Tags
Cracked wheat, Dalia, Durga Puja, Gud, Jaggery, Navratri, Wheat
Navratri has always been kind of a big deal in our family. Our kulswamini, or the patron deity of our clan, is Kolhapurchi Amba Bai – the goddess Mahalaxmi who resides in the city of Kolhapur of Maharashtra. Every year, for 10 days and 9 nights, she visits us and our home is filled with a different kind of energy. She is our goddess and she must be treated befittingly. So the 10 days are a whirl of poojas and lustily sung hymns and of course, feasts.
We are not a very religious family (me least of all), but the navratri utsav is a tradition handed down through the generations and my parents carry the mantel with great pride and care. The preparations begin many days in advance – every nook and corner must be scrubbed clean, fresh curtains must be hung, the linen must be fresh, flowers must be arranged for the daily rituals and elaborate meals must be prepared everyday for this most important of all guests that comes but once a year.
It is this time of the year that makes me the most nostalgic. Oh how I long to drop everything else to be at home celebrating! How I miss the endless lists my mother makes – for menus and groceries and guests. How I miss the evening aarti – the full throated rendition of my most favourite hymn of all times, where everyone must sing the chorus even louder, so that even our neighbours will tell us the next day – we heard your evening aarti:
Udo Bola Udo Amba Bai Maaoolicha Ho
Udokare Garjati, Kaay Mahima Varnu Ticha Ho
(Hail the mother Amba Bai, Hail her as loudly as you can, for what words do we have to speak of Her greatness)
Oh and how can I not miss the food? Can you believe that in 10 days of feasting, not one item on the menu is repeated (That’s my mother for you, even though tradition doesn’t mandate it)?! Oh, there is one exception – Gharge, which must be made on the first and the last day. The funny thing about this dish is, it is never prepared at any other time of the year. But why, we always ask, and there never is a satisfactory answer. That’s just how it is, we are always told. What that translates into is – you won’t get any, unless you go home for the festival. (We did however convince mom to bend this rule the last time we visited India).
So the Gharge are synonymous with Navratri in my mind, and this year I decided to have a crack at them. They are my kind of sweet – not too sweet, just right to have more than one at a time. The recipe is deceptively simple, but many things can go wrong, so when you try to make them, be sure to read the notes below for the pitfalls to watch out for.
Makes : 10
Prep Time : 1 Hour
WHAT YOU NEED
1 cup Dalia / Cracked Wheat (fine)
Gud / Jaggery – equal weight as the dalia
2 cups water plus more if needed
Oil to deep fry
Ghee to grease
WHAT YOU DO
- Measure out the dalia and then weigh it. Take an equal amount of jaggery by weight. Using a mortar and pestle, crush it so that no large pieces remain. In a mixing bowl, mix the water and jaggery and stir until fully dissolved.
- In a thick bottomed pot, heat the jaggery solution until it is about to break into a boil and then add the dalia, slowly, stirring continuously so that no lumps are formed.
- Cover and let cook until all the water is absorbed, stirring once or twice to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom. Check if the dalia is cooked, and if needed, add more hot water, until the dalia is fully cooked.
- Remove from heat and let cool. Once the dalia is cool enough to handle comfortably, remove it into a bowl greased with ghee.
- Apply ghee to your hands, and knead the dalia well, until pliant.
- Heat oil in a deep pan for frying. Make lemon sized balls of the dalia dough and flatten between your palms, making sure there are no cracks. Deep fry until a lovely caramel-brown colour is achieved.
- Cool to room temperature and serve.
MY NOTES
It is necessary to take a flat bottomed pot to cook the dalia, or it is certain to stick to the bottom. As an added measure, I always place the pot on a tava / flat griddle.
The amount of water required depends on the size of the dalia grain, so always keep extra hot water at hand.
Kneading well is the trick to make sure the gharge don’t develop cracks and break apart during frying, so make sure to knead well for a few minutes. No shortcuts! Another thing to keep in mind is to make sure the oil is nice and hot so that the outer layer gets sealed quickly or the gharge might still fall apart!
Aruna Panangipally said:
What a lovely dish! I have never heard of it but your golden brown Gharge make me want to try it NOW!
Rashmi said:
Do try it! A happy vijayadashami to you 🙂
Aruna Panangipally said:
Vijaya Dashami Shubhaakankshalu, Rashmi! I will always cherish the memories of visiting Kolhapur Mahalakshmi temple during Navratri three years ago. What a divine time!
Chaitra said:
Looks yummy! The crust looks so perfectly crisp.
Enjoyed reading the nostalgia woven into the post! 🙂
Rashmi said:
You missed it… Ma had made these in Pune too!
Meena Bhate said:
Rashmi, nice to see you on the blog! I have eaten gharges for so many years but never tried. I will make now as you have made it look like ‘easy to make’!
Rashmi said:
Thanks Meena Maushi! I’m sure yours will turn out even better…
criticinme said:
More than the process of making, i liked the description of the event… khupach sunder…!!
Rashmi said:
Thanks Sarang! Where did you suddenly come across this old post?
criticinme said:
Aga mi majhya WordPress cha blog war ek juni post wachat hoto… suggested items madhe tujha blog disla…ani ekdum ha post wachla …khup mast watla wachun…ani to Singapore noddles wala pan post wachla…mi khupach nostalgic jhalo to post wachun…karan tumchya tya junya ghari agadi lahanpani mi khupda yeun gelo aahe…I still remember that house very well..baher chi osari…madhli room…tya shejari tujya eka bhavachi room maage kitchen…sagala aathavala…apla stamp collection pan aathvala…eka post ni maanus kuthlha kuthe jaato…your style of writing is so lively…agadi samor basun bolyasarkha…tujha ani tujhya maitrinicha dusra blog pan wachla about books… chaan ahe …keep it up..!!!
Rashmi said:
Agdi kharay! Ani Nagpurchya itkya duur rahun jastich nostalgic hota… I’m glad you remember the old house so well. That’s how these places stay alive. Kiti motha angan hota gharachya chari bajula… some areas were pretty wild, kiti maja yaychi tithe khelayla. Kiti zada… kiti fula… almost jungle hota. Btw, maze stamp collection thavlay kuthe tari nagpurla. Next winter nagpurla jaiin tevha shodhun kadhayla pahije.
criticinme said:
Majhi pan file ahe mi sambhalun thevli aahe punyala…tula tujhi milali ki foto pathavshil…tyacha