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Showing posts with label GOKULASHTAMI RECIPES. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GOKULASHTAMI RECIPES. Show all posts

August 22, 2016

Gopalkala Recipe / Dahi Poha – Easy Krishna Janmashtami Recipes

Gopalkala recipe
If you are looking for an easy Janmashtami recipe, Gopalkala is the best choice. It is a most popular dish prepared on the occasion of Janmashtami/Krishna jayanthi in North India. It is prepared in temples, offered to Lord Krishna and served as prasad during the festival for the devotees. When  Lord Krishna was young, he used to mix all his Cowherd friend’s lunch recipes with his favorite curd, butter, milk, made this dish and served his friends. 'Gopal' is the name of Lord Sri Krishna. 'Kala' means the mixture. So this dish is named as Gopalkala. It is is a mix of beaten rice/ poha, curd,milk, ghee, green chilli, sugar, salt and cucumber.This is also called as Dahi poha. I followed the recipe from this space. There is no hard and fast rule to make this dish. This salty and sumptuous dish is prepared in every home in North India where the festival of Janmashtami is observed. It is extremely easy to prepare and hardly takes few minutes to prepare. Try this easy Janmashtami recipe and have a great celebration !

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August 19, 2016

Poha Kheer - Choora Kheer - Aval Payasam With Sugar - Krishna Janmashtami Recipes

Poha kheer
Poha kheer also known as Choora Kheer ( Aval Payasam in Tamil, Pressed rice/Rice flakes pudding in English, Atukula payasam in Telugu, Avalakki payasa in Kannada) is a creamy, rich North Indian dessert recipe made using Milk, pressed rice, sugar, nuts and cardamom powder. Krishna Janmashtami/Gokulashtami festival is around the corner. We South Indians i.e Tamil people make sweet seedai, Salt seedai, Kai murukku, Paal payasam and appam for the festival whereas North Indians make their specialty recipes like Rice Kheer/ Poha kheer, Kalakand, Shrikand, Gopalkala, Mathura Ke peda and many more. Actually I bookmarked these recipes long back but I couldn’t try them.So this year I started with a North Indian recipe for Krishna Jayanthi festival.. I followed Sanjeev Kapoor’s recipe but used more milk than the mentioned quantity. Its so easy to make and it came out creamy and delicious.This kheer can be given for babies too. Actually Sendhil  & Raksha is not a big fan of Poha kheer with sugar. But they liked this a lot. Try this easy kheer recipe for this Janmashtami festival and offer to God. Lets see how to make poha kheer with step by step photos and a video ( Will update soon) !
Check out my other Krishna Jayanthi recipes HERE

Poha kheer recipe

Poha kheer/ Aval Payasam


Poha kheer/ Aval Payasam Poha kheer/Choora kheer recipe - Krishna Janmashtami Recipes
Cuisine: North Indian
Category: Dessert
Serves: Serves 2-3
Prep time: 5 Minutes
Cook time: 15 Minutes
Total time: 20 Minutes


INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 250ml
  • Thick poha/Aval/Rice flakes - 1/4 cup
  • Milk – 1.5 cups
  • Sugar – 2.5 tbsp
  • Cashews, Almonds and Raisins - 5 each
  • Saffron threads - few
  • Cardamom powder - 1/8 tsp
  • Ghee - 1 tbsp
METHOD

  • Boil milk in a pan. In the mean time, heat ghee in a kadai. Roast cashews, almond and raisins. Remove in a plate leaving the ghee in the pan. In the same ghee, roast poha for 2 minutes. It will roast with a nice flavor. (Skip roasting poha. Just wash and add to milk. Some versions call for this method too)
Poha kheer recipe
Poha kheer recipe
  • Add the roasted rice flakes to the boiling milk. Cover and cook the poha in very low flame. It takes nearly 10 minutes to cook. Mix it well once or twice in between. Make sure the bottom is not burnt. If needed, add 1/4 cup more milk in the middle.
Poha kheer recipe
  • After the poha is cooked well, add sugar and mix well. Add cardamom powder and roasted nuts. Add saffron threads if you wish. Mix well and give a boil. Switch off the flame and serve warm.
Note : This kheer thickens over time. So add more milk and sugar while serving to adjust its consistency and sweetness. Boil for a minute and serve warm. Enjoy !

