Celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi with 4 Simple Traditional Recipes

There is no doubt that Lord Ganesha holds a special place in everyone’s heart as he is welcomed into millions of homes every year with great pomp and splendor. This festival is celebrated with great gusto all over India by people from different caste and cultures. The excitement is visibly seen in the welcome processions and the widespread of sweets that are prepared and offered to the beloved god & the devotees that visit him.

Here is the list of 4 sweet dishes that you can prepare on this Ganesh Chaturthi.

• Modak

Ganesh festival is not complete without Modaks. He is known as ‘modakpriya’ or lover of modak sweet.

Ingredients:

For modak dough – 2 cups of rice flour kneaded into a dough with boiled water and little ghee.

For the filling – 2 cups grated jaggery, 1 tbsp poppy seeds, 2 cups of grated coconut, and ½ tsp cardamom powder.

    Method:

1. Heat the jaggery on a slow flame in a non-stick pan till it has melted. Stir continuously.
2. Add the coconut, poppy seeds, and cardamom powder. Mix everything well and cook till all the moisture has evaporated. Set it aside to cool down.
3. Now take the modak mold and grease it with ghee. Fill the modak cavity with a portion of the kneaded rice flour dough.
4. Take a portion of the filling and fill up the dough cavity. Seal the base of the modak mold with a smaller portion of the dough. Once all the molds are done, de-mold all the modaks.
5. In a steamer/pressure cooker, place the steamer plate and place a banana leaf in it.
6. Moisten the modak with a little water and place them on the banana leaf. Steam the modaks for ~10 minutes on low to medium flame. Serve warm or store it in an air-tight container.

•  Churma Ladoo

Right from the state of Rajasthan, this sweet dish is sure to be a big hit with all the devotees.

Ingredients: 2 cups of coarse wheat flour, 5 tbsp ghee, ¼ cup of grated coconut, 2 tbsp sesame seeds, ¾ cup of jaggery, and 1 tbsp poppy seeds.

Method:

1. In a non-stick pan, add 1 tbsp ghee, coconut, and sesame seeds. Sauté on a medium flame for ~2 minutes. Set aside.
2. Combine the whole wheat flour and ½ cup of water in a bowl and knead the mixture into a tight dough.
3. Now shape the dough into 8 equal portions and roll them into fist-sized balls. With your index finger, press in the center of the ball to make a depression.
4. In a non-stick kadhai, heat some ghee and deep fry the fist-sized balls on a medium flame till they turn golden brown in colour. Once done, set it aside to cool.
5. Once cooled down, break them into pieces by hand and then blend them in a mixture to make a fine powder (churma).
6. Now heat 3 tbsp of ghee in a non-stick pan. Add the jaggery, and 1 tbsp water, and mix well.
7. Combine the churma, melted jaggery, and coconut-sesame seeds mixture in a bowl. Divide the mixture in fist-sized balls and roll them in poppy seeds till they are evenly coated.
8. Serve the ladoos or store them an air-tight container.

•  Puran Poli & Karanji 

One of the most popular Maharashtrian recipes that is prepared for almost all the festivals – be it the Ganpati festival or Diwali, is Puran Poli. Click here to view the recipe for Puran Poli.

Another prevalent sweet dish made during festivals is a Gujiya or a Karanji. This taco-shaped fried sweet dish is so delicious that you would want to eat it all year round!  

Do check with your elders and follow your traditions while preparing these sweet dishes. We hope you enjoy this festival with your friends and family.