Ganesh Chaturthi Puja has always been an important festival in the Hindu religion and celebrated with great enthusiasm. It is celebrated especially in Mumbai where various types of Prasad are made to be offered to Lord Ganesh.
Worship of Lord Ganesh blesses the devotees with wisdom, prosperity, health, luck, and happiness. So why not try to make something new as Bhog on this auspicious occasion, Mumbai style? Here are a few recipes to help you experiment and enjoy new Prasad on Ganesh Chaturthi this time around.
Modak
Modak is a type of sweet with jaggery and coconut filling. Whether you opt for online puja services or in real life, this Prasad is a necessity.
Ingredients
- 1 cup/ 150 g rice flour
- 5 cup water
- 1/4th teaspoon Ghee
- 1/4th teaspoon salt
- 1 cup/ 100 grams fresh grated coconut
- 1 cup/ 200 grams powdered or grated jaggery
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder/ 6 to 7 green cardamoms, powdered & husks removed
- 1/4th teaspoon grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg powder (Jaiphal powder) (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds (Khus Khus) (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon Ghee
- 1 tablespoon rice flour (optional)
Recipe
- Heat ghee on a pan and keep the flame low. Add poppy seeds and fry till it starts crackling.
- Add fresh coconut, jaggery, nutmeg, all grated and cardamom powder. Mix and cook it on a low flame until the jaggery melts.
- Cook for 7- 9 minutes until the moisture from the jaggery begins to dry. Don’t overcook or the mixture will harden. After cooling, the mixture will thicken more.
- If the mixture is still flowy, add some rice flour to absorb the moisture.
- In a pan, add water, ghee and salt. Let the mix boil over on low heat.
- Add rice flour gradually and quickly stir to mix it with water. Stir till everything is mixed evenly without lumps.
- Switch off the flame, take the pan off the stove and cover it for 4-5 minutes.
- Take the rice flour dough in a large utensil and start kneading it. Apply some water on your hands before you start kneading as the dough will be hot. If the dough is hard/ dense/ dry, add some hot water and continue kneading.
- Roll smooth dough balls in your palms and keep the rest covered with a damp cloth.
- Flatten the dough ball with your fingers in a round disc then a shallow bowl. Add sweet filling in the centre and close the top by pinching the ends together. Remove extra dough on top, if any.
- Grease the steamer vessel pan lightly with Ghee. Place the Modak with some space between them.
- Boil 2.5 cups of water in the steamer vessel. When it comes to a boil, place the steamer pan with Modak on it and cover it. Steam for 10-15 minutes on medium low flame. Once done, add some ghee on them.
- Offer as Prasad on lord Ganesh puja.
Puran Poli
It is a flatbread with a sweet lentil filling of Chana Dal and jaggery.
Ingredients
- 1 cup powdered jaggery
- 1 cup Chana Dal (skinned split Bengal gram)
- 3 cups water for pressure cooking the Chana Dal
- 2 tsp Ghee
- 1 tsp fennel powder (ground fennel seeds)
- 3/4th to 1 tsp dry ginger powder (ground ginger)
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder (ground cardamom)/ 4 to 5 green cardamoms grounded
- 1/4th tsp nutmeg powder (ground nutmeg)
- 5 cups whole wheat flour + 1/2 cup all purpose flour/ 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 4 tbsp ghee
- 1/2 tsp salt or as required
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (optional)
- Water to knead the dough
- Ghee for cooking the Puran Poli
Recipe
- To make Puran Poli for Ganesh Chaturthi, soak Chana Dal for 1 hour, rinse thoroughly and drain the water.
- Cook it with 3 cups water for 6-7 whistles in a pressure cooker. Strain the cooked Dal and keep aside.
- In a pan, heat ghee and add ground ginger powder, ground nutmeg powder, ground cardamom powder and ground fennel powder. Put the flame on low and cook for a few seconds.
- Add jaggery and Chana Dal, stir and let it cook on low flame till it becomes dry and thick. Turn off the flame.
- Let the mixture cool and mash it finely. Keep aside.
- Put whole wheat flour, all purpose flour and salt in a large bowl, add some water and Ghee and knead till it forms soft dough. Keep adding water as needed. Cover and keep aside for 15-20 minutes.
- Make dough balls and flatten it, forming a bowl. Add the Dal filling in the centre and bring all edges together to close it and roll it between palms to form a smooth ball.
- Sprinkle flour on the base and roll out the ball to form a thin circle.
- Heat the Tawa (pan) on medium-low flame and spread some ghee on it. Put the Puran Poli on it.
- Once the bottom side has brown spots, turn over the Puran Poli and let the other side cook.
- Once the 2nd side has brown spots too, turn it over. Spread some ghee on it. If everything is done properly, it will puff up and look golden with some brown spots.
- Remove from flame and make the rest this way. Stack it up in a casserole.
- Serve with Ghee, milk or yogurt to Lord Ganesh in Ganesh Chaturthi Puja.
Banana Sheera
Banana Sheera is a banana semolina halva.
Ingredients
- 1 cup roasted Rava (semolina or Sooji)
- 2- 3 bananas, chopped
- 8- 10 almonds or cashews (chopped/ sliced)
- 10- 12 raisins
- 2- 3 green cardamoms, powdered
- 3 tbsp Ghee
- 5- 6 tbsp sugar, add as required
- A pinch of saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp milk/ water
- 5 cups hot milk/ hot water
Recipe
- For making banana sheera on Ganesh Chaturthi, heat Ghee in a pan and add pre- roasted semolina and heat it for 2-3 minutes on medium flame.
- Stir it constantly until it starts getting fragrant. Don’t let it turn brown.
- Add bananas and stir.
- Add hot milk/ water and mix. Add it in small quantities so no lumps are formed.
- Add sugar and stir.
- Add saffron mix and stir until the consistency thickens slightly.
- In a separate pan, add dry fruits and stir till it is lightly roasted. Take it off the flame.
- Add dry fruits to the sheera and serve it warm to Lord Ganesh as Prasad after doing your online temple services.
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