Ganesh Chaturthi Special: 5 food items to relish during festivities

MUMBAI: The 10-day-long festivities of Ganesh Chaturthi began on Wednesday and has everyone excited. Well, the festival will conclude on September 9 and will end with the final immersion of the Ganesha idols, called the Visarjan.

The festival is celebrated with much grandeur in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Gujarat among other states. As the festival has everyone’s celebration streak on, let’s take a look at some of the food items you enjoy and can make at home to relish as you get more soaked up in the festivities ahead.

1. Modak

Modaks or sweet dumplings are considered Ganpati’s favourite sweet dish which is why it’s difficult to find a house celebrating the festival and not having modaks at their house! Usually, devotees offer Lord Ganesha a ‘bhog’ of modaks on the first day of the festival. They are made with rice flour, maida or wheat flour and are either deep fried or steamed. They have sweet fillings of coconut, dry fruits, or jaggery.

2. Sheera

Sheera is a traditional halwa made with suji, lots of dry fruits and ghee. On the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, a lot of people add bananas to the traditional sheera and serve them as offerings.

3. Puran Poli

Puran Poli is another festive dish that Maharashtrians enjoy making for almost every auspicious occasion. During one of these ten days, several Maharashtrian households give the bhog of Puran Poli to Lord Ganesha. Puran Poli, along with modak, is one of the most popular bhog served to Lord Ganesha during Ganesha Chaturthi.

Puran Poli is a maida-based flatbread packed with sweet lentils and jaggery.

4. Coconut Ladoo

Yet another traditional sweet dish offered as bhog on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi is coconut ladoo. It’s prepared using dry roasted coconut, milk and condensed milk and is best enjoyed frozen!

5. Payasam

Payasam is South India’s take on the traditional sweet dish kheer. It’s basically rice cooked with milk with jaggery, coconut, and cardamom.