Janmashtami Recipes For The Beloved Makhan Chor

Food and fasting on Janmashtami

It’s a week past Raksha Bandhan , and it is almost time for Lord Krishna’s ardent devotees to celebrate his birth on Krishna Janmashtami. Joyous devotees mark the auspicious day by observing fasts, staying up all night, and performing prayers. But like all festivals, Janmashtami doesn’t pass by without an array of dishes, savories, and sweets. After all, Lord Krishna is known to have relished a wide variety of foods .

Here are a few curated recipes for you to try this Janmashtami.

GopalKala

Courtesy Kapil Dubey, Executive Chef, The Leela Gandhinagar

GopalKala is a traditional dish prepared during Janmashtami. It’s a simple and delicious offering made with yogurt, flattened rice (poha), and various other ingredients. This traditional sweet not only delights with its rich flavor but also carries a beautiful cultural legacy, making it a perfect dish for Janmashtami celebrations.

Ingredients

• 2 cups poha (flattened rice)
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1/4 cup grated coconut
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped cucumber
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped green chilies
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon ghee
• Salt to taste
• Sugar to taste
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh fruits (like banana, pomegranate, and grapes – optional)
• Few curry leaves

Method

• Rinse the poha under running water until it becomes soft. Drain the excess water and keep it aside.
• In a mixing bowl, add the softened poha, yogurt, grated coconut, chopped cucumber, green chilies, and coriander leaves. Add salt and a little sugar to taste. Mix everything well.
• Heat ghee in a small pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
• Add cumin seeds and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds until aromatic.
• Pour the tempering over the poha mixture and mix well.
• Optionally, you can add finely chopped fresh fruits for extra flavor and nutrition.
• Garnish with more coriander leaves if desired.

Besan Laddu

Courtesy Subhankar Chitrakar, Bakery Chef, Taj Holiday Village Resort & Spa

Ladoo is more than a sweet; it is a celebration of flavors and textures. A good laddu is like a warm hug for the soul, reminding me of my mother. What better dish to prepare on Janmashtami, when lord Krishna was born and we witnessed the motherly love of Yashoda?

Ingredients

• Chana Besan 500 grams (the grainy variety)
• Sugar 500 grams
• Ghee 400 grams
• Milk ½ tbsp
• Water 150 ml
• Cashews 50 grams
• A dash of rose water

Method

• Melt sugar 150 ml in about a cup of water. After it boils over, add the milk and clear off the scum that surfaces.
• Keep stirring and cooking the sugar mixture till it becomes very thick and starts to stick on the sides of the pan.
• After the sugar mixture is very thick (the water evaporates almost completely) add one tsp of ghee and remove from the cooktop. Keep stirring it while it cools completely.
• After the sugar cools down, you will get a thick powdery sugar mixture.
• Break cashews into small pieces.  Each cashew should be broken into 6-7 pieces or more.
• Heat the remaining ghee in a thick-bottomed wok and roast the besan on a very low flame till it turns brown and gives a pleasant aroma.
• Add about a tablespoon of water after the besan gets brown and mix it well. Keep roasting it. The sprinkling of water will give a good texture to the laddus. After the besan is well roasted, switch off the stove.
• Add sugar mixture and cashew nuts to the still-warm besan and mix well with the dash of rose water. Apply ghee on your hands and make laddus of even sizes.

Spiced Sago Pops

Courtesy Ranjan Pandey, Executive Chef, Pride Plaza Ahmedabad

This dish is a fusion of sabudana (tapioca pearls) and sweet potatoes, staple ingredients in Indian cuisine during fasting. The sabudana brings a soft, chewy texture, while the sweet potato adds natural sweetness and richness, making it a perfect blend of flavor and nutrition. Shaped like fun and playful lollipops, these bite-sized treats are lightly spiced with fasting-friendly seasonings and fried to golden perfection.

Ingredients

For the lollipop

• Sabudana (Tapioca Pearls) 100 grams
• Boiled Sweet Potato 50 grams
• Crushed Roasted Peanuts 25 grams
• Chopped Green Chili 10 grams
• Chopped Ginger 10 grams
• Red Chili Powder 5 grams
• Garam Masala Powder 5 grams
• Chat Masala 5 grams
• Green Coriander Leaves 10 grams
• Rock Salt to taste
• Cooking Oil (for frying) 200 ml

For the dip

• Fresh Curd (Yogurt) 200 grams
• Roasted Cumin Powder 1 tsp
• Black Salt ½ tsp
• Finely chopped Mint Leaves 1 tbsp
• Finely chopped Coriander Leaves 1 tbsp
• Finely chopped Green Chili ½ tsp
• Chaat Masala ½ tsp
• Salt to taste
• Honey (optional) 1 tsp

Method

• Wash the sabudana thoroughly twice to remove excess starch. Soak the sabudana in enough water for 2-3 hours until it doubles in size. Check the readiness by pressing a pearl between your fingers—it should mash easily.
• Peel the boiled sweet potato and grate it finely.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the soaked sabudana and grated sweet potato.
• Add chopped green chili, chopped ginger, and mix the ingredients well.
• Sprinkle in red chili powder, garam masala powder, chat masala, chopped green coriander leaves, and black salt.
• Mix everything until the spices are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
• Make some lollypop sticks and shape the mixture around the sticks to form small lollipops.
• Heat the cooking oil in a deep frying pan. Once the oil is hot, carefully deep-fry the lollipops until they are golden and crispy on all sides. Remove the lollipops from the oil and place them on kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
• To make the dip, in a bowl, whisk the fresh curd until it becomes smooth and creamy.
  Mix in the roasted cumin powder, black salt, regular salt, and chaat masala.
  Stir in the finely chopped mint leaves, coriander leaves, and green chili. These herbs will bring a fresh and tangy flavor to the dip.
  If you like a subtle sweetness to balance the spice, add a teaspoon of honey and mix well.
  Let the dip chill in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes before serving to enhance the flavors.
• Serve the hot Spiced Sago Pops with mint coriander curd dip on the side.

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