Ganeshotsav 2023: Quick and easy sweet delights that are a must-try this festive season

The streets resonate with joyful melodies, and the bells chime in unison - it's that time of the year when Mumbai awakens in vibrant celebration during Ganeshotsav. This eagerly anticipated festival, which heralds the arrival of Lord Ganesha, holds a special place in the hearts of most Mumbaikars.

Ganeshotsav is incomplete without relishing copious amounts of food. Distinctly characterised by the presence of modaks, a sweet loved by the elephant-headed God, which is also kept as offering, one cannot imagine the festival without the sweet dish.

However, why should you settle for just one kind of sweet when you can enjoy so much more? If you like making them yourself, it gets even better because Indian chefs say there are so many other Indian sweets that you can enjoy. These are not only easy but extremely delicious and should be a part of every big as well as small celebration.

Ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi on September 19, mid-day.com reached out to Indian chefs to share recipes of sweets that can be gorged on during the festive season. These sweet dishes are beyond modaks and it's many versions that have evolved over the years, and can be enjoyed in their classic or innovative versions.

Imagine a delicious gujiya that is not only traditional but also a favourite among many Indians. There are also not just one but three versions of suji halwa that they promise will make your mouth water as soon as you take a bite. Last but not the least, they tell you how to make a unique version of the evergreen basundi, for this festive season.

Gujiya

While modaks are an all-time favourite, there is always room for more sweets during this time of the year. Who can say no to gujiyas? Called by different names in Indian communities, the festival is incomplete without biting into the deep-fried sweet snack. Chef Mozanne Karbhari at ITC Grand Central in Mumbai's Parel neighbourhood agrees. Karbhari says, "The emotion and memories around Ganesh Chaturthi is filled with joy. The Ganesh darshan and puja makes makes us staying in our hotel in the Lalbaugcha raja vicinity feel great about this festival and relishing on delicious sweets."

Ingredients:

(For 15 pieces), Time required: 1 hour

Khoya 200 gm

Sugar 150 gm

Cardamom powder 1 pinch

Kismish 50gms

Almonds, chopped 100gms

Ghee To fry

Gold Leafs 10 nos

Ghee 100 gm

Sugar 1 kilo

Rose petals few

Method:

1. Combine refined flour with the 100gms of ghee, using your fingers
2. Make soft dough and knead it lightly.
3. Cover with a wet cloth and leave it aside.
4. Fry the Khoya on slow flame add sugar cardamom powder, kishmish and chopped almonds till cooked to light golden colour.
5. Prepare 15 small equal balls and roll them like chapatti from the kneaded dough.
6. Stuff 2 teaspoon full of Khoya mixture in the chapatti
7. Fold and draw the edges of Chapatti inwards to close
8. On slow fire, deep-fry the gujias till golden brown.
9. Take out using the sieve and drain the ghee properly
10. Make a sugar syrup by heating the sugar and water to a 2 string consistency and cool it
11. Dip the fried gujiyas in the sugar syrup and strain the excess sugar syrup by putting them on a steel rack
12. Serve them with sprinkling of chopped pista and slivers of rose petals

Trio of suji halwa

If you want to elevate your classic suji, then make a trio of flavours - suji halwa, saffron suji halwa and badam suji halwa, says chef Jagdish Naidu at Ishaara. A favourite in many homes, it can also be enjoyed during Ganeshotsav, especially if you don't have the time to make modaks. The best part about the dish is that it can be had during any time of the day as breakfast or dessert too.

Ingredients:

For Suji Halwa:

Suji 50 gm

Sugar 30 gm

Ghee 10 gm

Water 130 ml

Cardamom powder a pinch

Saffron suji halwa

Suji 50 gm

Sugar 30 gm

Ghee 10 gm

Water 65 ml

Milk 65 ml

Saffron 2 gm

Cardamom powder a pinch

Badam Suji Halwa

Suji 50 gm

Sugar 30 gm

Ghee 10 gm

Water 65 ml

Milk 65 ml

Badam 10 gm

Cardamom powder a pinch

Method:

Suji Halwa

1. In a pan, heat ghee, add suji and saute until light brown.
2. In a pot, heat water. Then add hot water in suji and cook until cooked.
3. At the end, add sugar and cardamom powder.

Saffron suji halwa

1. In a pan, heat ghee, add suji and saute until light brown.
2. In a pot, heat water, milk and saffron together.
3. Then add hot water and milk in suji and cook until cooked.
4. At the end add sugar and cardamom powder.

Badam suji halwa

1. In a pan, heat ghee, add suji and saute until light brown.
2. In a pot, heat water and milk.
3. Then add hot water and milk in suji and cook until cooked.
4. At the end add sugar, cardamom powder and roasted badam.

Anjeer basundi

As you embark on making sweets beyond modaks this Ganesh Chaturthi, try your hand at making some basundi. The delicious sweet dish is irresistible, and chef Rajesh of Six Senses Vana says if you add some anjeer to it, the dish becomes even better. So, how about you move over the traditional basundi and adding some figs to it?

Ingredients:

Serves 4

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Coconut milk 6 cups

Figs, chopped 1 1/2 cup

Brown sugar 4 tsp

Green cardamom, crushed 3 gm

Saffron a pinch

Method:

1. Heat coconut milk in a pan, add sugar and bring to a boil. Take care to stir continuously.
2. Add cardamom, and the pieces of anjeer/figs, and mix well until thickens.
3. Add saffron.
4. Allow to cool and then refrigerate.
5. Garnish with figs and nuts.