Ganesh Chaturthi Recipes

Every year, Ganesh Chaturthi brings out the same beautiful chaos in my kitchen — steam rising from the kozhukkattai pot, jaggery bubbling away for the payasam, and Ganesha watching over it all from his little decorated seat, waiting for his neivediyam.

This year, I wanted to bring all my festival recipes together in one place, so you don't have to hunt through old posts to find them. Below you'll find everything from soft steamed kozhukkattai (in three different outer-dough methods, so pick whatever's easiest for you) to crispy fried karchikai, boli, aval paal, milk powder modak, and more — savoury and sweet, traditional and quick.

Whether you're making a full Ganesha prasadam spread or just picking one or two favorites, I hope these recipes bring the same warmth to your home that they bring to mine every year.

Scroll down for the full collection — happy Ganesh Chaturthi! 🙏

Three Easy Ways to Prepare Outer Dough for Kozhukkattai

Method 1: Store-bought rice flour, steam-cooked (no batter)

Ingredients: 1 cup rice flour, 1 cup water, pinch of salt, 1 tsp ghee

Method:

1. In a cold kadai, add ghee/oil, flour, and water (add a little extra water only if needed). Batter should be neither thick nor thin.

2. Add salt, mix well. Place on heat, stirring continuously until it looks crumbled but wet (not watery).

3. Cover with a lid and let steam cook.

Method 2: Store-bought rice flour, cooked into dough on stovetop

Ingredients: 1 cup rice flour, 1–1¼ cups water, pinch of salt, 1 tsp ghee/oil

Method:

1. Mix flour, water, and salt into a batter.

2. Heat ghee/oil in a kadai, add the batter, and stir continuously until it forms a dough ball.

3. When non-sticky, transfer to a bowl. Knead well with lightly greased palms.

4. Shape into small balls for kozhukkattai cups.

Method 3: Raw rice, soaked and ground

Ingredients: 1 cup raw rice (soaked 3 hrs), 2 cups water total (including grinding water), pinch of salt, 1 tsp ghee/oil

Method:

1. Grind soaked rice to a smooth, thin (not watery) batter.

2. Heat ghee/oil in a kadai, add the ground batter, salt, and remaining water (2 cups total liquid per 1 cup rice).

3. Cook on heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture forms a non-sticky dough ball.

4. Transfer to a bowl; let cool slightly, then knead until smooth with no cracks when shaped. Use minimal oil/ghee for kneading — too much prevents the outer skin from cooking properly and makes it hard.

5. Just greasing the palm is enough. Shape into balls; keep remaining dough covered with a moist cloth (not dry, which dries out the dough).

Shaping Tip (all methods): For beginners, use greased ladles of different sizes — place a dough ball in the ladle, press gently around it to form a deep cup, then thin further by pressing the edges. This avoids tearing or breaking.

1. Soak & grind raw rice — Soak rice 2–3 hrs, grind to a smooth, velvety batter (no coarse grains), cook in a pan with water, salt, and ghee until it forms a smooth, non-sticky dough. Best for neivediyam.

2. Home-processed or store-bought kozhakkatai flour — steamed to make the dough.

3. Store-bought flour only — quickest option.

Key dough tips: Total liquid should be 2 cups per 1 cup rice (including grinding water). Cook on low flame, stirring — lumps will smooth out as it cooks and leaves the sides of the pan. Knead warm with a little ghee until smooth and non-sticky (too much oil/ghee makes the outer skin hard). Shape using greased palms/fingers (thumb-dent method) or greased ladles of different sizes for beginners — place dough in the ladle cup, press gently into a deep cup shape

Uppu Kozhukkatai

A quicker way to make delicious savory kozhukkattai using store-bought udad dal flour instead of soaking and grinding — same soft, tasty filling in less time. Great for festival prep!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice flour (idiyappam/kozhukkattai maavu)

• 1¼ cup water (for filling batter)

• 1 small cup ready-made udad dal flour

• Salt, asafoetida, sesame oil, mustard seeds, split urad dal, curry leaves, ginger, green chilies (to taste)

Method:

1. Mix udad dal flour, salt, and asafoetida with water to a semi-thick batter.

2. Grease a plate, spread batter, and steam cook.

3. Cool, then crumble by hand or in short mixie bursts.

4. Heat sesame oil, splutter mustard seeds, add split urad dal, curry leaves, ginger, and chilies.

5. Add crumble, mix well, and cool. Use as filling.

Uppu Kozhakkatai – Method 2 (Traditional)

Soft, savory steamed dumplings with a spiced urad dal filling — a cherished South Indian festive classic.

