Have a ‘sweet’ Ganesh Chaturthi

| Read time: 8 minute(s)

Food delights
By Chef Reetu Uday Kugaji

Have a ‘sweet’ Ganesh Chaturthi Lord Ganesha was known as the happy-go lucky God that had a great fondness for all things sweet. He loved his ladoos and his modaks and any other sugary delights! In saying that, as the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi makes it’s annual visit, Chef Reetu Uday Kugaji shows you how to dish up some delicious treats that are bound to make this special occasion even sweeter - Quite literally! Orange and Oats Ladoos: The powerhouse of nutrition in the form of Orange and Oats Ladoos prepared with fresh orange juice, pulp, zest , Jaggery, fresh coconut, flavoured with green cardamom powder and sprinkled with desiccated coconut. Preparation Time: 10 minutes | Cooking Time: 15 minutes | Makes: 06 Ladoos Ingredients and Quantity: Fresh Orange juice, reduced- 01 tbsp. Fresh Orange pulp- ½ tbsp. Orange zest, grated- 1/4th tsp Grated organic Jaggery- 100 gm Rolled Organic Oats, dry roasted and coarsely ground- 50 gm. Fresh coconut, grated- 75 gm. Green Cardamom powder- 1/4th tsp. For coating the ladoos: Desiccated Coconut- mixed with orange dust powder- 1/4th cup. Ghee – 1 tsp to apply on Palms while preparing ladoos. Method: In a non-stick pan add grated jaggery, orange juice, orange pulp, grated zest and coconut. Cook till the Jaggery melts completely, add cardamom powder. Add the coarsely ground oats. Mix well. Let it come to room temperature. Apply ghee to your palms and prepare medium sized balls.Roll it in the prepared desiccated coconut. Serve as and when required. DIY Quick Peach Melba Crumbles with Vanilla Ice-cream: While this may not be a traditional delicacy for the occasion, ask yourself - Peaches, Raspberries and Ice-cream could there been anything more exciting? Bring a little western twist to this special day and prepare this easy and drool worthy dessert! Preparation Time: 05 minutes | Serves: 4 Ingredients and Quantity: Peaches, sliced and in syrup: 1 can approx. 400 gm. Raspberries: 100 gm. Butter, unsalted- ½ tbsp. For the sprinkling: Granola: 100 gm. To accompany: Vanilla Ice Cream- 04 scoops big Method: In a non-stick pan, pour the can of peaches with the syrup, cook them over medium heat. Add the butter and simmer until the peaches are quite hot. Add the raspberries and cook for another 02 minutes. With a slotted spoon, put the Peach Melba mixture into four glass bowls and top each with a sprinkling of granola and a big scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream. Chef Tips: If you are a Musk Melon lover then forget the bowls and serve Peach Melba in Halved musk melons. Kesari Shrikhand: A creamy, smooth and rich dessert that is usually prepared in Maharashtrian home. With Hung curds, Powdered sugar, Buchanania lanzan seeds , , is flavoured with Saffron and Green Cardamom Powder , garnished with slivered nuts and laced with saffron. Served Chilled Preparation Time: 10 minutes | Chilling Time in Refrigerator- 1 ½ hours | Serves: 04 . Ingredients and Quantity: Hung Curd (Yoghurt drained of all water) - 1 ½ cup. Powdered Sugar, sifted- 1/4th cup. Green Cardamom Powder- 1 tsp. or more as desired. Milk – 01 tbsp. Buchanania lanzan seeds (Charoli seeds/ Chironji seeds), blanched- 02 tsp. Saffron steeped in a little warm milk- ½ gm. For Garnish: Saffron strands, steeped in little warm milk- a few strands Almonds, blanched, peeled and slivered / Almond flakes-10 gm. Pistachio nuts, blanched, peeled and slivered – 10 gm. Rose petals (dried & edible): 01 tsp. (Optional) Method: In a food processor, add Hung curds , cardamom powder , saffron and sugar. Blend it till smooth. Add milk to adjust consistency. Remove in a glass bowl add charoli seeds, saffron steeped in warm milk and mix well. Chill the shrikhand in the refrigerator for 1 ½ hours. To serve: Serve chilled garnished with slivered almonds, pistachio nuts , laced with saffron. Chef Tips: Instead of a food processor, you may simply whisk the ingredients till well blended. You may add cold milk if required i.e. if the hung curds are too thick. You may grated nutmeg, if desired.

