Varan Bhaat
The festive month is here in India and everyone has started preparing various types of sweets and savory delicacies. Tomorrow we all will be celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi and all Hindus in Goa will eat pure veg food i.e. food without onion and garlic. The otherwise fish eating Goans are very strict when the festivals are celebrated and don’t even consider keeping onions and garlic in the house. Especially during Ganesh Chaturthi, when Lord Ganesha comes home.
Different types of dishes are made and offered to Lord Ganesha as neivedyam. After offering it to the Lord, we all people in the house eat the food which is considered as Prasad or Prasadam. Ganesh Chaturthi is the biggest festival in Goa and people celebrate it very religiously. It starts from the first day i.e. Gauri Pooja and continues till the last day of Ganesh Chaturthi.
Some people keep Ganesha in house for 1 and ½ days, some for 5 days, some keep it for 11 days and finally some keep it till 21 days. Throughout this time, people perform Pooja, sing Aarthis, and offer Neivedyam 2 times a day. People even burst crackers like how they do during Diwali. 1 week before the festival starts, the ladies at home start making sweets like Nevri or Karanji, Modaks ,ladoos,Shankar Pale,Chakri,etc. Pack and send it as vajje to their daughters and sisters homes.
The recipe that I am sharing today “Varan” is an authentic Goan recipe that we make specially during festivals and other special occasions. Not all types of food can be offered as Neivedyam to God. But varan is one such recipe which can be offered as Neivedyam. Some people add curry leaves while tempering, but in my house we don’t add curry leaves to this recipe.
Ingredients: Prep. Time: 20 Min’s, Serves: 2
4 tbsp. toor dal
1 green chili
6 tbsp. grated coconut
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
For Tempering:
2 tbsp. clarified butter / Desi ghee
Pinch Of Asafoetida
1 tsp cumin seeds
Procedure:
Pressure cook the toor dal and green chili together by adding 1 cup water.
Grind grated coconut, turmeric powder and cumin seeds by adding 1 cup water into a thin gravy.
In another kadai/wok, add clarified butter and when it heats add cumin seeds and asafoetida.
After the cumin seeds flutter, add the grinded gravy and pressure cooked dal.
Add salt to taste. Simmer for 10 Min’s.
Note:
Serve with hot steamed rice.
Some people add curry leaves while tempering. This is optional.
Serve with hot steamed rice.
Some people add curry leaves while tempering. This is optional.
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