Filling: 1 cup soaked urad dal, 2–3 green chilies, pinch asafoetida, curry leaves, 1 tbsp sesame oil, ½ tsp mustard seeds, ½ tsp split urad dal, salt

1. Grind soaked dal with chilies, salt, and asafoetida to a coarse paste.

2. Steam and crumble, or sauté paste in tempered oil until fluffy. Cool, shape into balls.

Dough: 1 cup rice flour, pinch salt, 1 tsp ghee, 1 cup water

1. Boil water with salt and ghee; add flour, mix, cover, and steam briefly.

2. Knead warm into smooth, firm (non-sticky) dough. Divide into balls; keep covered.

Assembly:

1. Flatten dough ball into a thin circle on a greased banana leaf/palm.

2. Place filling in center, fold into a semi-circle.

3. Steam until shells look moist and shiny — don't over-steam (cracks the shell).

Tip: Soma moulds optional, but give a thicker shell.

Sweet Kozhukkatai/ Vella Kozhukkatai

• Quick method: Skip making jaggery syrup — mix palm/native jaggery powder directly with grated coconut and cardamom powder. Faster and less messy.

• Traditional method: Melt jaggery with a little water in a pan; once it starts bubbling, add coconut and cardamom powder and stir quickly (to avoid crystallizing). Add a little water if the mixture gets too brittle/sticky.

• Cool the filling, then roll into small balls.

• Shape dough into circles or use a mould, place a filling ball inside, shape into a modak, and steam cook till done.

1. Boil water in a pan; keep flour ready. Add salt and 1 tsp oil to the boiling water, then pour into the flour in small quantities while mixing with a spatula.

2. Keep stirring hot water into the flour until it just comes together as a dough.

3. Cover and rest a few minutes until warm enough to handle, then knead well (add a little oil if needed) and shape into small balls.

Shaping & Steaming:

1. Grease your palm with oil, take a dough ball, and make a deep depression with your thumb in the center.

2. Work the dough around with both hands to enlarge and thin the cup evenly.

3. Place the filling in the center, then bring the edges together like a small potli (pouch) to seal.

4. Keep shaped modaks covered so they don't dry out and crack while steaming.

5. Steam in a boiling idli steamer for 15 minutes, until they look shiny with beads of water forming on the cover — that's the sign they're done.

Mawa modak

Ingredients:

• ½ cup milk powder

• ¼ cup milk (approx., added gradually — just enough to keep mixture moist, not dry)

• 1 tbsp ghee

• Dry fruits (chopped pistachios or of choice)

• Pinch cardamom powder

• Slightly less than ½ cup powdered sugar (adjust to taste)

Method:

1. In a pan, add ghee, milk powder, and milk. Cook on low flame, stirring continuously until it starts coming together.

2. Add sugar before the mixture gets too thick.

3. Add cardamom powder and sliced dry fruits.

4. Cook until the mixture forms a thick, ball-like consistency, then switch off flame.

5. When cooled, shape into round pedhas, or use a modak mould to shape into modaks.

6. Arrange on a plate and serve as neivediyam to Lord Ganesha.

Karchikai / Karanji / Somas

Outer Cover Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour/maida

• ¼ cup chiroti rava (fine semolina/sooji), roasted

• 1½ tbsp hot melted ghee (or hot oil)

• Pinch of salt

• Warm milk (to bind the dough)

Filling Ingredients:

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 1 cup dry coconut powder

• Pinch of cardamom powder

• ¼ cup white sesame seeds

• 2 tsp poppy seeds (khus khus)

• 2 tbsp assorted nuts (cashews, almonds, pistachios) + some raisins

Method:

1. Make a tight dough with the outer cover ingredients using hot ghee/oil and warm milk to bind. Cover and rest 15–30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, roast coconut powder, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds separately, then powder them. Lightly roast nuts and coarsely powder; chop raisins small. Mix all filling ingredients well.

3. After resting, knead the dough again until soft and pliable.

4. Pinch off small balls; portion filling for each.

5. Roll each ball into a small poori (not too thin/thick, no dusting needed). Place filling on one half, fold into a semi-circle, and seal edges with a fork (or use karchikai moulds for perfect shapes — place poori over mould, press, and trim excess).

6. Prepare a batch of karchikais before frying.

7. Heat oil well (test with a bit of dough — it should sizzle up). Fry on medium flame, dropping karchikais in one by one to avoid quick browning.