Lord Ganesha was known as the happy-go lucky God that had a great fondness for all things sweet. He loved his ladoos and his modaks and any other sugary delights! 

In saying that, as the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi makes it’s annual visit, Chef Reetu Uday Kugaji shows you how to dish up some delicious treats that are bound to make this special occasion even sweeter – Quite literally!

Orange and Oats Ladoos:

The powerhouse of nutrition in the form of Orange and Oats Ladoos prepared with fresh orange juice, pulp, zest , Jaggery, fresh coconut, flavoured with green cardamom powder and sprinkled with desiccated coconut.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes | Cooking Time: 15 minutes | Makes: 06 Ladoos

Ingredients and Quantity:
Fresh Orange juice, reduced- 01 tbsp. Fresh Orange pulp- ½ tbsp. Orange zest, grated- 1/4th tsp Grated organic Jaggery- 100 gm Rolled Organic Oats, dry roasted and coarsely ground- 50 gm. Fresh coconut, grated- 75 gm. Green Cardamom powder- 1/4th tsp.

For coating the ladoos:
Desiccated Coconut- mixed with orange dust powder- 1/4th cup. Ghee – 1 tsp to apply on Palms while preparing ladoos.

Method:
In a non-stick pan add grated jaggery, orange juice, orange pulp, grated zest and coconut. Cook till the Jaggery melts completely, add cardamom powder. Add the coarsely ground oats. Mix well. Let it come to room temperature. Apply ghee to your palms and prepare medium sized balls.Roll it in the prepared desiccated coconut. Serve as and when required.


DIY Quick Peach Melba Crumbles with Vanilla Ice-cream:

While this may not be a traditional delicacy for the occasion, ask yourself – Peaches, Raspberries and Ice-cream could there been anything more exciting? Bring a little western twist to this special day and prepare this easy and drool worthy dessert! 

Preparation Time: 05 minutes | Serves: 4

Ingredients and Quantity:
Peaches, sliced and in syrup: 1 can approx. 400 gm. Raspberries: 100 gm. Butter, unsalted- ½ tbsp. For the sprinkling: Granola: 100 gm. To accompany: Vanilla Ice Cream- 04 scoops big

Method:
In a non-stick pan, pour the can of peaches with the syrup, cook them over medium heat. Add the butter and simmer until the peaches are quite hot. Add the raspberries and cook for another 02 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, put the Peach Melba mixture into four glass bowls and top each with a sprinkling of granola and a big scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream.

Chef Tips:
If you are a Musk Melon lover then forget the bowls and serve Peach Melba in Halved musk melons.


Kesari Shrikhand:

A creamy, smooth and rich dessert that is usually prepared in Maharashtrian home. With Hung curds, Powdered sugar, Buchanania lanzan seeds , , is flavoured with Saffron and Green Cardamom Powder , garnished with slivered nuts and laced with saffron. Served Chilled

Preparation Time: 10 minutes | Chilling Time in Refrigerator- 1 ½ hours | Serves: 04 .

Ingredients and Quantity:
Hung Curd (Yoghurt drained of all water) – 1 ½ cup. Powdered Sugar, sifted- 1/4th cup. Green Cardamom Powder- 1 tsp. or more as desired. Milk – 01 tbsp. Buchanania lanzan seeds (Charoli seeds/ Chironji seeds), blanched- 02 tsp. Saffron steeped in a little warm milk-  ½ gm.

For Garnish:
Saffron strands, steeped in little warm milk- a few strands Almonds, blanched, peeled and slivered / Almond flakes-10 gm. Pistachio nuts, blanched, peeled and slivered – 10 gm. Rose petals (dried & edible): 01 tsp. (Optional)

Method:
In a food processor, add Hung curds , cardamom powder , saffron and sugar. Blend it till smooth. Add milk to adjust consistency. Remove in a glass bowl add charoli seeds, saffron steeped in warm milk and mix well. Chill the shrikhand in the refrigerator for 1 ½ hours.

To serve:
Serve chilled garnished with slivered almonds, pistachio nuts , laced with saffron.


Chef Tips:

  1. Instead of a food processor, you may simply whisk the ingredients till well blended.
  2. You may add cold milk if required i.e. if the hung curds are too thick.
  3. You may grated nutmeg, if desired.

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