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    Home » Ganesh Chaturthi Recipes

    Modak | Konkani Banana Modak Recipe | Kele Mulik

    Published: Sep 14, 2015 · Modified: Aug 31, 2023 by Kushi · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Modak is a very popular naivedyam recipe prepared for lord Ganesha (Ganapati) on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi and Sankashti Chaturthi. Today's post is all about banana modak, also known as kele mulik, a traditional fried modak recipe from Konkani cuisine.

    Check here for the Maharashtrian ukadiche modak recipe.

    Modak (Traditional Banana Modak or Kele Mulik) : Popular Ganesh Chaturthi Recipe.

    Jump to:
    • Modak
    • Banana Modak
    • Modak ingredients
    • How to make Banana Modak (Kele Modak / Kele Mulik)?
    • Tips
    • More traditional Ganesh Chaturthi recipes
    • Recipe card
    • User Reviews

    Modak

    Modak is important in the rituals of Lord Ganapati. The term is derived from Moda and pramoda, which means joy, happiness, and delight that Lord Ganesha bestows on devotees.

    During the puja and ganahoma on Ganesh Chaturthi, 21 modaks are offered as naivedya to the idol or deity, which is believed to be his favorite food.

    This sweet is known as Modak in Marathi, Gujarati, and Konkani. In South Indian states, these are popular as mothagam and kozhukattai.

    Traditional modak is prepared differently in different states. In India, ukadiche modak (Maharashtrian steamed modak) is very popular. Then you have rava, fried, kesari, chocolate modak, kozhukattai, etc.

    In the Mangalore Udupi region, konkanis prepare with bananas called kele mulik or kele modak.

    Mangalore udupi konkani style kele mulik or modaka for vinayaka chavithi.

    Banana Modak

    Banana Modak also called kele modak is deep fried, flavorful, and soft inside and crispy outside. In Konkani household 21 Modak, Appo (appe or paniyaram) is offered as naivedyam (bhog) to lord ganapati on vinayaka chavithi.

    To make this you need jaggery, grated coconut, ripe banana, and wheat flour. Traditionally, this is fried in ghee during festivals. This version is easy to prepare than ukadiche modak.

    Check out traditional Ganesh Chaturthi recipes (vinayaka chavithi) prepared all over India. Some authentic Konkani Ganesh Chaturthi naivedyam / prasadam recipe includes

    • Sweet Rice Appe , Appo or Paniyaram , How to make appe or paniyaram, appe or paniyaram banane ki recipe, sankashti chaturthi, ganesh chaturthi, fasting, upvas, vrat recipes, prasad recipes for ganapati, paniyaram pan #paniyaram #appe #popularindianfood #indianrecipes
      Sweet Rice Appo | How To Make Paniyaram Or Appe
    • Traditional, Popular Indian sweets & desserts #sweetpoha #diwalirecipes
      Panchakajjaya | Panchkadayi | Sweet Poha
    • Patholi, Sihi Kadubu, Naga Panchami, ganesh Chaturthi sweets recipes, #indianrecipes #konkanirecipes
      Patholi | Patoli | How To Make Rice Rolls Or Dumplings
    • Laddu, How to make ladoo with jaggery, Popular & best Indian sweets and desserts, mithai, astami undo
      Laddu | How To Make Ladoo With Jaggery

    Modak ingredients

    Wheat flour (atta): The batter uses atta as the base.
    Ripe bananas: Makes the mulik soft, has a natural sweetness, and adds flavor.
    Jaggery: Traditional Indian sweets generally use jaggery. Adjust based on the sweetness of the banana.
    Grated coconut: delightful flavor to modak.
    Ghee: Makes this sweet rich.
    Poha and semolina enhance the overall texture.
    Cardamom: All Indian sweets are flavored with cardamom.

    See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

    How to make Banana Modak (Kele Modak / Kele Mulik)?

    • I have used 2 small ripe bananas. If using a long variety, just add one.
    • Grind together banana, jaggery, coconut, poha, and semolina, adding very little water to form a thick, smooth paste.
    • Transfer the ground paste to a bowl. Add the wheat flour, salt, ghee, and cardamom powder and mix well. Here, the amount of wheat flour you add may vary based on the water you have added while grinding. This batter should be medium thick, as shown below.
    Step by step pictures on making of fried modak (kele mulik).
    • Heat oil or ghee for frying. Once the oil is hot, drop a spoonful of batter 6 to 8 times based on the size of the pan and fry in medium flame till it becomes golden brown on all sides. Transfer it to a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
    • Serve with desi ghee and enjoy. Ganapati bappa Moraya. 
    • You can also make this on other days for a quick evening snack and serve with a cup of filter coffee or Indian chai tea. 
    Authentic fried modak recipe with banana, wheat flour, coconut, jaggery, ghee. Konkani modak.

    Tips

    • The amount of jaggery you add may vary depending on the sweetness of the banana.
    • Drop a small batter to check if the oil is hot. It should sizzle and come up. You should fry only on medium flame; otherwise, it will turn black soon.
    • Do not overcrowd the pan. The amount you add may vary depending on the size of your pan.
    • You can add semolina (suji rava) while grinding or along with wheat flour.
    • Love the crunch, then add small pieces of cashews to the batter. 
    • You can also check the video on making jackfruit mulik using rice rava as the main ingredient. 
    • You can skip poha and add ¼ cup of grated coconut or vice versa.

