Festivals Of India - Janmashtami


JANMASHTAMI

	Janmashtami is a festival that is celebrated with lot of excitement and joy all over India. On this day people make different types of food to please Lord Krishna. The Janmashtami food items are generally made of milk products as Lord Krishna was very fond of milk and milk products. Devotees keep fast the whole day and break it at midnight after the birth of Lord Krishna. Some people observe the fast by going water less the whole day and others take fruits and milk. There are some traditional Janmashtami recipes that is surely made on this day. So here are the different recipes one can make and select from as the festival of Janmashtami once more comes with its different joys and celebrations. The following recipes can be offered to Lord Krishna for Prasadam (or just for yourself). They are 100% vegetarian dishes (free from garlic and onion as well). The festival is dedicated to Lord Sri Krishna to commemorate his birth. The day is also known as Krishnashtami or Gokulashtami. His birthday falls on the eighth day (Ashtami of Krishna Paksh) of a lunar fortnight i.e. 8th day after Raksha Bandhan, hence it is named as (Krishna+ashtami) which comes sometime in August and is celebrated over two days.The first day is Krishnashtami or Gokulashtami. The second day is called Kalashtami or more popularly Janmashtami. At midnight between the first and second day the birth of Lord Krishna is replicated with pomp and ceremony. Delicacies are prepared from milk and curds that Krishna loved. The most popular ceremony of Dahi-handi (breaking a pot full of milk and its derivatives) takes place on the second day. During this ceremony a large earthen pot is filled with milk, curds, butter, honey, fruits etc., and is suspended from a height between 20 to 40 feet. Sporting young men and boys come forward to claim this prize. Lord Krishna's own town of Dwarka comes alive, with major celebrations and hordes of visitors. Most families keep a fast on this day, but one meal is allowed. This is known as phalhar, that consists of fruits, mithai, curd, singhare ki puri. For more information Click here

	List of recipes available
	Kheer / Paya Kaju Paneer Singhare Ki Puri Khichadi	Methi Ki Puri Gopalkala Peda Besan Ke Ladoo


KHEER / PAYA

	Preparation Time :		minutes

	Serves :

	Ingredients :
	Rice Flakes (Poha) - 1 cup Milk - 1 litre Sugar - 1/2 cup Raisins - 10	Saffron strands - 12 Pistachios crushed coarsely - 5 Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
	Method :
	Wash the rice flakes with water and drain the water. Bring to boil the milk. Add rice flakes. Cook till the kheer is semi-solid (or preferred consistency is reached). Add sugar and stir till sugar dissolves. Add remaining ingredients. Serve hot.
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KAJU PANEER

	Preparation Time :		minutes

	Serves :

	Ingredients :
	Paneer - 150 gms Kaju, Cashew nut - 1/2 cup Chopped tomatoes - 3 Chopped ginger - 1'' piece Water - 1 cup	Watermelon seeds - 3 tsp Khus khus - 1 tsp Milk - 1/2 cup Garam masala - 1/2 tsp Salt to taste
	Method :
	Fry 150 gms Paneer till golden. Remove, add in the same oil fry 1/2 cup kajus and keep aside. Cool and grind into a paste. Boil 3 chopped tomatoes, 1" piece chopped ginger with 1 cup water, till tomatoes are soft. Cool and then puree. Soak 3 tsp watermelon seeds and 1 tsp khus khus for 1 min. Grind to paste. Heat 2 tbsp oil and add tomato puree and cook till oil separates. Add 1/2 tsp chilli powder and khus-khus paste and mix. Add 1/2 cup milk gradually, stirring constantly, and cook for 3-4 mins. Add 1/2 tsp garam masala and salt. Add enough hot water to get a thick gravy. Boil and then simmer for 10-12 mins. Add paneer and kaju. Boil once more, simmer for 5-mins till paneer is heated through the serve.
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SINGHARE KI PURI

	Preparation Time :		minutes

	Serves :

	Ingredients :
	Singhare Flour (Kuttu) - 1 cup Oil - 1 tbsp Oregano (Ajwain) Seeds - 2 tsp Coriander Leaves - 1/4 cup Chopped Spinach - 1/4 cup Green chillies, chopped - 2	Potatoes, boiled, mashed - 1/4 cup Red Chili Powder - 1 tbsp Salt according to taste Water for kneading Oil for deep frying
	Method :
	Mix all the mentioned ingredients thoroughly (except oil for deep frying) in the Singhara flour. Add water little by little and make a small puri in your hand. Heat oil in a frying pan & fry puri until dark brown. Repeat this with the rest of the flour mixture and remember make the puris on your palm. This flour is not like the normal flour so do not add too much of water. After mixing all the ingredients take some mixture add water to it so that it comes out in the form of a kneaded small ball. Now take it in your palm and shape it into a puri and deep fry. Serve with Pickle or beaten curd. Can even be served with Aloo ki sabji (potato vegetable).
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KHICHADI

