Ganesh Chaturthi 2024: From coconut kala jamun to rasgulla, 4 mouth-watering bhog recipes to delight Lord Ganesha

Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the most eagerly anticipated Hindu festivals. Celebrated over ten days with great enthusiasm, devotees welcome Lord Ganesha into their homes, offer prayers, participate in processions, prepare traditional sweets and bhog thalis, and culminate the celebration with Ganesha visarjan. This time of year, devotees wholeheartedly seek Bappa's blessings, immersing themselves in devotion. The festive spirit is palpable as Lord Ganesha brings joy and prosperity to all his followers.

To make this festival even more special Sh. Radhe Bihari, Sous Chef, The Ashok shared with HT Lifestyle some mouth-watering bhog recipes to delight Lord Ganesha. (Also read: Ganesh Chaturthi 2024: From meaningful art to upcycled fabrics, 8 eco-friendly decor ideas for a sustainable celebration )

Khoya and Gulkand stuffed Malpua

Ingredients:

For making Malpua

Maida- 300gms

Milk powder-50gms

Suji- 30gms

Baking powder- ½ tsp

Fennel seed/Saunf- ½ tsp

Milk- 400ml

Ghee for frying the malpua

For making sugar syrup

300 gms sugar for making sugar syrup

150 ml water

2 pcs green cardamom

Saffron – 1 to 2 threads.

Chopped pistachio nuts for garnish

For making stuffing-

Khoya- 200gms

Gulkand- 100gms

Method:

1. Mix the flour, milk powder, suji, sugar, baking powder and fennel seed with milk to prepare the smooth batter without lumps.

2. Prepare the sugar syrup by boiling the sugar , water and cardamom.

3. Take the ghee and heat it gently. Take a small ladle of the batter, pour in the middle of the hot oil and spread it around till it achieves a circular shape and cook it till golden brown color.

4. Soak the cooked malpua in the sugar syrup to observe the sugar syrup.

5. Prepare the stuffing by mixing the Khoya with gulkand.

6. Place the stuffing mixture on the malpua and roll it like a cylinder shape.

7. Place it in the serving dishes and garnish with finally chopped pistachio nuts.

Coconut Rolled Kala Jamun

Ingredients:

For kala jamun

Khoya-300gms

Chenna- 100gms

Refined flour- 100gms

Green cardamom powder- ½ tsp

Baking powder- 1/4tsp

Ghee for frying

For syrup

Sugar- 500gms

Water 01 ltr.

Rose water- few drops

Saffron- 1gms

For coating

Desiccated coconut- 250gms

Method-

1. Take Khoya and chenna and mix it well with pinch of baking powder, flour (for binding) .

2. Make small bowl of 30-40gms each.

3. Heat oil and keep it on low flame. Put the gulab Jamun ball for frying.

4. Fry it till light dark brown colour.

5. Prepare the sugar syrup with sugar and water with cardamom. Add saffron for flavour and colour.

6. Add the fried kala jamun ball into the sugar syrup and allow to soak the syrup well.

7. Remove from the sugar syrup and rolled it in desiccated coconut.

Pineapple and Suji Halwa

Ingredients:

Semolina/suji- 300gms

Ghee- 200ml

Sugar- 300ml

Cashewnuts- 50gms

Raisins- 50gms

Pineapple fresh or canned- 150gms

Pistachio nuts- 50gms

Green cardamom- 1-2gms

Method:

1. Take good quality of semolina flour and slightly cook it with ghee until golden brown color.

2. Prepare the sugar syrup by boiling sugar with water and green cardamom.

3. Add sugar syrup in the brawled semolina flour and add cashew nuts, raisins and chopped pineapple fruits and cook it till done.

4. When all the sugar gets absorbed in the halwa mixture. It is ready for platting.

5. Take moulds and place the halwa in it to give the desired shape.

6. Demold the halwa from the moulds and garnish with pineapple and finally chopped pistachio nuts.

Rasgulla

Ingredients:

Full cream milk- 02 ltr

Citric acid/vinegar for curdling the milk

Sugar-400gms

Water-1.5ltr.

Small cardamom-1-2nos

Method:

1. Boil the full cream milk for 5 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool till 65°C.

2. Add vinegar in the warm milk to curdle it. Continuously stir it and if required all cold water to slow down the milk temperature otherwise the chenna will be hard.

3. Once all the milk gets curdles, strain it with muslin cloth or fine strainer.

4. Place the chenna on the clean muslin cloth and allow to cool.

5. Make small bowl of chenna and cook it in light sugar syrup.

6. Once cooked , placed the rasgulla in a cold very light sugar syrup.

7. Serve cold with garnish.