Mawa, khoya or khoa, this milk-based ingredient is quintessential to several Indian sweets. Made by slowly simmering milk until it reduces to a dense, creamy solid, khoya's rich, velvety texture and mildly sweet flavour make it an ideal component in creating indulgent treats for special occasions and Indian festivals. Ganesh Chaturthi, a vibrant celebration of Lord Ganesha, sees an array of sweets made from khoya.
Here are some prasads you can make at home and offer to Lord Ganeshs:
Til Mawa Peda
Making for a delicious blend of nutty sesame seeds that have been roasted and the subtle sweetness from mawa, these pedas made for a perfect prasad to Ganesha. It is flavoured with cardamom and sweetened with jaggery. Flatten each of them into little discs and roll them in sesame seeds to give it a nice finishing touch.
Mawa barfi
Barfis are a classic Indian sweet that is usually made with condensed milk and mawa. For this Ganesh Chaturthi, try making a mawa barfi as it is simple and has a rich flavour making it great for the festive season. Made from mawa and sugar, it is a labour of love. Garnish with slivers of almonds or pistachios, and add some delicate saffron strands to it.
Mawa Kesari Peda
{{/usCountry}}Barfis are a classic Indian sweet that is usually made with condensed milk and mawa. For this Ganesh Chaturthi, try making a mawa barfi as it is simple and has a rich flavour making it great for the festive season. Made from mawa and sugar, it is a labour of love. Garnish with slivers of almonds or pistachios, and add some delicate saffron strands to it.
Mawa Kesari Peda
{{/usCountry}}Infused with kesar that lends the pedas a golden hue, saffron epitomises indulgence and tradition in any prasad. Combine mawa and saffron along with sugar, cardamon powder and ground-up elaichi to create a dough that can be quickly rolled into pedas and offer it as bhog to Lord Ganesha.
Mawa Paan Makhana Ladoo
If you are looking for something that is out of the ordinary this Ganesh Chaturthi, this mawa paan makhana ladoos are for you. They make for indulgent treats by combining roasted makhana with khoya, and add a refreshing taste of paan aka betel leaf. These ladoos are rich, nutty and provide a unique delightful treat for festive occasions at home.
Rose and Coconut stuffed Modak
Ingredients:
1 ½ cup - Mawa, crumbled
5 tbsp - Powdered sugar
1 ½ tbsp - Pistachios, chopped
¼ tsp - Cardamom
3 tbsp - Milk
1 tbsp - Milk powder
10 - Saffron threads
2 ml - Rose Syrup
1 tsp - Rawa
1 tsp - Ghee
- Start by combining warm milk and saffron in a bowl.
- Add mawa in a pan, and cook on demium flame two to three mins.
- Add the saffron milk and cook for another two minutes.
- To cool the mixture, spread the mixture in a deep plate.
- Crumble the mawa and add to it powdered sugar, cardamom powder and pistachios.
- Refrigerate it for around 8 to 10 minutes and let it cool.
- Grease the modak mould with ghee. Take small portions of the mawa mixture and place it on one side of the mould.
- For the stuffing, form small balls using rawa, rose essence, and beetroot juice.
- Place these balls inside the mould and top it off with more of the modak mixture.
- Refrigerate these modaks for two or three days.
Inputs by Bidyut Saha, Executive Chef, Taj Corbett Resort & Spa, Uttarakhand