Heat ghee on a low flame and add sooji. Keep stirring continuously and roast the sooji for about 8-10 minutes or till the sooji changes its color to light brown and becomes fragrant and light.
After about 5 minutes of roasting sooji, take water in a small pan and bring it to a boil.
Once you notice that sooji is roasted well, add hot water gradually and keep mixing. You can adjust the flame between low and medium.
Initially, you can add about 1.5 cups of water, later if you feel that still, sooji looks a bit undercooked, then add the remaining water. We used 2 cups of water in total. The quantity of water will vary as per the sooji quality and its size. Generally, the water quantity will be 3 times that of sooji added.
Now keep mixing till excess moisture is absorbed. Once the moisture is absorbed, take out a small portion and check whether sooji is cooked or not. Adjust the water quantity after checking.
Now, add sugar and mix. Cook till the moisture from sugar is absorbed well.
In the end, add the soaked kesar, elaichi powder, and raisins. Mix and switch off the flame.
Let the sooji mixture cool down completely. Once it cools, knead well to make it smooth.
Grease the modak mould with a few drops of ghee. Take a portion from the sooji mixture and place it into the mould. Press from the bottom part to level and scrape out extra from the sides and bottom part.
Open the mould and demould the modak. Repeat the process to make more modaks.
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Notes
Initially, you can add about 1.5 cups of water, later if you feel that still, sooji looks a bit undercooked, then add the remaining water. We used 2 cups of water in total. The quantity of water will vary as per the sooji quality and its size. Generally, the water quantity will be 3 times that of sooji added.
Be careful while adding hot water to the sooji mixture since it will splutter initially. So, make sure you add gradually and not all at once.
In this recipe, we have cooked sooji mixture in water. But if you want you can use half milk and half water or you can even cook it in milk.
Knead the sooji mixture well once it cools, so that you get soft and smooth modaks.
Check whether sooji is properly cooked and then add sugar. If you feel that sooji is a bit undercooked, then add water. Once you are satisfied with the doneness of suji, then proceed to add sugar.