Krishna Janmashtami, also known simply as Janmashtami or Gokulashtami, is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. It is observed according to the Hindu lunisolar calendar, on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) in Shraavana or Bhadrapad, which overlaps with August or September of the Gregorian calendar.
The celebration of the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna is incomplete without a selection of traditional sweets. On this occasion, try these delectable recipes this Janmashtami and treat your sweet tooth.
Krishna Janmashtami: Recipes
Rasmalai
Recipe:
- Take a deep-bottomed saucepan and boil 1 1/2 liters of milk at a high flame. Once the milk starts boiling, turn off the flame. Add water and lemon juice to the hot milk. Once the milk starts crumbling, drain out the excess water using a muslin cloth and crumble milk extracts. Put it aside for 15-20 minutes.
- Take a pan add 2 cups of sugar and water together and bring to a boil to make syrup for cooking rasmalai.
- Add your rasmalai in the sugar syrup and boil for 5 minutes. The rasmalais will turn double and this is the indication to turn off your flame.
- Keep the milk pan over the stove and stir it continuously once it starts to boil. Put kesar and mewa into the milk.
- Take out the Rasgullas from sugar syrup squeeze gently to remove the sugar syrup and put them into saffron ras.
- Let the rasmalai soak for 3-4 hours to absorb the creamy texture of the milk
- Tastes best when served chilled!
Basundi
Recipe:
- Boil milk till it attains a thick consistency
- Chop finely or crush the almonds and pistachios.
- Add cardamom powder, sugar and cook for 5 minutes continuously.
- Add saffron strands for a nice color and aroma.
- Garnish the basundi with chopped almonds and pista.
- Enjoy!
Malpua
Recipe:
- Take some maida in a bowl and add sooji and powdered sugar to it.
- Mix all these dry ingredients well. Then add water in the desired quantity to make a batter of smooth consistency.
- Take three slices of white bread and crumble them in a food processor. Add this crumbled bread to the batter, mix well, and leave aside for 15 minutes to allow fermentation.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sugar syrup. Take a broad base pan and add 1/4 cup water to it. Keep it on flame and add sugar to it and heat it for six to seven minutes to get a sugar syrup of flowing consistency.
- Add saffron strands and crushed green cardamom to the syrup. Allow the syrup to cool down to room temperature.
- Now, take a pan and heat three tablespoons of ghee in it. When it is hot, pour 1 big spoon of the batter into it.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.
- Serve hot malpuas garnished with pistachio
Kheer
Recipe:
- Soak basmati rice in enough water for 15 to 20 minutes.
- In a heavy-bottomed pan, boil milk add the drained and rinsed rice.
- Let the milk come to a boil.
- Add sugar, cardamom powder and slivered almonds.
- Serve hot or chilled and add the nuts to it.
- Enjoy!
Rabdi
Recipe:
- Boil the milk in a wide, heavy-based pan.
- Add the sugar and cardamom and simmer.
- Meanwhile, soak almonds and pistachios in hot water for 30 minutes
- Keep stirring tills a froth or form a layer of cream/malai on top.
- Once the cream is formed, gently move the cream layer.
- Continue to simmer the milk and it will bring the cream on top and you have to bring & stick it to the sides.
- Add sugar as per your taste.
- Add strands of saffron.
- The colour changes to a beige-cream, and the cream that was pushed aside, collect in layers.
- Remove from heat and let it cool, transfer to a serving dish.
- Add the sliced almonds & pistachios.
- Serve rabri hot or warm or chilled.
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