GANESH CHATURTHI 2022: It is that time of the year again when we celebrate the arrival of Lord Ganesha with much zest and zeal. The 10-day festival of Ganesh Chaturthi will begin on Tuesday, August 31.
The festivities start with the installation of Bappa’s idol at homes or at pandals, followed by puja, aarti and prasad distribution every day till Ganesh Visarjan, which falls on September 9 this year. During this period, various sweets are prepared but the most popular and the one that is considered Lord Ganesha’s favourite – modaks – are made and offered to him.
ALSO READ: Ganesh Chaturthi 2022: Date, Puja Muhurat and Significance
Modak is a sweet dumpling made with rice flour. It is filled with coconut, and jaggery. Across India, recipes of modaks varies, given the different cultures. While some fry modaks for bhog, others make modak out of chocolate, coconut, kesar, or mawa.
What is Nivagrya?
While making these dishes, you often end up with some leftover of ingredients. The leftover rice flour dough from the outer covering of modaks is used to make Nivagrya in Maharashtra. It is a spicy steamed disc-shaped pancake. It is commonly made in the Konkan region of Maharashtra and is paired with modak to balance the spiciness of the Nivagrya with the sweetness of modak.
ALSO READ: 5 Mouth-watering Modak Recipes You Must Try This Ganesh Festival
Ste-by-step guide to make Nivagrya
This 4-step recipe needs a few ingredients and the most important one is the leftover rice flour. To add flavor and aroma to this, you will need cumin seeds and green chilies. Apart from this, you would require, oil, water, and salt.
- Step 1
Boil the water with salt and oil. Lower the flame and gradually add the rice flour to it. Stir continuously to avoid lumps. - Step 2
Keep stirring until a soft dough is formed. Take the dough out on a plate and add green chilies and cumin seeds to it. Add some salt if needed. You may also add coriander leaves. Mix everything together. - Step 3
Divide the dough into small discs and steam them in a steamer or idli-maker. - Step 4
Let it cool down and then you can serve it with dahi, thecha, ghee, or just green chilies.
Offer this lip-smacking dish to Bappa this Ganesh Chaturthi and seek his blessings.
