Ganesha is one of the most well-known and well-loved of all the Hindu deities. He is the son of Shiva and Parvati, while it is unclear exactly how he came into being, my favourite is that he was created by Shiva’s laughter.
He is called ‘Ganapati’, the lord of the people. This happy, friendly deity has been adopted by people across cultures who are drawnto his many arms and elephant head. Just kidding. What attracts people to him is his reputation as the remover of obstacles, patron of the arts and science and deva of intellect and wisdom.
He reminds us to always listen, learn and forgive. His favourite day is Wednesday and he is a vegetarian. Oh, and he is a massive foodie.
One story goes, that Ganesha one day went to a great feast. Ganesha being Ganesha and known for his sweet tooth, ate so muchhis stomach bulged. Embarrassed, he wrapped a snake around his waist so no one would realise his predicament.
He waited till nightfall to leave as to avoid detection. On the way home, the moon saw him and began to laugh. Ganesha was hurt and angry, so he cursed the moon so that it would never be seen in the darkness. The moon apologised profusely and while Ganesha could not reverse the curse, he understood forgiveness. So he proclaimed that each day the moon grow thinner each day and disappear one day a month.
This story teaches us two things. One, is the importance of forgiveness. The second, is that you should never be ashamed of eating too much delicious food. So without any further ado, here are some of Ganesha’s favourite treats:
Modak
Not many sweets can claim the title of a God’s favourite sweet, but here Modak is. These sweet, dumpling-like treats are made from rice flour, mixed with coconut and jaggery. Do consider that they take time and patience to make, but it will not be long until you are an expert.
Fresh fruit
He loves coconut and fresh banana, after all he is part elephant. Adorn your table with the freshest fruits and present him with Marigolds (Genda).
Ladoos
Ganesha likes all types. Why not try making boondiladoo, ravaladoo, besanladoo or coconut ladoo?Ladoos are especially made during festivals like Diwali, GaneshChaturthi and Dussehra. For a coconut ladoo, you will need desiccated coconut, unrefined cane sugar and caradom.
PuranPoli
Sticking with the sweets, this is a popular Maharashtrian recipe often made during Diwali and Ganesh Chaturthi. This is a fabulous flatbread stuffed with sweet lentils, jaggery and either Bengal gram/chana dal.
It you are feeling extra productive, try making panchamrit, rice pooris, a steamed rice, a cauliflower or potato veggie dish, dal or varanbhaat and a banana sheera. Try serving on a banana leaf for extra authenticity.
However, if you do not want to cook you could always book a table at one of London’s best Indian brasseries. Unlock your inner foodie and make Ganesha proud.