Grease the mold with butter/ghee and set it aside. Heat a pan. Keep the flame to a low and add 1.5 cups grated mawa.
Keep stirring on low flame for a minute. The mawa will start melting.

When the mawa begins to melt, add 1/2 cup sugar in the mawa mixture and stir for a minute.
Soon the mawa mixture will start releasing fat.
Once the mixture starts bubbling, then sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom powder.
The mixture will start thickening. Continuously keep stirring.
Keep stirring on a low flame until the mixture starts leaving the edges of the pan.
Do not overcook as then the modaks will turn out dense.
Immediately transfer the mixture to another bowl/dish/thali.

Allow the mixture to cool.

Knead the dough gently while it's still warm.
Make small balls from them while they are still warm.
Place a small mawa ball in the modak mold. Just press the mawa ball so that it takes the shape of the mold.
Gently unmould and repeat the same with the rest of the mixture.