Easy, yummy Poha kheer is ready to enjoy !
Poha kheer recipe


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November 23, 2015

Maida Appam Recipe With Sugar - Karthigai Deepam Recipes

maida appam recipe

Maida sweet appam - Sweet maida maavu paniyaram recipe with step by step photos and video !
Sweet appam can be made using different ingredients.It can be prepared with maida,wheat flour or raw rice.I have already shared two versions using wheat flour & raw rice.Here is my third version of sweet appam using maida,banana &sugar.This is the most easy to make version among all the three.My Mil makes this appam for our surprise guest along with a bajji variety. My MIL makes deep fried version whereas I used paniyaram pan here.If you feel maida & sugar are unhealthy,u can replace it with wheat flour & jaggery.Lets see how to make this easy sweet appam recipe using maida & sugar for Karthigai deepam festival !
Please click HERE to check my other recipes for Karthigai Deepam.


sweet maida appam recipe

Maida appam with sugar


Maida appam with sugar Sweet appam with maida,banana & sugar
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Sweet
Serves: 8 nos
Prep time: 5 Minutes
Cook time: 10 Minutes
Total time: 15 Minutes


INGREDIENTS
1 cup = 200ml 

  • Maida/All purpose flour - 1/2 cup
  • Rice flour – 1 tbsp
  • Small banana - 1 no ( I used yelaki)
  • Sugar - 1/4 cup
  • Cardamom powder - 1/8 tsp ( 2 seeds)
  • Water - as needed
  • Cooking soda - A pinch
  • Salt – a pinch
METHOD
  • Take the ripe banana and mash it well with your  hands or grind in a mixie. To this, add maida, sugar, rice flour, cooking soda, salt and cardamom powder. Mix well without water.
sweet appam recipe with maida


  • Add water little by little and make a smooth, lump free batter. Batter should be thick but pourable. If the batter is too thin, appam may become flat. If its too thick, appam would be hard. So take care.
sweet appam recipe with maida

  • Heat a paniyaram pan adding oil in each hole. After the pan is heated,pour a small ladleful of batter in each hole.Keep the flame medium and cover cook for sometime.Flip it & cook for the other side too.Remove in a bowl.

sweet appam recipe with maida

sweet appam recipe with maida

sweet appam recipe with maida


  • I tried few appam by deep frying them.I used oil till 1/4 of the pan and deep fried one at a time.It came out well with golden brown color as u see in the picture below.So if you wish to deep fry,u can go ahead. But remember to deep fry the appam in less oil to get a good shape. I used my mini tadka pan. You can use any kadai.
maida sweet appam recipe


Enjoy !
Note
  • Replace maida with wheat flour & sugar with jaggery for healthy substitute.
Try this quick and easy maida appam for this festival.Happy Karthigai Deepam !
Sweet appam with maida


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October 26, 2015

Easy Atta Ladoo Recipe - Wheat Flour Laddu

Atta ladoo
Atta laddu/Whole Wheat flour ladoo is one of the easy to make Indian dessert recipes just like Rava laddu , Moong dal ladoo , coconut laddu and Poha ladoo. Whenever I plan for Diwali sweets menu, I usually include few ladoo varieties too. Last year I tried Malai Laddu/Paneer laddu & coconut ladoo and shared here. For Diwali 2015,I wanted to try motichoor & this atta laddu. I will share the recipe for motichoo laddu next week.Atta ladoo/ Wheat flour laddu can be prepared in many ways.Some recipes call for cooking atta in ghee.Some recipe uses jaggery instead of sugar.In North India especially in Gujarat & Rajasthan people make wheat flour ladoo adding jaggery which is popularly known as Churma Laddu. Today I have made this laddu in a very simple way adding powdered sugar. It was very tasty and all the laddus vanished within no timeWinking.If you are looking for an easy & healthy laddu recipe,bookmark this ladoo in your try list for this Diwali.I am sure everybody would enjoy this sweet !
wheat flour laddu

Wheat flour ladoo / atta laddu recipe


Wheat flour ladoo / atta laddu recipe Wheat flour ladoo / atta laddu recipe - Easy diwali sweets recipe
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Sweets
Serves: 8-10 nos
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 10 Minutes
Total time: 20 Minutes


INGREDIENTS
1 cup = 200 ml
  • Atta / Wheat flour - 1 cup
  • Sugar - 1/2 cup
  • Cardamom - 2 nos
  • Melted ghee - 1/3 cup
  • Salt – a small pinch
  • Cashews & nuts - as needed
METHOD
  • Dry roast wheat flour in a wide kadai till it changes to light golden brown in color.Stay nearby & do it in low to medium flame. It takes 4-5 minutes.Take care the flour should not be burnt.Remove in a bowl and let it become warm.
Atta ladoo recipe

