Vinayaka Chavithi or Ganesh Chaturthi Specials-Undralla Payasam and Spicy Undrallu

"Vighna Vinayaka Namosthuthe!"

Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chavithi is one of the main Hindu festivals that is celebrated in honour of  Lord Ganesha. Ganesha has not only a special appearance with his elephant head, he also has special importance amongst the other Hindu Gods. He has the power of removing obstacles and is prayed to first. Lord Vinayaka is fond of food and Ganesh Chaturthi is his birthday. On this day, people from different places in India offer different dishes to him. Telugu people prepare paramannam (sweetened rice), garelu, pulihora, undrallu (sweet, salted or spicy), modakam, kudumulu, etc.

I have already posted the Modakam recipe previously:
http://dailymeals.blogspot.in/2007/09/modak-or-kozhukattai-or-modakam.html
Now I want to share with you the recipes of Undralla Payasam and Spicy Undrallu.

Undralla Payasam

Ingredients:

Rice-1 cup

Milk-2 cups

Sugar or grated jaggery-1 cup

Water-2 cups

Cashew paste-grind 8 cashew nuts into a paste

Cardamom powder-a pinch

Ghee-1 tablespoon

Sliced almond nuts-4 

Method

                                         

1. Soak the rice for two hours and grind it into a smooth paste using 1/2 a cup of water. Pour it into a pan and heat it on a low flame. Add one tablespoon of ghee and 2 tablespoons of sugar.

                                        
                                       

2. Stir continuously until it forms a thick and soft dough. Turn off the stove, cover the pan and keep it aside. Grease your hands with oil or ghee and start making small balls when the dough has cooled down slightly.

   

   

3. Steam the balls on a greased plate in an idly maker for 8-10 minutes. Now mix the milk and remaining water and heat to a boil in a separate vessel and add sugar to it. Now add the steamed balls and boil it for five minutes on a low flame.

  

4. Add the cashew paste and cardomom powder and boil for two more minutes. Turn off the stove and garnish with sliced almonds.

  

Offer the delicious Undralla Payasam to Lord Ganesha and get his blessings :)

Note: If you want to use jaggery in your payasam, melt the jaggery and sieve it to remove impurities. Add it before turning off the stove and mix it. If you heat after adding the jaggery, the payasam may curdle. For thickening the payasam, you can also add rice flour paste (mix one tablespoonof rice flour with two tablespoons of water) or almond paste (soak almonds in hot water for ten minutes and remove the skin and blend into a paste) or khas khas (poppy seeds) powder (dry roast the poppy seeds for 1-2 minutes. Let them cool and grind into a powder) or fresh coconut  (grated) instead of cashew paste.

Spicy Undrallu

Ingredients:
Soaked rice-1 cup
Salt-a pinch
Water-1/2 cup
Ghee-1 tablespoon
For Seasoning: 1 teaspoon oil, 1/4 tsn mustard seeds, 1 tsn cumin seeds, 1/2 tsn urad dal, 1/2 tsn chana dal, hing to taste, curry leaves 1tsn, chopped chilli-1 and turmeric powder-a pinch (optional)

Method

  

1. Grind the soaked rice into a smooth paste using 1/2 a cup of water. Heat it in a pan on a low flame by adding salt and ghee until it forms a thick and soft dough. Turn off the stove, cover the pan and keep it aside.
2. Grease your hands with oil or ghee and make tiny balls out of the dough when the dough has cooled down slightly. Now steam the balls on a greased plate for 8-10 minutes in idly maker.
3. Heat one teaspoon oil in a pan and add all the seasoning ingredients one by one. Once they splutter, add the steamed balls and saute for 1-2 minutes.
4. Turn off the stove and transfer into a serving bowl.

Offer the Spicy Undrallu along with Undralla Payasam to Lord Ganesha :)

  

Note: For spiciness you can replace green chilli with pepper powder or red dry chilli powder.