Ganesh Chaturthi 2023: Chef Rajeev Kumar Shares Festive Recipes

Ganesh Chaturthi is a very popular festival in India and is widely celebrated all over the country specially in Maharashtra and Karnataka. During this occasion, Lord Ganesha, the God of wisdom and prosperity is welcomed to our homes with lot of rituals and devotion. According to the Hindu calendar, Ganesh Chaturthi is observed in the month of Bhadrapada and this year it starts on September 19.  

This festival is celebrated with decorations, prayers and lots of delicious delights. The devotees offer modak, motichoor laddoo, puran poli, satori, coconut rice and shrikhand to Lord Ganesha for bhog or prasad. In the Southern part of India, this festival is known as Vinayaka Chaturthi, and it is celebrated with dishes like kudumulu, undrallu, panakam and kozhukattai. 

If you are looking for special delights to prepare on Ganesh Chaturthi, here are two recipes shared by Chef Rajeev Kumar, Executive Chef, Courtyard by Marriott Bengaluru:  

Enduri Pitha 


Prep Time -25 mins 

Cooking Time -30 mins 

Servings - 10 

Ingredients

  • 2 cups urad dal 
  • 3 cups rice  
  • 1 cup grated coconut  
  • 1 cup chhena or freshly made paneer at home  
  • 1 cup sugar  
  • 8-10 turmeric leaves  
  • salt 
  • ½ tsp cardamom powder  

Method 

  • Soak the urad dal and rice for at least 4 hours. Wash and grind into a coarse paste like idli batter. Check consistency. 
  • Add salt and keep it covered overnight for fermentation. In the morning wash the turmeric leaves well and cut each leaf into 3 pieces as they aer very long. 
  • For the stuffing’s take a pan. Add the chhena, coconut and sugar and dry roast them till sugar becomes caramelised add cardamom powder and the filling is ready. 
  • Take a turmeric leaf, place some fermented batter in the center and some filling over that and close the leaf. 
  • Likewise do all the pitha and steam it in a steamer for 15 minutes. Remove the leaf and enjoy the delicious pitha.

Ragi Modak


Prep Time – 30 min 

Cooking Time –15 min 

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup rice flour 
  • 1cup ragi flour  
  • 1.5 cups water 
  • ¼ teaspoon ghee or oil 
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

For Sweet Stuffing 

  • 100 g gulkand 

Method 

  • In a pan add water, oil or ghee and salt. Keep it on the stove top.   
  • Let this mixture come to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the ragi flour gradually. Quickly stir and mix the flour with the water.   
  • Stir till all the rice flour is mixed with the water. Switch off the heat. Remove the pan from the stove top and then cover this pan with a lid for 4 to 5 minutes.   
  • The dough will be hot when you begin to knead. So, apply some water on your palms and knead the dough. Make small balls from the dough.   
  • Roll the balls till smooth in your palms. You can also apply some water on your palms, while rolling the balls.   
  • Grease the modak mould with a bit of ghee or oil. Then close the mould. Put the dough ball inside the mould and press it so that a space is made. Place the sweet stuffing.   
  • Grease a steamer pan lightly with oil or ghee. Place the shaped modak in the greased pan with some space between them. Cover with a kitchen napkin and cook. Now your ragi modak is ready to enjoy.