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Janmashtami is an important Hindu festival that marks the birth of Lord Krishna. It is celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion. On this day, the devotees observe fast for the day, and then, after offering prayer to Lord Krishna at midnight, they break the fast with the prasad called Chhapan Bhog (56 dishes), which is prepared for the deity.
According to the Hindu calendar, it falls on the eighth day of the Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrapda. This year, Janmashtami will be celebrated on September 6 and 7. If you are also fasting and looking for some traditional delights to celebrate Janmashtami, here are the top fifteen dishes to try:
Gopalkala
This unique and delicious recipe belongs to the state of Maharashtra. Made with beaten rice, cucumbers, green chillies, and coconut, gopalkala is very similar to curd rice. This savoury dish is extremely nutritious and is one of the main offerings to Lord Krishna. You can also add homemade fresh cream to the dish to enhance its taste.
Makhane Ki Kheer
Makhana, or fox nuts, are an essential food item for several Hindu festivals like Navratri, Ekadashi, and Janmashtami. It is highly nutritious and can be used to make a variety of dishes. To prepare makhane ki kheer, all you need is milk, ghee, sugar, and makhana. You can also make it more delicious with cardamom, saffron, and cashews.
Shrikhand
Shrikhand is a popular dessert that is enjoyed all over the country, especially in the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. Prepared with hung curd, yoghurt, saffron, sugar, and cardamom, this rich and creamy delight gives a cooling and refreshing sensation with every spoonful you eat.
Panchamrit
As the name suggests, panchamrit is made with five ingredients. It is considered a holy drink and is part of many pujas and festivals. This prasad is specially made with milk, curd, ghee, honey, and sugar. There is no special effort required to prepare panchamrit; all you have to do is assemble all the ingredients and be done.
Makhan Mishri
We all know Lord Krishna loved Makhan very much. So, how can we miss this food item on Janmashtami? Makhan mishri is very easy to prepare and can be ready within five minutes. All you need to do is mix white butter with some coarsely ground mishri (rock sugar), and it is ready to be distributed as prasadam.
Rava Laddoo
Laddoos hold great importance in India. Be it good news or a festival, they are always the first preference for celebrations. There are many types of laddoos popular in India, such as motichoor, rava, and besan. Rava laddoo is mainly prepared during festivals like Diwali, Janmashtami, and Ganesh Chaturthi. It is made with semolina, sugar, ghee, and ground cardamom.
Sabudana Khichdi
Apart from makhana, sabudana is another well-known vrat-friendly ingredient. Also known as tapioca pearls, they give you an instant boost of energy. Sabudana khichdi is made with tapioca pearls, whole spices, peanuts, and potatoes. You can also garnish this healthy and savoury dish with curry leaves.
Singhare Ki Poori
Singhara atta, also known as water chestnut flour, is an excellent source of healthy carbs and is also gluten-free. This poori is made with singhara atta, green chillies, cumin, and boiled potatoes. It provides an instant energy boost and goes well with all kinds of Sattvik curries, like vrat wale aloo.
Rajgira Paratha
Rajgira, or amaranth, is a superfood that is packed with various vital nutrients, including protein and fibre. This paratha is made using Rajgira atta, potato, ghee, ginger, rock salt, and yoghurt. It has a sweet and nutty taste and goes well with dahi aloo, aloo jeera, suran ki sabji, and sweet potato sabji.
Lauki Kheer
Since it’s the season of bottle gourds, why not try some lauki kheer? Packed with a good amount of water and nutrients, lauki is usually enjoyed in savoury dishes like paratha and sabji, but this unique dessert is surely going to steal your taste buds. Made with very few ingredients like bottle gourd, milk, sugar, and ghee, this kheer can be garnished with your favourite dry fruits and nuts.
Panjiri
Panjiri is a very nutritious dish that is filled with the goodness of ghee and nuts. It is specially made during Krishna Janmashtami and is known for boosting immunity. It is prepared by roasting wheat flour in ghee and adding dry fruits and spices like cumin, coriander, dry ginger powder, fennel, etc.
Kuttu Ki Khichdi
Khichdi is a comforting dish that is loved all over the country. To prepare kuttu ki khichdi, the main ingredients are buckwheat, potato, raw peanuts, ghee, ginger, sugar, cumin seeds, green chillies, and coriander leaves. This dish is easy to prepare and provides energy during fasting days.
Vrat Aloo
Vrat wale aloo is another popular food for fasting days. This quick and easy dish goes well with all kinds of pooris and parathas. Prepared with boiled potatoes, rock salt, and a few spices like cumin, it is simple yet very delicious. You can enjoy it for breakfast or dinner on regular days as well.
Badam Halwa
Badam ka halwa is a rich and creamy dessert that is very popular in the southern part of India. Made with almonds, sugar, ghee, and cardamom, this rich and delicious halwa can be prepared within half an hour. In states like Karnataka, it is also served during weddings and other ceremonies.
Sweet Potato Rabri
Rabri is basically a thickened, sweetened milk that has layers of malai, or cream, on it. To prepare this vrat-friendly version of rabri, you need grated sweet potato, full-fat milk, sugar, saffron, and cardamom. It is gluten-free and can also be garnished with almonds and pistachios.
