Janmashtami is a much-awaited festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna, who is believed to be the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu on earth. This year, Janmashtami falls on the 18th August. Undoubtedly, Janmashtami is one of the most widely celebrated festivals of the sub-continent. On this auspicious day, devotees wake up early and worship their deity. And when we talk about Janmashtami, it is hard to not mention food.
India is often called the land of festivals and festivals and food go hand-in-hand. Janmashtami has a strong association with food as Lord Krishna said to have a special love for Makhan. Apart from that, there are many traditional dishes that have been an intrinsic part of the Janmashtami celebrations. But there are many dishes that originally were a part of this festival but slowly lost their significance. Here is the list of forgotten dishes that were traditionally prepared during Janmashtami and needs to be revived.
Makhan Samosa
We drool over crunch samosa with a filling of spicy aalo what have you heard of samosa made of white butter or makhan? Yes, these makhan samosas were once made without any fail in Indian households during Janmashtami. These are actually white-butter samosas filled with dry fruit, khoya, gulkand, and saffron. With time, this traditional dessert lost its significance.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp paneer
- ½ tbsp khoya
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- ¼ tsp ghee
- Some almonds and pistachios
- Pinch of cardamom powder
Method
- Take a pan and heat ghee
- Add grated paneer, khoya, sugar, cardamom powder, and chopped pistachios
- Roast all for a minute and set it aside to cool
- Take parchment paper and apply butter in a triangular shape using a spatula
- Allow it to set in a fridge for 20 to 25 minutes
- Add the filling in the center and bring the sides of the butter to overlap the filling
- Refrigerate until firm
- Sprinkle caster sugar on the samosa
- Garnish with almonds and serve
Kheer Puri
We are all aware of what Kheer is. This dessert which is a concoction of rice and milk is an indispensable part of Indian cuisine while puris are a small, round, and deep-fried form of roti. When kheer and puri are served together, form a traditional Janmashtami special dish called kheer-puri. To know how to make kheer and puri, click on the links.
Doodh Peda
Another traditional dessert made especially on Janmashtami is doodh peda. Easy to make, doodh peda is a round and flat sweet made up of condensed, milk powder and garnished with pistachios and almonds. Even today, it is offered to Lord Krishna in ancient temples but still, people have started forgetting about it. Want to know how to make it?
Sago Pakoda
Sago pakoda or sabudana pakoda is a much-loved snack for those observing a fast on Janmashtami. Sabudana pakoda is eaten widely but this kuttu-version of sabudana pakoda is something that we should not miss. These are deep-fried snacks made of sago or sabudana, kuttu (buckwheat flour), chilies, and salt. If you love sabudana, this is a must-try for you this Janmashtami.
Ingredients
- 100 gm sabudana
- 1 cup buckwheat flour
- 2 potatoes
- 2 green chilies
- Chopped coriander
- Half a ginger
- Red chili powder
- ½ cup peanuts
- Salt as per taste
- Cumin powder
- 1 tsp oil
Method
- Soak sabudana overnight or at least for 7 to 8 hours
- Mash potatoes and add into the soaked sabudana
- Add buckwheat flour into the mixture
- Add green chilies, red chili powder, cumin powder, and salt
- Combine the mixture
- Take a pan and add oil
- Make round-flat balls and fry in oil
- Serve with tadka curd or chutney
Mishti Doi
This famous dessert could not be separated from rich Bengali cuisine. Though it is fondly consumed in most parts of the country, it was once made traditionally at the time of Janmashtami. Made with fermented curd, milk, and sugar, this dessert is also offered to Lord Krishna.
Ingredients
- 2 cup milk
- 1 cup curd
- 5 tsp sugar
- 1 green cardamom
Method
- Take a pan and heat milk over medium flame.
- Add sugar and keep stirring
- Reduce it to half and keep it aside
- Take another pan and sugar
- Sprinkle some water and caramelize the sugar
- Once done, add warm milk and warm nicely
- Turn off the flame and let it cool
- Pour the blend into a bowl and add curd with a dash of cardamom
- Whisk the blend, transfer it into a container, and let it sit overnight
- Refrigerate the dish and serve chilled
Let us know if you any other traditional Janmashtami dessert that needs to be revived this Janmashtami.