	Preparation Time :		minutes

	Serves :

	Ingredients :
	Rice (washed and soaked 30 minutes) - 1 cup Moong dal (washed and soaked 30 minutes) - 1 cup Channa dal (washed and soaked 30 minutes) - 1 tbsp Bay leaf - 1 Green Cardamoms - 3 Cinnamon - 1" stick Cloves - 3 Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp	Peas shelled - 1/2 cup Carrot, diced - 1 Ginger grated - 1 tsp Green chilies finely chopped - 4 Coriander finely chopped - 1 tbsp Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp Salt to taste Water - 5 cups Ghee - 4 tbsp
	Method :
	Drain dals, rice in a colander and keep aside. Save this water for adding later. Semi crush spices (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves). Heat 3 tbsp. ghee in a large heavy skillet. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, crushed spices, splutter. Add ginger, chillies, stir-fry for a moment. Add potato (with skin), stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add carrots, peas, turmeric, garam masala, salt. Add dals, rice and gently stir-fry for 1 minute. Add water to make drained water 5 cups. Heat well and add to skillet. Stir, bring to a boil, cover and simmer till done. Rice and dals should be done but not overdone. Veggies will get soft and water should be absorbed. Add more water if required in between. When done, pour remaining ghee and sprinkle coriander. Serve piping hot with gravied veggies or kadhi (refer 'khichidis').
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METHI KI PURI

	Preparation Time :		minutes

	Serves :

	Ingredients :
	Wheat flour - 2 cups Fenugreek leaves (methi), finely chopped - 1 cup Salt to taste A pinch of Baking powder A pinch of Turmeric powder	A pinch of asafoetida Green chilies, chopped - 2 Aniseed roasted - 1 tsp Oil for frying Water as required
	Method :
	Sift the flour and salt and mix the rest of the ingredients with 1 tsp. Ghee(clarified butter). Make a soft dough using water and knead well until it forma a soft dough. Divide the dough into equal balls and roll out each ball into a round puri. Heat ghee in a frying pan and fry 1-2 puris at a time until it turns golden brown.
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GOPALKALA

	Preparation Time :		minutes

	Serves :

	Ingredients :
	Beaten Rice - 250 gms Coconut (fresh) - 1 Cucumber - 100 gms Green chillies - 2 Ginger - 1 piece	Ghee - 1 tbsp Jeera - 1 tsp Curd - 50 grams Sugar - 1/2 tsp Salt to taste
	Method :
	Soak Beaten Rice for 10 minutes. Grate the coconut, roughly chop the cucumber & finely chop the green chillies and ginger. Melt ghee in a small pan for the tempering, add the jeera, green chillies and ginger. Pour over the Beaten Rice and add in the remaining ingredients. Mix well.
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PEDA

	Preparation Time :		minutes

	Serves :

	Ingredients :
	Khoya (mawa) - 500 gms Sugar - 300 gms 3 drops colour as required	Pistachios sliced - 10 Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp Cookie mould
	Method :
	Grate khoya. Powder sugar. Mix together in a skillet. Heat on low flame, stirring continuously. Cook till mixture thickens. It should form a very soft lump. Cool for 10 minutes. Add cardamom powder & colour. Mix well. Take a small fistful of mixture. Form a ball. Press into the cookie mould. Turn out carefully. Press 2-3 slices of pista on the centre. Repeat for remaining mixture.
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BESAN KE LADOO

	Preparation Time :		minutes

	Serves :

	Ingredients :
	Gram flour - 3 cups Semolina (rava) - 1/2 cup Milk - 1/2 cup Powdered sugar - 2 cups	Ghee - 1 cup Cardamom powder - 1 tsp Kewra or rose essence (optional) - 2 drops
	Method :
	Put ghee to warm in a heavy pan. Add flour, rava, stir-fry on low flame, stirring continuously with a spatula. This step takes time, so do not roast on high flame, end result will not be good. When flour is golden brown and aroma exudes, take off fire. Add milk, run in a blender for a few seconds till well mixed. Cool, add sugar, cardamom, essence, mix well. Shape into laddoos of desired shape. Cool completely, before storing in airtight container.
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