Janmashtami 2021: From Gopalkala to Mathura ka Pedha, try these delicious food recipes

New Delhi: Janmashtami is the festival that marks Shri Krishna's birthday, who is believed to be the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu is today (August 30). Krishna devotees all across the globe observe fast, sing his songs and pray to him seeking his blessings. The festival also marks the preparation of scrumptious treats like Pedha, Gopalkala, Coconut burfi among other things.

Check out the recipes for some treats that you can prepare at home.

Gopalkala

The yummy Gopalkala has an endearing story from the life of Shri Krishna behind it.  According to the Puranas, after grazing cattle with his cowherd friends, Krishna would have lunch with them where he would mix all the available food together into a mixture or ‘kala’.

Gopalkala recipe is as follow:

Ingredients:

• 1 Fresh Coconut (grated)

• 250 gms broken Rice

• 1/2 inch Ginger (finely chopped)

• 1/2 tsp Sugar

• 60 gms Curd

• 2 Green Chillies (finely chopped)

• 100 gms Cucumber (finely chopped)

• 1 tbsp Ghee

• 1 tsp Jeera

• Salt to taste

Procedure:

• Soak the rice in water for about 15 minutes.

• Heat ghee in a frying pan.

• Saute jeera, ginger and green chillies in ghee.

• Pour this mixture over soaked rice.

• Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Mathura ka Pedha

Pedha is a very popular sweet dish prepared from ‘mawa’. It is said to have originated in Lord Krishna’s birthplace Mathura.

Check out a detailed Mathura ka Pedha recipe from chef Sanjeev Kapoor:

Mishri Makkhan

Lord Krishna loved dairy products and was fondly called ‘Makhan chor’ by Gopi’s as he would steal white butter made by them. ‘Mishri Makkhan’ is a dish made from white butter and mishri or sugar. 

Check out Mishri Makkhan recipe:

Ingredients:

250 gms fresh cream/malai stored in the refrigerator

100 gms of Mishri

Method:

Pour the fresh cream in the jar.

Put the lid tightly on the jar now.

Shake until the butter forms up

Take an empty vessel and put a fine sieve on top

Now pour the mixture into the sieve.

The butter will remain in the sieve while the liquid will flow down.

The alternative way is to pour the entire cream into a mixer and whip it for a couple of minutes. The butter will form in a lump. Transfer in another container and refrigerate. Offer it to the little Lord along with Mishri.

Coconut Burfi 

Coconut Burfi is another staple sweet dish that is prepared to celebrate Kanha ji’s birthday. 

Check out its recipe:

Ingredients:

2-3 cups of scraped coconut shreds

1 cup of sugar

1 tbsp of ghee

1/2 tsp cardamom powder

1-1/2 cups of water

2 tbsp of milk

Method: 

Put coconut shreds in a heated pan and fry it for some time. After the coconut milk moisture looks settled a bit, remove it.

Then, boil water in another container. Add sugar and stir till it boils. Add the milk to the boiling sugar syrup, add the fried coconut shreds to it.

Stir till the coconut and sugar syrup are blended properly. You can now add ghee and cardamom powder.

When the mixture turns thick, place it on a plate with ghee smeared over it.

Flatten the surface evenly with the help of an oiled flat slice.

Cut into squares or any shape of your own choice once it turns cold.

Your dish is ready to be served.

Hope these recipes come in handy this festive season.

Happy Janmashtami to our readers!