Ganesh Chaturthi, a ten day festival is all about coming together with friends and family and indulging in delicious, mouth-watering sweets and savoury dishes that make the festival even more special. Lord Ganesha is fond of sweets which is all the more reason to prepare lots of traditional as well as modern sweets on his birthday. From classic modaks to innovative treats like pistachio cheesecake, Quinoa-paniyaram, fusion modaks, and limited edition Prasadam flavour ice cream, celebrate the festival with a variety of delicious sweets for every palate.
Every year, as the festival approaches all markets are flooded with goodies, decorative articles, Ganesh idols and of course ingredients to make sweets. Although, modak is predominantly the favourite sweet offered to Ganpati Bappa, the trends are fast changing with time. With most of the people working, it sometimes becomes more of a struggle keeping up with all the traditions associated with these festivities. From traditional recipes passed down through generations to modern creations that cater to dietary needs and time constraints, the celebration of Lord Ganesha’s favorite treats has embraced a delightful transformation.
People are switching to sweets and savoury dishes that take less time to prepare, and are innovative but taste as good as the traditional ones.
Of course, there are others who love experimenting in the kitchen and take out time from their daily schedule to prepare innovative and healthy variants such as Kesar pista kalakand to custard malai rolls, , and pistachio cheesecake. Some even join special cooking classes to learn how to cook creative sweets during the festive season.
As life gets busier and health-consciousness grows, Ganesh Chaturthi sweets are evolving. Many households are shifting towards quicker, healthier alternatives like sugar-free or gluten-free sweets, while still keeping the festive spirit alive. For example the traditional sabudana khichdi is replaced by with chia seed, or dal kachori is now transformed to Avocado and peas ‘kachori. Though the traditional modaks remain everyone’s all time favourite, modern culinary and fusion creativity has given rise to new variants like as fruit-flavoured modaks, pan, pistachio-rose, Mini modak pops, green tea flavoured version, that are ideal for gifting.
Summing up
Whether it is the traditional sweets or contemprory recipes, all are worth trying. Ganesh Chaturthi festivities are not complete without these sweets. While we all cherish the traditions, a little innovation won’t hurt! Home cooks and modern chefs love giving a contemporary twist by experimenting with the age old classic recipes. In fact, many vegan and gluten-free versions are also available for those with dietery restrictions.
