What is Mumbai cooking for Naivedya platter?

In its true essence, Naivedya in Sanskrit translates to 'a special offering to God.' With Ganesh Chaturthi around the corner, devotees are gearing up to prepare a holy feast as an offering to the Elephant God. While each household has its own take on it, a typical naivedya thali spans six flavours - sweet, salt, bitter, sour, astringent and spicy on one single plate.

For Anuradha Bhawar, a community developer from Mumbai - the arrangement of food items on the thali is of immense importance. Her offering to Lord Ganesha comprises 'a wholesome meal presented on Rangoli made with colours, lentils wheat and grains. "The way we place rice on the thali reflects our etiquette. It should never be served at the centre, nor should it resemble a chaotic mound. Instead, it ought to be presented carefully on one side of the thali."

The composition of a Naivedya Thali can vary based on regional and cultural practices, and it often reflects local culinary traditions. To discover the essential elements that go into a naivedya thali, Midday.com spoke to Mumbai-based chefs and dug out unique recipes.

Here are traditional recipes for essential items in a Naivedya thali:

Gulawani
Gulawani is a traditional Maharashtrian dish made from jaggery and whole wheat flour. It's similar to a sweet roti or paratha and is often enjoyed as a dessert or during festivals.

Ingredients:
Whole wheat flour, 1 cup
A pinch of salt
Water, as needed to knead the dough
Grated jaggery, 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder, 1/4 teaspoon
Grated coconut, 1 tablespoon
Ghee or oil for cooking

Method:
1. In a mixing bowl, add whole wheat flour and a pinch of salt.
2. Gradually add water and knead the dough until it's smooth and soft. The dough should be pliable, like the dough for chapati or roti.
3. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for about 15-20 minutes.
4. In another bowl, mix the grated jaggery, cardamom powder, and grated coconut. The cardamom powder adds a nice aroma and flavour to the filling.
5. Divide the rested dough into small, equal-sized portions and roll them into smooth balls.
6. Take one dough ball and flatten it slightly with your palms.
7. Place a small amount of the jaggery filling (about a teaspoon or so) in the centre of the flattened dough.
8. Carefully fold the edges of the dough over the jaggery filling to seal it completely. Make sure there are no openings.
9. Gently flatten this filled dough ball between your palms.
10. Heat a griddle or non-stick pan over medium heat and add a little ghee or oil.
11. Place the prepared Gulawani on the hot griddle and cook until it turns golden brown on both sides. Use a little more ghee or oil if needed.
12. Ensure the heat is medium-low, as the jaggery in the filling can burn easily.
13. Once the Gulawani is cooked and has a nice golden colour, remove it from the griddle. Serve hot Gulawani as a dessert or snack.

Recipe by Sangeeta Supkar, Navi Mumbai

Aluwadi
Aluwadi is a savoury item made from colocasia leaves stuffed with a spiced gram flour mixture, rolled, sliced, and shallow-fried.

Ingredients:
Gram flour, 1 cup
Cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon
Sesame seeds, 1/2 teaspoon
Asafoetida, 1/2 teaspoon
Colocasia leaves, cleaned and stems removed, 8-10
Tamarind pulp, 1/4 cup
Jaggery, 1 tablespoon
Mustard seeds, 1/2 teaspoon
Grated coconut, 2 tablespoons
Water, as needed
A pinch of turmeric powder
A pinch of red chili powder
Salt to taste
Oil for greasing and shallow frying

Method:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine the gram flour, turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, cumin seeds, sesame seeds, asafoetida, and 1 tablespoon of oil.
2. Gradually add water while stirring continuously to make a smooth, lump-free batter. The batter should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
3. Take the cleaned colocasia leaves and pat them dry with a kitchen towel.
4. Spread a leaf on a clean surface with the veined side facing up.
5. Apply a thin layer of the gram flour batter evenly on the leaf.
6. Place another leaf on top of it and repeat the process until you have a stack of 3-4 leaves with the batter in between.
7. Roll the stack tightly from one end to the other, creating a cylindrical roll. Repeat with the remaining leaves.
8. Steam the rolled colocasia leaves for about 20-25 minutes or until they are cooked through. Insert a toothpick or knife to check if it comes out clean.
9. In a small saucepan, heat a little oil and add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add sesame seeds and asafoetida.
10. Add tamarind pulp, jaggery, grated coconut (if using), and salt. Cook this mixture until it thickens and the raw taste of tamarind disappears.
11. Once the steamed rolls have cooled down, slice them into rounds.
12. Heat some oil in a pan and shallow fry the slices until they turn golden brown and crispy on both sides.
13. Serve the Aluwadi slices hot with the prepared tamarind sauce for dipping.

Recipe by Ravi Wadkar, Goregaon

Spiced Vegetable Thalipeeth
Thalipeeth is a flavourful multi-grain pancake made by blending various flours, spices, and vegetables into a nutritious and flavourful batter.

