India, Sept. 9 -- Why settle for artificial food colours when the ingredients in your kitchen can create beautiful shades for your modaks? This Ganesh Chaturthi, give the festive sweet a natural palette - from soft pinks and yellows to greens, blues and earthy browns.

"Natural colours bring a softer, more nuanced look to modaks, and they can make the sweet feel more artisanal and festive without looking artificial," says food stylist, chef and author Sheeba de Souza.

The idea is to let the ingredients shine rather than chase perfect, neon-bright hues. But which ingredients work best, and how do you use them without changing the texture or overpowering the flavour? Here's all you need to know.

There's plenty to work with, depending on t...