Vinayaka Chathurthi is on 23rd August 2009

Vinayaka, Ganesha, Ganapathy, Pillaiyar - whatever name we call Him, whichever form we make Him - He is always there to remove all obstacles and bless us with wisdom and prosperity.

Vinayaka Chathurti is on Sunday, the 23rd August this year. Let us celebrate Vinayaka Chathurthi, with all his (and our) favourite dishes and spread the blessings of Lord Ganesha to everyone on the auspicious Vinayaka Chathurti.

Recipes for Vinayaka Chathurti:

Poorana Kozhukattai/Modakam


Ingredients

Rice flour – 2 cups
Jaggery powdered – 2 cups
Coconut gratings – 2 cups
Cardamom – 4 Nos powdered
Oil – 2 to 3 teaspoon
Salt – ½ teaspoon

Method:

Put the jaggery in a heavy bottomed vessel and add ½ cup water and keep on low flame. When the jaggery completely melted, strain it and put it in a heavy bottomed vessel. Add coconut gratings and stir now and then till it blends well and become solid. Add cardamom powder and mix well. Cool it. (You can do it in microwave also).

Put the rice flour in a kadai and dry fry till nice aroma comes out. Remove from stove and keep aside. Boil 4 cups of water along with salt and a teaspoon of oil (preferably gingelly oil). Pour this boiling water in the fried rice flour slowly and mix it using a wooden spoon. When it is hot enough to touch, mix with your hands and make a dough. Take out small lemon size dough and make a ball. Using your thumb slightly press the ball in the middle and hold with your fingers and make a cup.

Put one tablespoon jaggery/coconut mixture in the cup and close the edges. It look like half circle. To make modakam, put the pooranam in the rice cup and bring all the edges to the centre and press slightly. Finish all the dough and coconut mixture like above. Arrange in a greased idli plate and steam it for five to seven minutes. You can use double boiler for steaming, which is having flat plate and hold more kozhukattai and retain the shape also.


Note: If you find it difficult to make rice cups, you can use Kozhukattai mould.

You can also make dhal pooranam or Ellu Pooranam for stuffing:

Dhal Pooranam:

Ingredients:

Bengal Gram Dhal - 1 cup
Powdered Jaggery - 1 cup
Grated Coconut - 3/4 cup
Cardamon – 2
A pinch of salt

Method:

Soak Bengal gram dhal in water for about two to three hours. Cook the Dhal in water till soft, but not mushy. Drain the excess water. Grind the cooked dhal to a coarse powder (do not use any water - only dry grind).

Put the jaggery in a heavy bottomed vessel and add ½ cup water and keep on low flame. When the jaggery completely melted, strain it and put it in a heavy bottomed vessel and bring to boil again. When it starts boiling, reduce the heat and add dhal powder and mix well. Stir now and then and cook till it is solid. Add coconut gratings and cardamom powder and mix everything well. Remove from stove and let it cool.

Ellu(Sesame Seeds)Pooranam:

Ingredients:

White sesame seeds – 1 cup
Powdered jaggery – 1 cup
Ghee – 1 tablespoon
Cardamom Powder – ½ teaspoon

Method:

Dry roast sesame seeds on a slow fire to a light brown colour. Cool it. Powder it in a mixie. Powder the jaggery well. Put it in a mixie and run for one to two rounds. Before removing, add ellu powder and cardamom powder and again run for one to two rounds. Remove it, add melted ghee and mix well.

We can also make Pidi Kozhukattai - Sweet, Pidi Kozhukattai - Salt, Green Gram Dhal Sweet Kozhukattai

Kondaikadalai Sundal:


Sundal can be prepared from any gram/dhal. Basic method is same for all except soaking/cooking the dhal.

Ingredients:

Wholegram (Kondai kadalai) - 1 cup
Red Chillies - 3 to 4
Curry leaves - few
Coconut gratings - 1 tablespoon
Oil - 1 teaspoon
Mustard - 1/2 teaspoon
Asafotida - a pinch
Salt - 1 teaspoon

Method:

Soak the gram in water for atleast 8 hours. Pressure cook along with a pinch of salt for two to three whistles. Drain the excess water and keep aside.

In a kadai put the oil and when it is hot add mustard. When it pops up, add red chillies broken into pieces along with asafotida powder and curry leaves. Fry for a while. Add cooked gram. Mix well. Add a pinch of salt and coconut gratings. Mix once again and remove.

Note: There are two varieties of wholegram, white and black. The black coloured gram is tastier. You can add in the sundal few drops of lemon juice or a small piece of mango grated finely.

Pattani Sundal also very famous and you can use green chillies instead of red chillies.



Or you can make Mixed Grain Sundal