Ingredients:
Mixed millet flour, 1 cup
Chickpea flour, 1/4 cup
Rice flour, 1/4 cup
Grated zucchini, 1/2 cup
Grated carrot, 1/2 cup
Finely chopped spinach, 1/2 cup
Finely chopped green chilies, 2-3
Cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder, 1/2 teaspoon
Red chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon
Garam masala powder, 1/2 teaspoon
Salt
Oil or ghee
Water
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
Yoghurt or chutney of your choice

Method:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine the mixed millet flour, chickpea flour, rice flour, grated zucchini, grated carrot, chopped spinach, green chilies, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, salt, and 1 tablespoon of oil. Mix the ingredients well.
2. Gradually add water and knead the mixture into a soft, pliable dough. It should be easy to work with, like a chapati dough.
3. Divide the dough into equal-sized portions and roll them into balls.
4. Take a clean, wet cloth and place it on your working surface. This will prevent the dough from sticking.
5. Take one dough ball and flatten it on the cloth with your fingers to form a thin, round disc. You can wet your fingers to make this process easier.
6. Heat a non-stick griddle or pan and add a little ghee or oil.
7. Carefully transfer the flattened dough onto the hot griddle.
8. Cook on medium heat until the bottom side turns golden brown.
9. Flip the Thalipeeth and cook the other side until it's also golden brown. You can add a little more ghee or oil as needed.
10. Remove the cooked Thalipeeth from the griddle and repeat the process with the remaining dough portions.
11. Serve the Spiced Vegetable Thalipeeth hot, garnished with chopped fresh coriander leaves and accompanied by yoghurt or your favourite chutney.

Recipe by Dassana Amit, Santacruz

Masswadi
It's a special vegetarian treat made with coconut, groundnuts, white sesame, garlic, onions and a slew of spices coated with gram flour. The preparation involves an intricate style of folding the wadi.

Ingredients:
Coriander seeds, 5 gm
Cloves, 2 gm
Star anise, 1 gm
Cinnamon, 2 gm
Green cardamom, 2 gm
Black pepper, 3 gm
Cumin, 5 gm
Roasted and crushed peanut, 10 gm
White sesame seeds, 10 gm
Poppy seeds, 5 gm
Grated coconut, 30 gm
Finely chopped coriander, 15 gm
Gram flour (Besan), 150 gm
Garlic, 10 gm
Finely chopped onion, 20 gm
Turmeric, 10 gm
Red chilli powder, 10 gm
Black pepper powder, 5 gm
Oil
salt
Water as required

Method:
1. Heat the pan and roast coriander seeds, cloves, star anise, cinnamon, cardamom and black pepper for a few minutes. Set aside.
2. Now, roast sesame and poppy seeds; set aside.
3. Next, roast dry coconut till it's light brown and keep it aside.
4. In a hot pan, add oil and then toss garlic and onion.
5. In a mixer jar, tip in all the roasted items, along with turmeric, red chilli powder, black pepper powder, coriander and salt as per taste. Grind to a dry paste.
6. Transfer the mixture into a bowl and add the remaining coriander.
7. In another bowl, add gram flour, the remaining chilli powder, turmeric and salt. Mix it.
8. Knead into a dough by adding water. Keep it aside.
9. Make small balls and roll them into discs.
10. Place the masswadi mixture in the middle of the disk, and fold the dough over like you do for a gujiya.
11. Now, you can deep-fry, steam or bake them.
12. Once done, cut them into slices and garnish with coriander and fresh coconut to serve.

Recipe by Sonali Dhamanikar, Navi Mumbai

Puran Poli
A popular treat often enjoyed during festivals in Maharashtra, Puran Poli is a flatbread stuffed with chana dal (split chickpeas), jaggery, and cardamom.

Ingredients:
Chana dal, 1 cup
Jaggery, 1 cup
Cardamom powder, 1/2 teaspoon
Whole wheat flour, 1.5 cups
Water
A pinch of nutmeg powder
A pinch of salt
Ghee for cooking

Method:
1. Wash and rinse the chana dal thoroughly, then boil it in a pressure cooker with enough water until it's soft and well-cooked.
2. Drain any excess water from the cooked dal and let it cool.
3. Once the dal has cooled down, blend it into a smooth paste using a food processor or blender.
4. Transfer the dal paste to a pan, add jaggery, and cook on low heat until the jaggery melts and blends well with the dal. Keep stirring continuously.
5. Add cardamom powder, nutmeg powder and a pinch of salt. Mix well.
6. Cook the mixture until it thickens and starts leaving the sides of the pan. This can take about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool.
7. Once the puran is cool, divide it into equal-sized balls.
8. In a mixing bowl, combine the whole wheat flour and a pinch of salt.
9. Gradually add water and knead the dough until it's smooth and soft. It should be pliable, like the dough for chapati or roti.
10. Divide the dough into equal-sized balls, slightly smaller than the puran balls.
11. Take a portion of the dough and a portion of the puran.
12. Roll the dough into a small disc and place a puran ball in the centre.
13. Carefully seal the edges to completely enclose the filling. Flatten the stuffed ball slightly with your hands.
14. Roll out the stuffed ball gently into a flatbread, ensuring the filling is evenly distributed and doesn't spill out.
15. Heat a griddle or non-stick pan and cook the puran poli on both sides using ghee until it's golden brown and cooked through.
16. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and puran balls.
17. Serve hot Puran Poli with a dollop of ghee.

Recipe by Anuradha Bhawar, Malad