Undrallu – Ganesha’s Favorite, My Forever Comfort

Firstly, Happy Vinayaka Chaviti to everyone around the world 🌸✨

Undrallu have been my favorite since childhood. I used to wait eagerly for this festival every year, not just to celebrate Lord Ganesha but also because it meant my mom would make these soft little rice balls at home. Of course, undrallu can be made on any day, but having them on Ganesh Chaturthi — his favorite food, as prasadam — always felt extra special.

I would sit patiently while my mom prepared them, waiting for that first bite. She always paired undrallu with kottimera pachadi (coriander chutney). Sometimes lemon juice would be added, sometimes tamarind paste — my mom always preferred tamarind. Either way, it was the perfect match. Once I learned how to make undrallu myself, I never let her touch them again! “My undrallu, my prasadam, my Vinayakudu!” It sounds a little like my life, my rules — but that was the joy of it.

The love for undrallu wasn’t confined to just our home. I used to enjoy them at my atta’s (dad’s elder sister’s) place too. Every home had its own little twist in taste, but the one constant was always love.

Some of my most cherished childhood memories are tied to the celebrations in our apartment. All the families would come together, bring one medium-sized Ganesha idol to our basement, and celebrate with pujas for 5, 7, 9, or sometimes 11 days, until nimajjanam (immersion). I would wait eagerly during every puja, eyeing the prasadam while the priest performed rituals, never content with just one serving 😊.

Every morning before school, I would slip downstairs when no one was around and whisper prayers to Ganesha — asking him to bless me, my family, and yes, to help me pass my exams. Back then, studying felt outdated; praying for marks was the trend! I would come home after exams saying confidently, “I wrote really well!” My sister, who always scored 95+%, would say she could have done better, while I would land somewhere around 75–80% and still stay happy. Looking back, it makes me laugh.

The celebrations weren’t always easy on the heart. While I loved the start of the festival, I couldn’t bear to watch the immersion. Seeing him go away used to bring me tears. At home, however, we brought a smaller clay idol, and after immersing it in a bucket, the water would be poured into plants after it dissolved — completing the cycle beautifully.

Our parents also made us place our books near Ganesha during puja. My sister would carefully bring only her toughest subject books, but me? I carried all my textbooks — just to make sure no subject was left out of Ganesha’s blessings. I even made my own little trades with him: “Help me pass in everything, and I promise I’ll…!”

With time, my love for Ganesha grew beyond the festival, beyond tradition. Somewhere along the way, he became more than just a god to me — he became my brother. I’ve always felt that the more we fear gods, the more distant they feel. But when you talk to them — about problems, about joy, about life itself — you feel they’re not only with you, but also within you.

And undrallu? They will always remind me of that bond.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice rava (coarsely ground rice)

• 2 cups water

• 1 tsp ghee

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 tbsp soaked chana dal (optional)

Instructions:

1. Heat water in a vessel, add salt and ghee.

2. Once water boils, add soaked chana dal and slowly stir in rice rava.

3. Keep stirring to avoid lumps until the mixture thickens and leaves the sides of the pan.

4. Allow to cool slightly, grease palms with ghee, and shape into small round balls.

5. Steam the undrallu in a steamer/idli cooker for 10–12 minutes.

6. Serve hot with kottimera pachadi (coriander chutney).

Srishti’s Secret Tip for the Perfect Plate:

Shape the undrallu while the dough is still slightly warm — they’ll turn out softer and hold their form beautifully. Personally, I would pretty much burn my hands every single time ;)

Srishti’s Healing Tip:

These rice balls are light, gentle on the stomach, and calming for the mind — just like the festival itself, they remind us that simplicity can also be deeply nourishing.

Why You’ll Love This:

Because every bite carries the sweetness of tradition, the comfort of childhood, and the joy of offering something Ganesha himself loves.