preparation:

For the filling, in a non-stick pan, add grated coconut and jaggery and cook over a slow flame till the jaggery melts, then add cottage cheese or paneer and mix until the mixture comes together. Add the cardamom powder and mix well.

In another non-stick pan boil the water. Add little salt in the boiling water and stir. Reduce the flame, add the rice flour while stirring continuously.

Whisk well so that no lumps remain. Cover with a lid and keep aside for about 5 minutes.Grease your palms with a little oil and knead the dough while it is still warm; if the dough cools it will get lumpy.Make even size small balls of the dough using oil. with the palm make a big hole out of the ball.Or you can roll the ball out to around 3 inch diameter.Add a spoonful of the filling into the dough.Bring all the ends together and press to seal. Prepare a steamer by adding water, a teaspoon of oil and heat it till the water comes to a boil. While the water is simmering, place the pithas on a greased steamer plate and steam for 6 to7 minutes.Once the pithas are cooked they will turn translucent.