The list of Ganesha's favourite food is inexhaustible. But, the best part is most of them are simple preparation and effortless. Every year, around Ganesh Chaturthi, Hindu household kitchens prepare an impressive spread of delicacies for their beloved Lord Vinayak. This festival symbolises His rebirth and represents new beginnings. Celebrators across the country make all that He is fond of to express their love for Him. Do you know that even puffed rice can appease him? And there is a legend associated with it.
Legend of Ganesha's fondness for puffed rice
Puffed rice, Image Credit: izzycooking.com
This story comes from the Shiva Purana. According to lore, once Ganesha was invited to a feast by the opulent Kubera. The Elephant-Head God devoured the entire meal but still wasn't satisfied. Kubera was getting petrified watching this. Shiva came to his rescue and advised him to offer some puffed rice to Ganesha with utmost devotion and goodwill. Ganesha's appetite is ultimately satisfied when Kubera heeds this counsel, demonstrating that the lord Ganapati enjoys a post-meal snack just as much as the rest of us do.
The humble puffed rice
Puffed rice is one of the most basic yet delicious food. It has been a staple snack for various regions of our country. These are made from a particular rice variant tossed on heated sand. Earlier it used to be prepared at home. With urbanisation, puffed rice is no more a homemade item. Of course, a few pockets of rural India take care of its production. Meanwhile, puffed rice is easily and cheaply available in the cities markets. Apart from being used as savoury snacks, it can make a few variants of sweets.
For Ganesh Chaturthi, 2022, how about preparing puffed rice laddoos for the Lord? Also called pori urundai, murmura laddoo and murmure ke ladoo; it is a traditional Indian sweet. For sweetening, either sugar or jaggary is used. While the former is known for its taste, the latter scores high on health benefits. The pori urundai or murmura laddoo is prepared with jaggery. Use only fresh and super crisp puffed rice to get the best results. Likewise, go for sticky and dark jaggery for this dish.
Puffed Rice Laddoo
Murmura Laddoo, Image Credit: poonambachhav.blogspot.com
Ingredients
- 3 cup puffed rice (300 gram)
- 250 gram jaggery
- 1 tsp pure ghee
Method
- Heat a pan and dry roast the puffed rice, keeping the flame low. Keep stirring till it turns crisp. Remove from the heat.
- Take an oversized wok and heat the ghee.
- Add the jaggery, and by keeping the flame on simmer, stir the jaggery
- constantly until it melts.
- After a while, it will become frothy.
- To check the desired consistency, pour a drop of this syrup into a bowl of water. If the droplet turns into a supple ball, then it's perfect.
- Switch off the flame. And slowly blend in the roasted puffed rice. '
- Be gentle while mixing, ensuring the murmura is evenly coated in the jaggery syrup.
- Without letting the mixture cool down, start rolling the laddoos. To do this, grease your palm with ghee.
- You can add green cardamom powder for additional aroma while making the jaggery syrup.
Offer these effortless laddoos to your dear Lord Ganesha.
