Embark on a culinary journey with our Ganesh Festival recipe series! Part 1 features Ukadiche Modak, Undalaka, Raghavdas Laddu, Moong Dal Modak, and Mango Sheera—gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free treats to sweeten your celebrations. Join us in honouring Bappa with these heavenly delights!

This Recipe is free from :

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

Ukadiche Modak:

This gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free delicacy offers a heavenly blend of rice flour covering and a luscious coconut-jaggery stuffing. Let's celebrate Bappa's arrival with the authentic flavors of this traditional delight.

Ingredients –

Covering –

1. rice flour – 3 cups
2. water – 3 cups
3. salt – pinch
4. vegetable oil – 1 tsp

Stuffing –

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

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.

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.  Switch of the gas and cover the mixture. Let it rest for 3-4 minutes.
4.  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 mould. Grease the inner portion of mould with vegetable oil.
2.  Put one dough ball inside the mould.
3.  Using your fingers just spread the dough on the walls of the mould. Make sure the dough is spread evenly. Take off the extra.
4.  Take a portion of stuffing and fill in inside the mould.
5.  Seal the mould with remaining dough. Carefully open the mould. Modak is ready.
6.  Make 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

Undalaka:

Another day, another Prasad! Undalaka, a delightful blend of rice balls and coconut-jaggery mixture, is here to add sweetness to Bappa's festivities. Gluten-free and nut-free, this treat promises a burst of flavors with every bite.

Ingredients

Rice Balls –

1. rice flour – ½ cup
2. water – ½ cup
3. salt – ¼ Tsp
4. vegetable oil – 1 tsp

Chav –

1. freshly grated coconut – 1 cup
2. Jaggery – grated – ½ cup
3. sugar – ¼ cup
4. cardamom powder – ½ Tsp

Method 

Rice Balls-

1. Bring a pot of water to boil and add salt and vegetable oil to it.
2. Slowly add rice flour to the pot while stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
3. Switch off the heat and cover the mixture, letting it rest for 3-4 minutes.
4. Mix the dough well while it’s still hot, making sure there are no lumps.
5. Knead the dough until it’s soft, then make small pearl size balls.
6. Grease an idli pan and heat water in an idli pot.
7. Place the pearl size balls in the idli pan and steam them for 15 minutes on medium flame.

Chav –

1. Mix the coconut , jaggery , sugar and mix well. Cook the mixture on medium flame till it starts leaving the sides dry.
2.  Add cardamom powder and mix well.
3.  Add the cooked rice balls to coconut mixture and mix well.

Raghavdas Laddu

As we delve deeper into the festive series, Raghavdas Laddu takes the center stage. This nut-free, dairy-free delight combines fine rava, coconut, and sugar syrup, resulting in a symphony of flavors. Bappa's blessings just got sweeter!

Ingredients

1. Rava fine / Suji fine – 1 cups.
2. Freshly grated coconut – ½ cup
3. Sugar – 1 cup.
4. Water – ½ cup
5. Vegetable oil – 2 TBSP
6. cardamom powder – 1 Tsp
7. Kesar – ¼ Tsp
8. Non-dairy milk – 1 TBSP
9. raisins – 1 TBSP

Methods

1. Roasting Rava – Coconut – To a wok add vegetable oil. Warm it up. Add Rava/Suji. Saute on low flame till it changes color and releases nutty flavor. Add freshly grated coconut and saute for another 2-3 minutes.
2. Sugar Syrup – In a pan Add sugar and water mix well. Once the sugar melts, let it boil for another 2-3 minutes till you get a single thread consistency. Add cardamom powder and Kesar , mix well.
3.  Add coconut cream or non dairy milk and roasted rava and coconut mix well. Make sure there are no lumps. Let the mixture cool down completely .
4. Make into small or medium size balls . Optionally garnish with your choice of almond or cashew nut . If you feel the mixture is dry you can add additional cream or warm non-dairy milk of your choice.

Moong Dal Modak

Embrace the divine essence with Moong Dal Modak, a gluten-free and nut-free variation of the classic modak. Roasted moong dal, sugar, and cardamom create a filling that's both aromatic and wholesome. Bappa's love is truly reflected in every modak!

Ingredients –

1. Moong dal – 1 Cup
2. Vegetable Oil – 3 TBSP
3. Powdered Sugar – 1 Cup
4. Cardamom powder – 1 TSP
5. Raisins for garnishing.

Method –

1. In a pan add moong dal and 1 TBSP oil . Roast the dal on medium to low flame till it turns nice golden color. This will take upto 15-20 minutes.
2. Grind the roasted dal in into fine powder , with a texture similar to besan that we besan that we use for making ladoos.
3. Add the powdered dal and 2 TBSP oil to pan. Initially the dal will soak all the oil. Roast the powdered dal on medium to low flame till it starts releasing oil and releases a nutty flavor.
4. Let the dal cool down . Add powdered sugar and cardamom powder and mix well.
5. Take a handful of mixture , place some raisins at center and shape into a ball. Place the ball in modak mold and shape it into a modak.

Mango Sheera:

Our fifth offering to Bappa - Mango Sheera, a dairy-free and nut-free delight. Suji, mango pulp, and a touch of cardamom create a luscious sweet treat that captures the essence of the festival. Let every bite be a celebration of joy and flavor!

Ingredients: 

1. Suji / Rava – ½ cup
2. Vegetable oil – 2 TBSP
3. Sugar – ½ cup
4. Mango Pulp – ⅓ cup
5. Non – dairy milk – boiling hot – 1 cup
6. Charoli – 1 TBSP
7. Cardamom powder – 1 TSP

Method:

1. In a pan heat 3 TBSP vegetable oil. Add suji / rava and roast on medium to low heat till it starts releasing aroma and starts to change color.
2. Add Mango Pulp and mix well.
3. Add charoli , cardamom powder mix well.
4. Add 1 cup of boiling hot milk and mix well.
5. Add sugar and mix well. Make sure no lumps.
6. Cover and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Serve Hot.

Conclusion

As we conclude part one of the Ganesh Festival recipe series, may Bappa's blessings fill your home with joy and the aroma of delightful Prasad. Stay tuned for more divine creations!