Ganpati Bappa Special Part 2: Divine Prasad Recipes for the Indian Festival

Welcome back to our Ganpati Festival Special series, where we continue to explore delightful prasad recipes for the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. In this edition, we present a selection of allergy-free and traditional treats to grace your festive spread,, ensuring everyone can indulge regardless of food allergies.

This Recipe is free from :

• Wheat
• Peanuts
• tree nuts
• dairy
• casein
• soy
• egg
• sesame
• fish
• Shellfish

Mango Modak

Ingredients – 

Covering –

1. Rice flour – 3 cups
2. water – 3 cups
3. Mango Pulp – ½ cup
4. salt – pinch
5. vegetable oil – 1 tsp

Stuffing –

1. freshly grated coconut – 3 cups
2. Mango Pulp – 1 cup
3. sugar – 1/2 cup
4. cardamom powder – 1 tsp
5. nutmeg powder – 1 tsp

Method 

Stuffing –

1. Mix the coconut, mango pulp, sugar and mix well. Cook the mixture on medium flame till starts leaving the sides dry.
2. Add cardamom powder, nutmeg powder and mix well.

Covering-

1. Bring water to boil. add salt and vegetable oil to it.
2.  Slowly add the rice flour and mix well. Make sure there are no lumps.
3.  Add mango pulp and mix well.
4.  Switch off the gas and cover the mixture. Let it rest for 3-4 minutes.
5.  While the mixture is still hot, knead it to a soft dough. Make 21 lemon size balls and keep them aside. Cover the balls till you make all of it.

Modak –

1. Take a modak mold. Grease the inner portion of mold with vegetable oil.
2.  Put one dough ball inside the mold.
3.  Using your fingers just spread the dough on the walls of the mold. Make sure the dough is spread evenly. Take off the extra.
4.  Take a portion of stuffing and fill in inside the mold.
5.  Seal the mold with remaining dough. Carefully open the mold. Modak is ready.
6.  Make the remaining modak using the same steps.
7.  In a pan fill water for about an inch.
8.  Place a steamer insert . Grease the insert from inside with vegetable oil.
9.  Place all the modaks on the insert.
10.  Place a lid on the insert and steam the modaks for 12-15 minutes.
11.  Remove carefully and serve hot.

Fried Modak

 Ingredients

Stuffing –

1. freshly grated coconut – 3 cups
2.  Jaggery – grated – 1 and half cup
3.  sugar – 1/2 cup
4.  cardamom powder – 1 tsp
5.  nutmeg powder – 1 tsp

Covering –

1. Wheat Flour – 1 Cup
2.  Vegetable oil – 1 TBSP
3.  Salt to taste
4.  Water

Method -

Stuffing –

1. Mix the coconut , jaggery , sugar and mix well. Cook the mixture on medium flame till starts leaving the sides dry.
2.  Add cardamom powder , nutmeg powder and mix well.
3. Covering-
4. Heat 1 TBSP oil till it gets very hot. Add hot oil , salt to wheat flour . Mix the ingredients well, till you get a texture like bread crumbs.
5. Add a little water at a time to mixture and knead a soft dough like chapati dough.

For Modak –

1. Knead the dough again and make small balls from it. Roll pari or small puri from it. The pari should neither too thick and not too thin. Use any dry flour while rolling pari.
2. Add stuffing and make plates. Bring them together and seal them properly.
3. Heat up oil on medium heat. Drop modak one by one and fry until they get nice golden from all sides.
4. Take them out of oil and drain excess oil and transfer them into a dish.
5. Fried modak are ready.

Pineapple Sheera

Ingredients

1. Suji / Semolina  - 1 cup
2. Sugar –  1 cup
3. Vegetable Oil –  2 TBSP
4. Water -  2 cups
5. Pineapple cut into small cubes  - 1 cup

6. Melon seeds - 1TBSP (Optional)
7. Charoli - 1 TBSP (Optional)
8. Cardamom powder – 1 tsp
9. Saffron – ¼ tsp (optional)

Method

1. In a pan take 1 TSP vegetable oil. Add the pineapple cubes and 1 tbsp of sugar. Saute the pineapples till they get nicely cooked.
2. Heat the water. Roast the suji / semolina in 1 tbsp of vegetable oil till it turns a nice golden color.
3. Add the hot water to the semolina.  Cover and let it cook for 3-4 minutes. Till the semolina gets cooked.
4. Add the remaining sugar to semolina. Add cardamom powder.
5. Mix the Kesar in 1 tbsp of any non dairy milk. Add that to the mixture. This step is optional.
6. Mix the semolina mixture well. Add the pineapple cubes. Mix well.
7. Cover and let it cook on low flame for 5 mins till the sugar melts.

Kesari Bhat

Ingredients - 

1. Basmati rice or ambemohar rice – 2 cups
2. Water – 3 cups
3. Sugar – 2 and ½ cups
4. cloves – 4 pieces
5. cardamom powder – 1 Tsp
6. vegetable oil – 1 TBSP
7. raisins – 1TBSP
8. Kesar / Saffron
9. Non dairy milk – 1 TBSP
10. salt – 1/4 tsp

Method - 

1. In a saucepan, add oil and heat it. Once warm, add the cloves and sauté for about a minute.
2. Add the rice to the saucepan and sauté it well, ensuring each grain is coated with the oil.
3. Pour in warm water and add salt. Mix everything well. Cover the saucepan with a lid and let the rice cook completely. This usually takes around 15-20 minutes.
4. Once the rice is cooked, add sugar, cardamom powder, and raisins to the saucepan.
5. In a separate bowl, mix kesar (saffron) with warm non-dairy milk, and then add it to the rice mixture. Stir well, being careful not to break the rice grains.
6. Cover the saucepan again and let the rice cook for another 10-15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
7. Once cooked, remove from heat and serve the Kesari Rice hot.

Mango Phirni

 Ingredients - 

1. Rice- Ambemohar/ Basmati – 1 TBSP
2. Water – 1 cup
3. Almond Milk / Any non dairy milk – 3 cups
4. Sugar – 2 TBSP
5. Nutmeg powder – ½ TSP
6. Mango pulp – ⅓ cup

Method

1. Wash rice . Soak in water and keep aside for 30 minutes.
2. Remove the water from rice. Grind the rice into a coarse texture.
3. Add the milk to a pan and get it to a nice boil.
4. Add the grinded rice to milk. Mix well. Cook till the rice is fully cooked. Keep on stirring in between . Make sure the Rice does not stick to the bottom.
5. Add sugar and mix well. Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Keep stirring.
6. Add nutmeg powder and mix well.
7. Add mango pulp and mix well.
8. The fun part about this recipe is it can be served hot as well as cold. In both cases, it tastes amazing.

The fun part about this recipe is it can be served hot as well as cold. In both cases, it tastes amazing.

Conclusion - 

This Ganpati Festival, savor the joy of indulging in these divine treats that cater to various dietary preferences, ensuring everyone can partake in the festive celebrations of this Indian festival. May your home be filled with the divine aroma of these special creations, bringing blessings and sweetness to your festivities. Ganpati Bappa Morya!

Take your festive feast to new heights by discovering more delectable recipes from Ganpati Festival Part 1