Krishna Janmashtami, also known as Janmashtami or Gokulashtami, is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu. An important festival for those who follow the Vaishnav tradition of Hinduism, Janmashtami is observed on the Ashtami of the Krishna Paksha in the Hindu month of Sawan or Bhado. This usually falls in the months of August or September. In 2023, Janmashtami will be celebrated on September 6 or 7 because of muhurat timings.
In India, the biggest Janmashtami celebrations take place in Mathura and Vrindavan, the two places associated with Lord Krishna’s birth and childhood. Janmashtami is also celebrated across the country by people at homes and temples. Celebrations for Janmashtami include fasting for the day, dressing up and worshiping the idol of Lord Krishna and preparing delectable dishes that are favourites of the deity. Of these culinary delights, Lord Krishna’s favourite has always been one thing—butter!
In fact, so in love with butter was Lord Krishna that tales from his childhood are full of incidents where he is stealing freshly churned Makhan or butter from his adoptive mother, Yashoda’s kitchen. That was the origin of his nickname, Makhan Chor. Given that Nanda, Lord Krishna’s foster father, was not only the leader of the Yadavas in Vraja but also a dairy farmer, this affinity for butter, ghee and other milk products that Lord Krishna had makes absolute sense.
Video Credit: YouTube/Kabita's Kitchen
So, this Janmashtami, you can and should celebrate the occasion by whipping up not only some butter at home but also plenty of butter-infused dishes. Here are seven incredibly delicious, vegetarian butter-infused dishes that should be on your Janmashtami festive platter for Lord Krishna as well as your loved ones.
Dal Makhani
Prepared with black gram and kidney beans in a slow-cooked tomato, cream and butter-based gravy, Dal Makhani is one of the most popular North Indian delights. This lentil dish can be described as smooth as butter because of its mildly spiced and melt-in-the-mouth texture. Slow-cooked for hours, this iconic Indian dish should be paired with some scrumptious Butter Naan to celebrate Janmashtami.
Paneer Butter Masala
Paneer, butter and cream—these three milk-based ingredients ensure that Paneer Butter Masala is indeed a dish Lord Krishna will love on Janmashtami. Cubes of fresh paneer are cooked in a tomato-based gravy that is generously infused with cream and butter, then topped with kasoori methi to elevate the flavour further.
Methi Matar Malai
A North Indian winter favourite made with fresh green peas, fenugreek leaves and lots of butter and cream, Methi Matar Malai is the perfect dish to celebrate Janmashtami with. The peas and fenugreek leaves are sauteed with mild spices and chillies, flavoured with cardamoms in butter and cooked until done. Fresh cream is then added to the dish to get a rich, white gravy.
Veg Makhanwala
Prepared in a tomato-based gravy similar to the Makhani sauce, Veg Makhanwala is a symphony of buttery and creamy flavours. Packed with a variety of vegetables like cauliflower, peas, carrots and beans—and occasionally even mushrooms—this dish is mildly spiced and loaded with rich and fresh cream and topped with butter. Veg Makhanwala should be relished with some Butter Naan or fresh rotis coated with butter or ghee.
Butter Seedai
Also known as Uppu Seedai, this butter-loaded dish is specially prepared on Janmashtami in Tamil Nadu. Deep-fried and rich in flavour, Butter Seedai is made with a blend of rice flour, urad dal, coconut and butter, all turned into a flour and roasted in butter. The mix is then knead into a soft dough, shaped into small balls and deep-fried before serving to Lord Krishna.
Peda
Can one even celebrate Janmashtami without this ghee-soaked, melt-in-the-mouth, buttery sweet treat that is Peda? While the best Pedas come from Mathura, you can also make some at home with ghee, butter, mawa, cardamom and sugar or jaggery. Topped with chopped nuts, saffron and edible golden paper, Peda is a must-have treat on Janmashtami.
Besan Laddoo
Another favourite sweet treat that must be on the Janmashtami-special plate for Lord Krishna, Besan Laddoo is a buttery, melt-in-the-mouth laddoo made with roasted gram flour, ghee or clarified butter and sugar. The gram flour is roasted in ghee and cooked with cardamom and sugar until a soft dough is formed. This dough is then shaped into laddoos and garnished with chopped nuts and seeds.