  • In the mean time,powder the sugar adding cardamom seeds.You will 1-2 tbsp more sugar than 1/2 cup .But its fine.Add it as such.
Atta ladoo recipe
  • Add the powdered sugar , melted ghee,roasted chopped nuts ( If using) and a pinch of salt to the wheat flour.Mix well and make a crumbly mixture. Do not add all the ghee. Add it little by little and mix well.Stop adding ghee if you are able to shape the ladoo.
Atta ladoo recipe

  • Make balls and arrange in a plate.I roasted few dry grapes in ghee and studded over the ladoo. You can stud roasted cashews or dip a small portion of ladoo in ghee & coat with nuts powder. Decorate it as per your wish.
  • Store them in an air tight box and use it for a week.
Atta ladoo recipe
    Enjoy !
Note
  • You should roast the flour well else laddu will have a raw smell.
  • Do not burn the flour.Roast in low to medium flame only.
  • You can add finely chopped nuts to the laddu mixture before shaping them.I din’t add it.
  • The quantity of ghee may vary from 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup.
Try this easy,healthy ladoo during this Diwali & enjoy with your family !
Wheat flour laddu


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September 4, 2015

Aval Ladoo / Poha Laddu Recipe - Easy Janmashtami Recipes

Poha ladoo/Aval laddu is one of the easiest laddu recipes that can be prepared in minutes. If you are looking for a simple , kids friendly sweet recipe for this Gokulashtami/Krishna Janmashtami prasad, you must try this laddu. It is prepared with just 3 main ingredients and you can do many variations in this recipe. For healthier options, you can use Red poha/Red aval and Jaggery. 

You can also add roasted coconut, rava, fried gram dal along with poha to get a good yield and make this ladoo. When I gave this laddu to Sendhil, he told its tasting the same like Rava ladoo. Yes the method of preparation and its taste are very similar to Rava Laddu. Do try this easy recipe for tomorrow’s festival and share your feedback with me. Wish you all a very happy Krishna Jayanthi celebration !! If possible I will share an interesting seedai recipe tomorrow as my last minute entry.

Lets see how to make this easy aval urundai with simple steps.

If interested check out my other easy ladoo recipes.


Aval laddu/Poha ladoo recipe


Aval laddu/Poha ladoo recipe Aval laddu/Poha ladoo recipe - Easy Gokulashtami Recipes
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Sweet
Serves: 10
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 10 Minutes
Total time: 20 Minutes


INGREDIENTS
1 cup = 200 ml
  • Thick Aval/Poha - 1 cup
  • Sugar - 1/2 cup
  • Cardamom - 2 nos
  • Clove - 1 no
  • Melted ghee - 1/4 cup
  • Roasted cashews - few
METHOD
  • Dry roast the thick aval/Poha in a kadai for 3-4 minutes in high flame with constant mixing. Please stay nearby and do this else aval may burn. So do it patiently till aval starts to puff up slightly with a nice smell. Its color will be slightly golden brown. Remove & let it cool ( you can roast 2 cardamom & 1 clove along with this. But I powdered it with sugar without roasting them.)

  • Powder the sugar along with cardamom & clove. Take in a bowl. Powder the poha and mix with sugar powder. Mix them well.
  • Heat the ghee and roast the chopped cashews. Add this ghee to the mixture. Mix well with a ladle till it turns warm. Now make balls and arrange them in a plate. Aval laddu is ready !

    Enjoy !
Note
  • You can replace thick poha with thin poha.
  • You can also use powdered jaggery instead of sugar.
  • If you want more yield,u can powder fried gram dal or roasted rava along with poha and make this laddu. Check out some easy ladoo recipes below..
Paneer ladoo

Coconut ladoo

Moong Dal ladoo

Rava ladoo

Besan ladoo

Millet ladoo
Make this easy laddu recipe and enjoy this festival !

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September 3, 2015

Krishna Janmashtami | Krishna Jayanthi Celebration At Home - Pooja Procedures

Krishna janmashtami celebration at home

Yesterday I got a request from a reader to make a post on Krishna Janmashtami celebration / Gokulashtami celebration at home. So I have discussed how to celebrate Krishna Jayanthi/Gokulashtami/Krishna Janmashtami at home by Indians especially South Indians in a very simple way. I have also shared a video on how to draw Krishna feet using rice flour paste. Pooja procedures I have given here is based on my family's tradition. It may vary from place to place. So take this as a reference and get the guidance from your family elders.

As you all know,  Krishna Jayanthi is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Krishna. It’s a most important and sacred day for Hindus. People pray to Lord Krishna on this day and seek his blessings for a happy and good life.Krishna Janmashtami is observed on Ashtami – the eighth day of Krishna Paksha month/Shravana month i.e between mid August & early September. This year 2023, it falls on September 6th Wednesday evening. It is celebrated all over India. 

