The festival honouring the birth of Lord Krishna is called Janmashtami. One tradition practised by many followers of the idol all around the world involves swinging the idol while reciting mantras at midnight, Lord Krishna’s birth hour. This is also the time for Janmashtami fasting and then breaking the fast with delectable prasad. In Vedic culture, Janmashtami fast food and sweets play a big part and butter is known to be Krishna’s favourite food. In light of this, we shall cover various Janmashtami recipes in this post that can be savoured on this auspicious day.
How is Janmashtami Celebrated?
There are celebrations of Janmashtami around our nation. On this day, people hold a renowned Dahi handi competition in several places. On the other hand, some people may decorate a Lord Krishna cradle and worship it on Janmashtami. Many people observe janmashtami fasting and consume only sweet or savoury meals cooked with sendha namak to commemorate the day.
Along with fasting, the devotees also go to temples to experience the spiritual atmosphere. People from all over the nation travel to Mathura to visit the birthplace of Lord Krishna. Even today, people travel to Gokul and Vrindavan to experience the places that Lord Krishna visited firsthand.
Janmashtami Fast Rules
On Janmashtami, a daylong fast is observed by many people. However, in order to complete the Janmashthami fasting, you must follow particular fasting rules. According to Janmashtami fast rules, you must avoid eating garlic and onions and only consume light dishes.
You can only eat a limited number of ingredients during Janmashtami fasting. Kuttu ka atta, sabudana, rajgira ka atta, sama ke chawal ka atta, and singhade ka atta are a few of these ingredients. However, keep in mind to substitute sendha namak for ordinary salt when preparing delectable Janmashtami recipes with these ingredients. Due to the fact that all Janmashtami recipes call for milk dishes, you can also make a variety of sweet dishes with milk. So, as you observe the fast, abide by these rules.
Healthy Recipes to Try at Home This Janmashtami
Listed below are some of the best recipes you can try for Janmashtami fasting:
- Pumpkin Burfi
Pumpkin burfi is a perfect healthy food recipe. This burfi has a distinctive flavour since it is made using cardamom and saffron as well as grated pumpkin (kaddu), besan (chickpea flour), milk, and jaggery.
Ingredients
- 1 cup chickpea flour
- 1 cup grated pumpkin
- 1-1┬╜ cup jaggery powder (According to your taste)
- ┬╜ cup milk
- ┬╝ to ┬╜ cup melted ghee/clarified butter
- 1 teaspoon green cardamom powder
Method
Sift the chickpea flour (besan). The flour should be added to a pan and lightly roasted over low heat until it releases a pleasant aroma. To get rid of the raw scent, add 1 teaspoon ghee and saut├й the shredded pumpkin separately in a pan for a few minutes. Now add flour, milk, and jaggery powder in a pan with the saut├йed pumpkin. To make sure there are no lumps, thoroughly mix it. Until the mixture begins to thicken, place the pan over medium heat and stir regularly for a few minutes. Now whisk in the ghee while continuing to simmer the heat. You will now notice it bubbling and ghee evaporating from the sides.
Turn off the heat when it becomes thicker. After adding cardamom powder, let it cool. Place the contents on the ghee-greased dish and let them sit there for a while. While it’s still warm, top it with some chopped cashews and muskmelon seeds, then cut it into squares.
- Peanut Ladoo
The prasadam thali includes roasted peanuts as a snack option. However, one method of incorporating them into the prasadam is by using them in laddoos. This recipe yields around 24 bite-sized ladoos.
Ingredients
- 2 cups roasted unsalted peanuts without skin
- 1 cup or ┬╛ cup jaggery
- ┬╜ tsp cardamom powder
Method
Use a food processor to grind the whole, roasted, unsalted, skinless peanuts. Using a mortar and pestle, crush the jaggery into smaller bits. Put the powdered peanuts and jaggery in a bowl and combine them with the cardamom powder and jaggery using a potato masher or a mortar and pestle. With your hands, form balls. These laddoos can be eaten right away or kept in airtight containers to consume later.
