Gowri Ganesha..... and memories of 'GANPATI KOODSIDDIRA?"

Hello Everybody,,,, It has been a long absence , and I have started missing my blogging a bit too much. I am not able to do it partly because my camera is in trouble and mostly because I am not cooking much at all. Will start my experiments with food soon, I hope.

Hope all of you had a very lovely Ganesh Chaturthi...I have been travelling down the memory since the preparations begun for this festival in my house here in Mysore... (this time fortunately I was in town for the festive season). This particular festival brings the sleepy town of Mysore to life just before the major Attraction the Dasara Mahotsava.I was a bit disappointed to see much was not happening .. Everybody were mostly to their own . But come evening on Wednesday... I was really happy to see many people visitng and we were invited too. Atleast felt it was really the FESTIVE SEASON.

For us Gowri and Ganesh festivals was all about socialising , visiting other peoples houses...
The preparations would begin 15 to 20 days before,..The Ganesh Chaturthi is donned in Mysore by the 'MYSORE SILK GOWRI GANESHA SALE". As far as I remember my mother and aunts would wait for this notice and this marked the beginning of Festive season for me!!!!!!

Then begins the collecting money procedure.Each locality having its own Ganesh murthy... collections would be used to buy the idol, prepare the prasad... BLaring soundsystem which would make lives of many senior citizens miserable... yet was fun!!!! the whole morning it would be devotional songs and come evening.. the place would be full of movie songs the next day.This celebration is lost unfortunately, not to be seen except for in one or two places. ...seems like people int he locality barely know each other.The best thing I noticed was that many people had gone in for the eco friendly GAnesh Moorty made of only Clay.

Going back to my times, the pooja in the house would be finished with sumptuous lunch the list is really tempting..Just close your eyes for a moment and imagine a bustling house.. tempting lunch served on the banana leaves including the wonderful dishes like Karigadubu,Kai Holige , Obbattu and Modaka Not to mention the palya, payasa and chitraanna. After such a lunch... the kids of the street would gather at four in the evening .... on Ganesh chaturthi.. in our best (ofcourse new and usually the Zari langa and blouse) attire..with a huge bowl of Akshate (It is rice coloured red or yellow).
This custom of visiting houses asking "Ganpati koodsiddira??? (Have you had Ganpati in your house ? is the vague translation) and would get Charpu (yummy goodies of different sorts) is really amazing. The children would go to each and every house in almost the whole locality and end up with a bagful of goodies.. mainly of chaklis, sweet dishes and fruits... The idea behind this is to see 101 idols of lord Ganesha and as well as making aquintances. My grandmother always used to say that people would be busy in a normal and this was one way of visiting thier houses and get to know them..I miss those days!!I miss the stressfree and happy childhood. The festive atmosphere and comradiere was not there anymore I felt... very few kids, count of fingers came home... but the spirit remains. I was very happy when my daughters said they would love to do it.I hope the next year they have the same enthusiasm.

Here is the recipe for Karigadubu, I hope to put in the picture as soon as my camera is done with its treatment.. Till then probably it will be only recipes...

KARIGADUBU

INGREDIENTS:
For the outer covering.

1 cup Fine Rava ( fine semolina)

1/4 cup All purpose flour (Maida)

2 spoons of Ghee (clarified butter)

Water enough to mix

Oil for Deep Frying


For the filling

Half a cup of Sugar Powdered

Half a cup Dessicated Coconut or shredded Copra

1 tsp Powdered Elaichi/Cardamom

Dryfruits can be added for extra taste. (Almonds, Cashewnuts and raisans and be finely chopped and roasted in very little ghee)


Method:

Mix all the ingredients for the covering just adding enough water to make a stiff dough; The dough should not be too think and a bit thick. Knead well and let it aside for about 15 mintues.Keep it covered.

In a bowl, mix the ingredients for the filling , add sugar according to the taste...it is optional to mix the dry fruits mixture.


Take the dough meant for covering . Take small balls enough to roll out into one reasonable sized pooris. Place the filling in the middle of poori in a straight line.
Now the tricky part.The sealing of the puris to give the the typical shape.
Seal them with some milk... and twist a bit so that the filling doesnt come out into the oil while deep frying.

Deep fry the karigadubu in hot oil at medium heat till they are golden brown in colour.Do not fry on high heat.It spoils the taste.
Let the kadubus dry and then store them in air tight container... Enjoy with lunch or just as a evening snack..

Jai Ganesh deva...
ciao from me now... hopeful of a picture soon.