In Tamil nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and North Indian temples, Gokulashtami is celebrated in a grand manner. Festivities begin before dawn and extend all day until midnight, the exact moment of the anniversary of Krishna’s appearance. Many people observe fasting on this day till midnight and worship Lord Krishna. After Janmashtami pooja, they break their fasing by eating sweets and prasad offered to God. As a fasting rules, people consume only fruits, milk and drink lots of water. In my house, we don't have the practice of fasting on this day.

At home, we do a simple pooja in the evening i.e after 6 pm. On those days, my MIL used to do the pooja around 11 pm at night. So its better to do the pooja anytime after 6 pm till midnight. Midnight is the exact time that Krishna appeared on this planet, so it is the most auspicious and spiritually inspiring time to perform pooja.

Temples prepare at least one hundred and eight different food dishes on Janmashtami. At home, Tamil people do the pooja by offering flowers, neivedyam recipes like seedai , murukku, laddu, appam, payasam/Kheer etc and  performing Mangala aarti to Lord Krishna Idol or photo. If you are not able to prepare all these dishes,don’t worry - Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita, “If you offer me with love a leaf, flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.” So offer whatever you can - it’s just your love and devotion that matters.


Please click here for the full collection of Krishna Janmashtami recipes of my blog ! I have also shared a No cook Aval panchamirtham recipe with fruits to make a simple neivedyam.

Visit my in-laws blog for kolam ideas.

Krishna jayanthi recipes




NEIVEDYAM RECIPES

Please click here for the full collection of Krishna Janmashtami recipes of my blog.

Gokulashtami recipes

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR POOJA and NEIVEDYAM
  • Krishna Idol or photo frame
  • Flowers/Garland for decoration
  • Fruits like apple, pomegranate,Orange,banana, guava etc
  • One coconut for neivedyam
  • Betel leaves and nuts (Vetrilai paaku)
  • Oil and ghee to light the lamp
  • Rice flour and colors for drawing  Rangoli and Krishna feet.
To offer in front of GOD
  • A small cup of milk, curd, butter, Poha/Aval mixed with jaggery or sugar.
These offerings are must and should even if you don’t prepare sweets and snacks.

Ingredients for making neivedyam recipes
  • Raw rice and Rice flour ( for making seedai , murukku and paal payasam )
  • Sesame seeds or cumin seeds
  • Coconut
  • Jaggery ( For vella seedai and appam)
  • Banana ( for appam)
  • Sugar ( for Milk payasam)
  • Milk ( for payasam/Kheer)
  • Urad dal and Roasted gram dal ( Pottukadalai ) ( For making seedai, murukku)
  • Butter/Ghee for snacks
  • Cooking oil ( to deep fry)
HOW TO CELEBRATE KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI
  • Do the shopping two days before the festival and finish making the deep fried neivedyam recipes like vella seedai , Uppu seedai , Kai murukku etc on the previous day of festival. Store them in an air tight box after everything cools down completely else they may turn soggy. DO NOT TASTE IT UNTIL YOU FINISH POOJA.
  • Wash the lamps and other pooja vessels on the previous day night and keep the turmeric, kumkum dots.Put the threads and oil the lamp. Suppose if  you don’t have enough time, you can do this job the next day morning or afternoon as we are going to do the pooja only in the evening after 6 pm. So its your choice.
On Gokulashtami afternoon, mix the ingredients for sweet appam and make payasam in cooker. Cook the appam around 5.30 pm. Around 4 pm in the evening, sweep the house and entrance. Draw Rangoli in the entrance and in front of the Pooja room. Draw the krishna feet from entrance till pooja room. Decorate the krishna idol by keeping flowers and garland. Make him ready for celebration :)

HOW TO DRAW KRISHNA FEET

In many houses in South India, people draw footsteps of Lord Krishna from the entrance of the house to the Puja room. These footsteps are drawn with rice flour paste and drawing these footsteps is a sign of welcoming Lord Krishna to home. Women draw patterns of tiny footsteps like those of infant Krishna. I have given a video below on how to draw krishna feet using rice flour. Please watch it to draw easily.

how to draw krishna feet


How to draw Krishna Feet - Video

Take a broad plate such that your hands should fit in. Dilute the rice flour adding enough water and make the paste. Do not make it too thick or too thin. Its consistency should be like dosa batter. Now fold your hands as if you are punching someone😉. Dip your side of the hand in the rice paste. It will be coated with the paste. Now make the impression on the floor. Keep 5 dots for fingers. Draw the right leg first. Repeat the same procedure using your left hand for drawing left leg. Do this alternatively. Draw both the legs together near the entrance and pooja room. 