8. Cook until the outer cover turns crisp; flip for even browning on both sides.

9. Drain in a colander and cool completely before storing. Keeps well for a week.

Aval Paal Kozhukkatai

For the Kozhukkattai Balls:

• 1 cup white aval/thick poha (not red aval)

• ¼ tsp salt

• ¾–1 cup hot boiling water (as needed)

For the Paal (Coconut Milk Jaggery Mixture):

• 1 cup powdered jaggery/vellam

• ¼ cup water (to melt jaggery)

• 2 cups thin coconut milk (2nd & 3rd extract)

• 1 cup thick coconut milk (1st extract)

• 1 tsp rice flour + 2 tbsp thin coconut milk (for thickness)

• ¼ tsp cardamom powder

• Few saffron strands (optional)

• 1 tsp ghee (optional)

Method:

1. Aval powder: Rinse aval quickly, spread on cloth 2 mins to remove excess water. Dry grind to a fine powder; sieve once for smooth balls.

2. Dough: Dry roast aval powder with salt on low flame 1 minute (don't brown). Add hot boiling water little by little, mix, and knead warm into a soft, smooth, non-sticky dough. Cover 5 mins.

3. Roll balls: Grease palms with ghee; roll tiny, smooth pearl-sized balls (smaller than a chickpea — smaller = softer). Keep covered with a damp cloth.

4. Cook balls: Bring 2 cups thin coconut milk + ½ cup water to a gentle boil in a wide kadai. Drop balls in one by one; don't stir for 2 mins, then stir gently. Cook on medium 7–8 minutes until balls float and turn soft — don't overcook.

5. Add jaggery & thicken: Melt jaggery with ¼ cup water, strain. Add rice flour–coconut milk slurry to the kadai for creaminess, then add the strained jaggery syrup; mix gently. Finally add thick coconut milk, cardamom, and saffron. Give one gentle boil and switch off (vigorous boiling curdles the milk). Add ghee.

6. Serve warm in a small bowl — thickens as it cools; loosen with a little warm thin coconut milk if needed.

5 Tips for Perfect Soft Balls:

1. Fine, sieved powder is key — coarse powder breaks.

2. Use only boiling hot water — cold/lukewarm makes hard balls.

3. Never add jaggery directly to raw balls — cook balls fully in coconut milk/water first.

4. Don't stir vigorously after adding balls — use the back of the ladle.

5. Roll balls as small as possible — big balls stay uncooked inside.

Storage: 1 day at room temperature, 2 days refrigerated. Add a little water/milk while reheating.

Paruppu Boli

Filling (pooranam):

•  1 cup chana dal, cooked soft and drained

•  3/4 cup jaggery powder (or sugar)

•  1/2 tsp cardamom, pinch nutmeg, 1 tsp ghee

Dough:

•  1 cup maida + 1/4 cup wheat flour, pinch turmeric, pinch salt

•  2 tsp ghee, water to knead soft. Rest 30 min.

Make it:

•  Cook dal, grind. Melt jaggery with little water, add ground dal, cook thick. Add cardamom and ghee. Cool and make small balls.

•  Knead dough smooth with ghee. Make balls same size as filling.

•  Flatten dough on greased banana leaf, place filling, seal, gently roll thin.

•  Roast on hot tawa with ghee till golden spots both sides.

Makes 10-12. Serve warm with ghee or payasam. Keeps 2 days refrigerated.

Tips: Don't overfill or it tears. Roll gently, not too thin.

Coconut Boli

Filling:

•  2 cups fresh grated coconut

•  3/4 cup jaggery + 2 tbsp sugar

•  1/2 tsp cardamom, 1 tbsp ghee, pinch salt

Cook jaggery with 2 tbsp water till melted, strain. Add coconut, cook on low till thick and dry-ish, about 8 min. Add cardamom and ghee. Cool, make 10 balls.

Dough:

•  1 cup maida, 1/4 cup fine rava, pinch turmeric and salt, 1 tbsp ghee, water. Knead soft, rest 30 min with oil coating.

Make:

•  Oil your hands, flatten dough on greased plastic or banana leaf, place coconut ball, seal, gently pat to 5-inch circle.

•  Roast on medium tawa with ghee till light golden both sides.

Makes 10. Best warm with ghee. Keeps 1 day at room temp, 3 days chilled.

Mani Kozhukkatai

Dough:

•  1 cup rice flour, 1 cup water, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp oil

•  Boil water + salt + oil, add flour, mix off heat. Cover 5 min. Knead smooth while warm with oiled hands.

Make mani:

•  Pinch pea-size pieces, roll into tiny balls. Steam 8-10 min on greased plate till shiny and not sticky.

Choose one finish:

Sweet: Toss hot balls in 3/4 cup melted jaggery + grated coconut + cardamom.

Savory: steam the pinched dough bslks till shiny and cooked , Temper mustard, urad dal, curry leaves, green chili in 2 tbsp oil, add steamed balls + fresh coconut + salt.

Check this post for festival lunch menu recipes for Ganesh Chaturthi https://www.youreverydaycook.com/blog/festival-lunch-ganesh-chaturthi