- Sabudana Khichdi
The abundance of starch or carbohydrates in sabudana provides you with the much-needed energy boost during a fast. A simple dish called sabudana khichdi is prepared with tapioca pearls, peanuts, green chilies, and ghee.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sabudana (sago)
- 1/2 cup peanut (shelled and coarsely pounded), roasted
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp zeera (cumin seeds)
- 1 sprig kadhi patta (curry leaves)
- 2 tsp sendha namak (white rock salt)
- 1 tbsp hara dhania (coriander leaves)
- 1 tsp green chillies, chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Method
Sabudana should be thoroughly cleaned. Soak for about an hour in water that is about 3 cm above it. Spread for about an hour over a thick cloth after draining in a colander. Because the sabudana will cling together in lumps when cooked, it is crucial that the water drains extremely effectively. Sabudana, peanuts, salt, and chilli powder should be thoroughly combined to coat the fruit well. Curry leaves and cumin seeds are added to heated ghee. When they are aromatic, add the sabudana mixture and stir until thoroughly cooked. It only takes a few minutes. Add the lemon juice after turning off the heat, and stir thoroughly. Add the coriander leaves and green chilies as garnish before serving.
- Sabudana Kheer
Dairy products have a special place in Krishna’s heart. Kheer is one of the many healthy food recipes made with milk during Janmashtami as a prasad and can be enjoyed during the fast as well.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sabudana (tapioca)
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 litre milk
- 4 cardamom pods
- A few saffron flakes
Method
Give the sabudana a 15-minute soak in water. After draining the water, add the sabudana to the milk that has been heated with the sugar and cardamom. Pour in a cup of water. Sabudana should be boiled until it swells and turns transparent. For 10 minutes, let the saffron flakes soak in a 1/4 cup of boiling milk. Add all of it to the boiling milk after mixing to extract colour.
- Makhana Sabji
Similar to sabudana, makhana is a superfood that is rich in healthy carbs. They are a fantastic addition to a fasting diet because they are protein-rich, gluten-free, and will keep you full all day.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Phool Makhana or lotus seeds
- 1/2 cup peas
- 1/2 cup Onion
- 1 Tomato Puree
- 1 cup Red chili powder
- 2 tsp Coriander powder
- 1 tbsp Turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp Oil
- 2 tbsp Salt to taste
- Coriander leaves for garnish
- 1 Garlic
- 5 Ginger 1 inch piece
- 1 tsp Poppy seeds
- 5 Cashew nuts
Method
Warm up a pan with oil. When translucent, add the onion slices. Add the minced ginger and garlic, and cook until the colour just begins to change. Remove the pan from the heat, add the poppy seeds and cashews, and stir-fry in the pan’s heat. Allow it to totally cool. Transfer to a blender jar, stir in a little water, and process until a smooth paste forms. Place aside.
When a pan is warm, add the phool makhana (lotus seeds) and roast until they are crisp over a low flame. Put aside on a dish after transfer. When the oil in the pan is hot, add the cumin seeds and watch them sizzle. When it turns pink, add finely chopped onions and continue to cook.
Add the onion paste that has been ground, stir well, and simmer it for two minutes on low heat. Mix well after adding the tomato puree, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and turmeric powder. For four to five minutes, cook the pan with a lid on low heat until the oil separates. Add fresh peas, salt, and 1/2 cup water, stir thoroughly, cover, and cook for an additional four minutes. After adding the roasted phool makhana and simmering for one minute, turn off the stove. As the phool makhana cools, the water will be absorbed and the gravy will thicken. If you’re cooking this phool makhana curry ahead of time, add the makhana right before serving. Serve hot with chapatis and garnish with coriander leaves.
Conclusion
Try out these nutritious Janmashtami recipes and indulge in a guilt-free feast on Janmashtami in moderation. Please let us know in the comments which one you liked best!
