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Gokulashtami 2024, also known as Janmashtami, will be celebrated across India on August 26 this year. This significant Hindu festival marks the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna, who is revered as the eighth avatar of the god Vishnu. On this day, devotees engage in various religious activities to honour Krishna. These include reciting and reading sacred texts, singing devotional songs, and dancing in celebration. Observants also typically fast and offer prasadam (ritual food offerings). The festivities continue until the time believed to be Krishna's birth, making Janmashtami a vibrant and spiritually meaningful occasion for Hindus.
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Lord Krishna’s love for Makhan and dairy products defines the strong association of Janmashtami with food. To honour the occasion and celebrate with joy, here are seven delightful prasadam recipes that you can prepare at home:
Makhan Mishri
Makhan Mishri is the prime part of chappan bhog, which is made as an offering to Lord Krishna and distributed among devotees when they break their fast. Lord Krishna had earned his name as ‘Makhan Chor’, and as part of Gokulashtami celebrations in his honour, devotees recreated the simple but delicious dish of makhan mishri to offer in homage to Lord Krishna to appease him on this auspicious day. To prepare makhan mishri at home, softened fresh butter is whipped until fluffy, then mixed with powdered sugar or mishri and whipped again until thick and smooth. The dish can be garnished with saffron and slivered or powdered nuts as well.
Panjiri
Panjiri is a dish commonly made on Janmashtami in most parts of North India. It is prepared traditionally with wheat flour, ghee, dry fruits, sugar or jaggery, and edible gum. It is known for its rich flavour and nutritional value, often consumed for its energising and health-promoting properties.
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However, dhaniya panjiri is a specific type of panjiri prepared and offered to the Lord on Janmashtami, replacing wheat flour with coriander seed powder as consumption of grains is restricted during the festival. It is a gluten-free, vegetarian sweet treat made as a traditional prasad (offering to deities) that combines roasted dhaniya or coriander powder with ghee, nuts, and spices, enhancing its rich flavour.
The preparation follows a similar method to classic Panjiri, and it is usually served alongside panchamrut after the pooja. This nutritious sweet can be easily scaled up for larger gatherings or regular consumption. Dhaniya Panjiri stands out for its unique use of coriander powder, making it a distinctive and cherished offering during the festival.
Gopal Kala
Gopal kala is an inseparable part of Gokulashtami in Maharashtra., which is a famous prasadam recipe prepared at every household. It is a traditional savoury dish prepared for Janmashtami, combining beaten rice (poha) with a blend of fresh ingredients and spices.
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This quick-to-make dish involves soaking the beaten rice in water for a few minutes until softened, then draining it well. The preparation includes a flavourful tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, cumin seeds, green chillies, and ginger, cooked in ghee. This tempered mixture is then combined with the soaked, beaten rice, along with yoghurt, finely chopped cucumbers, grated coconut, and salt. The dish is garnished with coriander leaves before offering.
Panchamrit
Panchamrit, also known as panchamrutam, is derived from two words where 'panch' means 'five' and 'amrit' or 'amrutam' means nectar of immortality. Panchamrit or charnamrit is Lord Krishna’s favourite drink, and it is prepared with five elements, and each showcases their unique symbol, like ghee for strength, milk for purity, honey for commitment, curd for prosperity, and sugar for sweetness and happiness. It is garnished with tulsi leaves, and devotees also add gangajal in it. It was made as an offering to Lord Krishna and served to devotees while breaking fast that is followed by dhaniya panjiri.
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Makhana Paag
Makhana Paag is yet another simple as well as easy prasadam recipe that you can prepare at home. This rich and delicious sweet can be prepared with four basic ingredients found in the kitchen, which include lotus seeds or makhana, powdered sugar or jaggery, ghee, and coconut. Apart from these, nuts and edible gum can be added to enrich the taste as well. During preparation, start by frying nuts, edible gum, lotus seeds, grated coconut, and melon seeds one after the other in ghee. In another pan, make a thick sugar syrup and fold in the toasted ingredients. Later, spread the mixture on a plate and cut into pieces.
Khoya Peda
In this Gokulashtami, you can prepare khoya peda at home itself to offer as prasadam to Lord Krishna. Khoya peda’s key ingredients that are incorporated in its making are milk, fresh khoya, sugar, milk powder, and dry fruit. To achieve it at home, heat milk in a pan, stirring until it boils and thickens. Mix in sugar, khoya, milk powder, soaked nuts, and cardamom, then roll into balls or pedas once cooled, and garnish with dry fruits if you like.
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Vella Seedai
Vellai Seedai is one of the delicious prasadams and is a traditional South Indian snack made for Gokulashtam, offered in South Indian temples and households to Lord Krishna. To prepare it, rice flour is mixed with a combination of grated coconut, sesame seeds, and a pinch of salt to create a dough. The dough is shaped into small, round balls or discs. A tempering of ghee, cumin seeds, and a touch of hing (asafoetida) is added to enhance flavor. These balls are then deep-fried in hot oil until they turn crisp and golden brown. The result is a crunchy, nutty, and a mildly sweet treat that’s enjoyed during the festival. It can be enriched further with flavourful and fragrant additions like jaggery, cardamom powder and coconut.
