Traditional Goan food for Ganesh Chaturthi: Ukdiche Modak, Khatkhate and more

Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Ganesh Utsav is a 10-day festival celebrating the birth of the elephant-headed deity Lord Ganesh. Though it is celebrated with great fanfare now, not many know that in modern times, the festival started gaining popularity only after 1893 when Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak turned it into a mass-celebration event, the primary intent being to invoke a sense of nationalism against the British rule.
In Goa, Ganesh Chaturthi predates the Kadamba era (960-1318 AD). During the Portuguese Inquisition, all Hindu festivals were banned but the devout still celebrated it within the confines of their homes. Here, Ganesh is worshipped by making dekhavas (displays) in most village houses. In Marcel and Cumbharjua, the tradition takes centrestage with families and groups crafting the most captivating displays. The streets are resplendent with vibrant lights and decorations, while the air reverberates with devotional songs. Besides the village of Marcel, one of the best places to celebrate Chaturthi is Rannyanche Juvev (North Goa), a village comprising 30-35 houses. All the houses on this island create a diorama based on Indian mythology and should be on every Chaturthi visitor’s bucket list.
Here are the Goan Chaturthi-special dishes.
Modak has its roots in ancient India, dating back to the time of Lord Ganesh’s birth. According to legend, Lord Ganesh’s mother, Goddess Parvati, created modak as an offering to her son. The sweet dumpling is made with rice flour, coconut, and jaggery and either steamed or fried. The dumpling’s shape represents the universe, with the sweet filling signifying the joy and happiness that Lord Ganesh brings. Ukdiche Modak, a steamed dumpling, is an essential Goan sweet for the festival. These days, however, the Modak comes in various fillings including chocolate, pistachio, mawa, mango, and occasionally rolled in either sesame seeds, coconut or chocolate.
Also known as Neureos, nevri is a crescent-shaped deep fried sweet made of whole wheat flour or maida and stuffed with grated coconut, jaggery and dry fruits. Resembling the north Indian ghujiya, it is a Goan version of the Maharashtrian karanji. No purist will ever fill a nevri with desiccated coconut, it has to be freshly grated coconut. The first batch of nevris are always set aside as an offering to the deity. In some households, the nevri is also made with roasted gram flour and spices such as asafoetida, turmeric and red chilli powder. It is customary for a new bride’s parents to send a platter of nevris to the groom’s family on Ganesh Chaturthi. In Goa, the nevri is also offered to Baby Jesus on Christmas and made during Shigmo, a festival heralding Spring.
Moong (whole green beans) Gaathi is a popular dish in Goan cuisine, particularly during Ganesh Chaturthi. Moong sprouts are considered a symbol of prosperity and good fortune, making this dish a significant offering to Lord Ganesh. The Moonga Gaathi is a savoury, soupy dish made with moong sprouts in coconut gravy tempered with mustard seeds and curry leaves. It is a satvic dish made without onion and garlic and the addition of tamarind and jaggery gives it a very unusual taste.
Literally, ‘mixing’ in Konkani, Khatkhate is a medley of vegetables cooked together in a rich, coconut-based gravy. The key ingredients include pumpkin, colocasia root (known as mundli in Goa), raw banana, radish, and carrot, corn on the cob, drumstick, potato, and yam (suran in Konkani). As a rule, Khatkhate must have at least five vegetables along with grated coconut, jaggery, kokum, turmeric powder, red chilli and tepphal, a pepper grown in the Konkan region.
Interestingly, Khatkhate is also a common surname in the Goan Hindu community.
Also called Shakkarpara, Murali, Khurma, Lakdi mithai, Shankarpali is a sweet snack made with maida dough, fried, coated in sugar syrup and left to crystallise. In north India, it is a very common Diwali sweet, though a lot of people prefer the savoury version. Mostly known as Lakdi (stick) and lactoe, Shankarpali is hugely popular within the Indian diaspora in Fiji and Guyana.
Think of it as kheer (rice pudding). Borrowing its name from payas (literally, milk), this traditional dish is also called dudhacho payas or tandlacho payas. Made with rice, milk, sugar, dried fruits and nuts, payas is served as a prasad (offering) during Ganesh Chaturthi. Originally made with short-grain rice, sabudana (tapioca) is added for a thicker texture.
Another version of the payas is Mangane that is made using chana dal (split chickpeas), sabudana (sago or tapioca pearls), coconut milk, jaggery and cashew nuts.