Refer the stepwise pictures for clear understanding. For drawing legs of baby Krishna, fold your hands tightly and make the impressions as shown in pics. If you want to draw slightly bigger legs, watch this video. Alternatively, you can ask your kids to make impressions on the floor. They would enjoy doing this and help you out .


POOJA

After you finish the decoration and neivedyam preparations i.e after 6 pm, place the decorated Krishna on a plank/Peeta. Offer all the neivedyam recipes, fruits, curd, milk, butter in front of the God. Light the lamp and do the pooja, perform Mangala harathi. You can sing Krishna songs or read Bhagavad Gita/Sri Krishna Ashtakam OR simply chant “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya “means “Om, I bow to Lord Vasudeva or Lord Krishna’'in front of the GOD.

To perform a simple pooja without any special neivedyam recipes, just garland the Krishna idol, garland it. Light the lamp, Place a small cup of milk, curd, butter, Poha/Aval/rice flakes mixed with jaggery or sugar. Do the pooja and mangala harathi. Please check the picture below for reference.

Krishna jayanthi celebration at home

The next morning, do the pooja with a simple neivedyam like dry grapes or candy (kalkandu). Remove the idol at a good time of the day ( Avoid Rahu kalam and Yama kandam ).

DISCLAIMER : The details I have shared here is purely our family’s method of celebration. It may vary from place to place based on your traditions. So please take this as a reference, consult the elders of your family for more guidance.

Thanks for visiting this page. Wish you all a very happy Gokulashtami :)

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September 2, 2015

Paal Payasam Recipe In Pressure Cooker - Milk Kheer Recipe Without Condensed Milk

Paal payasam recipe 
Paal payasam / milk kheer is a must and should neivedyam recipe for Krishna Jayanthi. Even if you don’t make seedai, murukku and appam , a glass of this simple & yummy milk kheer along with a small cup curd and butter is enough to please Lord Krishna & to get his blessings. It’s a very easy payasam recipe that can be made in pressure cooker. I have been making this payasam for years but I wonder how I missed this post in my blog. Few years back, I shared the most popular Kerala Paal payasamBengali Chaler payesh recipes. But this paal payasam recipe is of Tamil nadu style without using condensed milk(Milk maid). Paal payasam is prepared by the people all over India in various names. In North India,this is called as Chawal kheer/Rice ki kheer. There might be slight variations in the method of preparation. Some people add vermicelli or sago along with rice. However its made,the taste would be awesome and you can enjoy creamy,rich kheer. Lets see how to make this simple and easy dessert recipe – South Indian Paal Payasam. Do try this for Krishna Jayanthi and don’t forget to share your feedback here. I have added a video for beginner's reference.Do watch it :)

Click here for Gokulashtami recipes.

Paal payasam- Full video recipe

Krishna idol

Paal Payasam recipe


Paal Payasam recipe Paal Payasam recipe for Gokulashtami/Krishna Janmashtami
Cuisine: South Indian
Category: Sweet
Serves: Serves 2-3
Prep time: 5 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 25 Minutes


INGREDIENTS
1 cup =250ml
  • Milk - 2 cups ( 1/2 litre)
  • Basmati rice or raw rice - 2 tbsp
  • Sugar – 1/3 cup ( 1/2 cup for more sweetness) 
  • Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
  • Ghee - 1 tbsp
  • Cashews - to roast
METHOD
  • Heat 1 tsp of ghee and roast the rice till it puffs up slightly.Grind it coarsely.Make sure you don’t powder the rice.It should be just broken into two.So pulse twice for short time.
Paal payasam recipe

  • Boil milk in a small pressure cooker. Add a small plate or spoon to avoid spilling & burning of milk.When the milk starts to boil,add the rice.
Paal payasam recipe
  • Pressure cook it in very low flame for 2-3 whistles.Open the cooker after the steam is released.Mix well and boil the milk.Remove the plate using a ladle. Add sugar,stir well and boil for sometime to thicken the payasam slightly.Add cardamom powder.Do not over boil because this payasam will thicken as time proceeds.So let it be watery.
Paal payasam recipe
Paal payasam recipe

  • Roast the cashews in 2 tsp of ghee and add to the payasam.Mix well and enjoy !
Paal payasam recipe
Note
  • Adding more rice makes the payasam to become pongal.So add the mentioned quantity of rice.
  • Adjust the quantity of sugar based on your taste.Add 1/4 cup for less sugar & 1/2 cup for more.
  • You can also add saffron threads soaked in warm milk.It will give a nice flavor & color to this payasam.

Try this creamy,rich paal payasam recipe for this Gokulashtami !
Paal payasam recipe in Pressure cooker



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