After Rakhi and Independence Day, we are gearing up for another festive weekend. This year, Janmashtami would be celebrated on 30th August. Janmashtami is one of the most significant Hindu festivals that is being celebrated since centuries. The festival marks the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna, the eighth incarnation or Lord Vishnu. While the entire country celebrates the festival with much pomp and fervour, but if you happen to be in the city of Mathura or Vrindavan during this time, you are in for a ride. All temples dotting the cities are decorated with flowers. People wake up early and prepare special prasad for their ‘Baal Gopal’ (little Krishna idols). You may have heard of the famous ‘chappan bhog’, where Lord Krishna is offered an assortment of 56 dishes. Well, it is okay if you cannot make all 56 items this year, you can still make a few and make Janmashtami festivities special.
Here are five Janmashtami-Special Prasads You Can Make At Home This Year:
1. Panjiri
One of the most widely prepared Janmashtami Prasads, Dhaniya Panjiri is a dry-mix of dry coconut, almonds, makhana, cashew, powdered sugar etc. In addition to being yummy, Panjiri is very healthy too.
2. Makhan Mishri
The legends of ‘Makhan chor’ are etched in all of our memories. This Janmashtami, prepare this two-ingredient prasad to please Lord Krishna. All you need is equal parts white butter and sugar crystals. Mix them up well and you are good to go.
3. Peda
Besides being the birthplace of Lord Krishna, Mathura is also known for its delectable pedas. Made with powdered sugar, wheat flour, cardamom and oodles of ghee, this fudge-like sweet is truly worth trying.
4. Gopalkala
It is true that the typical Janmashtami fare is dominated by ‘mithai, peda, kheer et al’, but that does not mean that savoury items do not find a place here. Gopalkala is a savoury, mushy mix made of poha, curd, grated cucumber, coconut, green chillies. Mix them all together and garnish with coriander leaves.
5. Kheer
This is arguably one of the easiest recipes on our list, and when prepared with a little bit of devotion, it turns out to be even more delicious. A beloved festive staple, kheer is a milk pudding made with rice and milk, you can also replace rice with makhana if you want, and use jaggery to sweeten the dessert instead of refined sugar.