These temporary structures become the heart of the celebration, attracting devotees from all walks of life who come to offer prayers and admire the intricate decorations. The long queues outside each pandal are a testament to the people’s deep faith and devotion towards Lord Ganesha. For years, we hosted a Ganpati idol in our building, bringing everyone together to care for the pandal, distribute prasad (like modak, ladoos, and kheer), and sing aartis. These cherished memories make this festival, and today’s recipe, especially meaningful to me. We always got to enjoy both versions, thanks to our tradition of exchanging sweets with neighbors during festivals. While these traditional modaks are delicious, I created a fun fusion version with mawa or khoya and chocolate. For a chocolatey twist, use cocoa or cacao powder, or melt chocolate chips as an alternative. Flavorings - Adding saffron and mixed finely chopped nuts infuse the chocolate fudge with an authentic Indian flavor. Ghee is crucial for shaping the modaks, it prevents the mixture from sticking to the mold.