    More traditional Ganesh Chaturthi recipes

    • Jeev kadgi podi | Breadfruit rava Fry | Fritters | Fried breadfruit, breadfruit recipes, ackee, dinner sides, evening snacks, shallow fry, how to eat breadfruit, breadfruit vs jackfruit, konkani food recipes, coastal karnataka, ugadi recipes, ganesh chaturthi recipes, bajo, pakora, pakoda, fish rava fry, vegetarian meal, mangalore and udupi recipes, stir fry
      JEEV KADGI PODI | BREADFRUIT RAVA FRY OR FRITTERS
    • Konkani Chane Gashi | Chana Kadgi Ghashi | Mangalore Udupi style Chickpeas Curry #gashi #gassi #gsb
      Konkani Chane Gashi | How To Prepare Chickpea Curry
    • Pepper dal, holding laddle full of konkani style dalitoy.
      Pepper Dal | Karkala Dalithoy | Dali Tove | Easy Dal Recipe
    • idli batter steamed in jackfruit leaves, khotte kadubu, khotto, kotte, kottige, gunda #idli #konkani
      Idli Batter Steamed In Jackfruit Leaves | Khotte Kadubu | Khotto

    Did you like this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

    Recipe card

    Traditional modak recipe : Ganesh chaturthi naivedyam, prasadam, bhog for Lord Ganapati.

    Modak | Konkani Banana Modak Recipe | Kele Mulik

    Kushi
    Modak is a very popular naivedyam recipe prepared for lord Ganesha (Ganapati) on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi and Sankashti Chaturthi. Today's post is all about banana modak, also known as kele mulik, a traditional fried modak recipe from Konkani cuisine. I call it an Indian-style donut hole. These modaks can be prepared in less than 30 minutes.
    5 from 13 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Dessert, sweets
    Cuisine Coastal Karnataka, Konkani, Mangalore, Udupi
    Servings 30 modaks
    Calories 53 kcal

    Equipment

    • Pan for frying

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup Wheat flour (Atta)
    • 2 small Bananas , ripe
    • ¾ cup Jaggery or Brown sugar (reduce it to ½ cup for mild sweetness)
    • 1 tablespoon Coconut , grated (Fresh, dry or frozen)
    • 2 tablespoon Poha or Flattened rice
    • 2 tablespoon Semolina (Suji rava)
    • ⅛ teaspoon Salt, pinch
    • 2 teaspoon Ghee
    • ¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder
    • Oil or Ghee for frying

    Instructions
     

    • I have used 2 small ripe bananas. If using a long variety, just add one.
    • Grind together banana, jaggery, coconut, poha, and semolina, adding very little water to form a thick, smooth paste.
      2 small Bananas, ¾ cup Jaggery, 1 tablespoon Coconut, 2 tablespoon Poha, 2 tablespoon Semolina
    • Transfer the ground paste to a bowl. Add the wheat flour, salt, ghee, and cardamom powder and mix well. Here, the amount of wheat flour you add may vary based on the water you have added while grinding. This batter should be medium thick, as shown.
      1 cup Wheat flour, ⅛ teaspoon Salt, pinch, 2 teaspoon Ghee, ¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder
      Step by step pictures on making of fried modak (kele mulik).
    • Heat oil or ghee for frying. Once the oil is hot, drop a spoonful of batter 6 to 8 times based on the size of the pan and fry in medium flame till it becomes golden brown on all sides. Transfer it to a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
      Oil
    • Serve with desi ghee and enjoy. Ganapati bappa Moraya. 
    • You can also make this on other days for a quick evening snack and serve with a cup of filter coffee or Indian chai tea. 

    Notes

    • The amount of jaggery you add may vary depending on the sweetness of the banana.
    • Drop a small batter to check if the oil is hot. It should sizzle and come up. You should fry modak only on medium flame; otherwise, it will turn black soon.
    • Do not overcrowd the pan. The amount of modak you add may vary depending on the size of your pan.
    • You can add semolina (suji rava) while grinding or along with wheat flour.
    • Love the crunch, then add small pieces of cashews to the batter. 
    • You can also check the video on making jackfruit mulik using rice rava as the main ingredient. 
    • You can skip poha and add ¼ cup of grated coconut or vice versa.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 53kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 1gFat: 0.5gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.04gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 0.2mgPotassium: 32mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 4IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 3mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Note: We originally posted this recipe in June 2019. It has now been modified in Aug 2023 with Expert Chef Tips, FAQs, Storage Instructions, etc.

    More Ganesh Chaturthi Recipes

    • Patrode (Patrado in konkani) - Steamed taro rolls or colocasia rolls, alu vadi or patra.
      Patrode | Steamed Taro Rolls Recipe | Colocasia Rolls
    • Doodh Pak Recipe | Traditional Indian Rice Pudding Dessert | Rice Kheer Sweet.
      Doodh Pak Recipe | Indian Rice Pudding
    • Crispy sabudana millet dosa recipe with spicy green chutney.
      Sabudana Millet Dosa Recipe - 2 Ways
    • Sabudana tikki with paneer and aloo served with spicy green chutney. Tea time & vrat snack recipe.
      Sabudana Tikki with Paneer | Sago Cutlet

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Janie

      August 31, 2023 at 2:08 pm

      5 stars
      These look and taste like little banana fritters. I'm going to try cause I have ripe bananas in need of use!

      Reply
    2. Anjali

      August 31, 2023 at 2:11 pm

      5 stars
      These little fried banana treats were so tasty and easy to make! We loved them!

      Reply
    3. Sara Welch

      August 31, 2023 at 2:18 pm

      5 stars
      This was such a unique and unexpected recipe that does not disappoint! Light, easy and delicious!

      Reply
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    5 from 13 votes (1 rating without comment)

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