Krishna Janmashtami is just around the corner. Think of Janmashtami and innocence, playfulness, and of course, delicious food pop into the mind! Whether you fast or not, the joyous and colorful traditions that mark the birth of Lord Krishna are incomplete without rich, buttery, and creamy delicacies to offer to the Divine. And it goes without saying, to share and enjoy with your family and friends!
Culture is there in its full splendor to display its many hues during this festival. From the dance-drama of Rasa-Lila to elaborate tableaux depicting the birth of Lord Krishna to the varied aromas wafting from different households, the celebrations, though varied, are linked by a common thread of devotion and integration.
What better way to partake in the festivities than indulging in traditional treats and sweets from the kitchens of Gujarat. Indulge the Laddo Gopala and your family using these ancient recipes passed down through generations to the family of Raksha Desai and her son, Jay. Do not miss any detail, as they dole out secret ingredients and tips to make you the top chef this Janmashtami!
1. Patra/patole
Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Level of Difficulty: Medium
Servings: 3-4
Ingredients
- 1 cup Multigrain flour
- 1 tsp Ginger & green chili paste
- 1/2 tsp Garam Masala
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder (Haldi)
- 1 tsp Red chili powder
- 1 tsp Coriander (Dhaniya) powder
- 1 tsp Cumin (Jeera) powder
- 4 tbsp Jaggery (soaked in water)
- 4 tbsp Tamarind pulp
- Salt to taste
- Colocasia (arbi) leaves
How to prepare the filling
1. Mix all the spices and the chili paste with the multigrain flour.
2. Add salt as per taste.
3. Add jaggery and tamarind water and make a nice mixture.
Note: Take care not to make it too watery or too dry. The consistency should be suitable for a spread.
4. Wash all the colocasia (arbi) leaves properly and wipe them with a dry cloth.
5. Apply the filling on the leaves. Start from the inside part, then fold it from the side, and then apply the filling again and roll it. The rolls will be in a cylindrical shape.
6. Take a steamer, place the rolled arbi leaves inside, and steam till they cook properly. Take a knife or toothpick and insert it in the patra. If the knife/toothpick comes out a little sticky, it is an indication that it is done.
7. Cool it, and then cut the rolls so they are shaped in the form of concentric circles.
Enjoy the patra!
Chef’s special suggestions for serving
- Pour tempered oil all over the patra before eating.
- Deep fry the patra.
- Stir fry the patra.
Common mistakes: Make sure you roll the leaves tightly, otherwise, they may open while steaming.
2. Malpuda/Malpua
Preparation Time: 5 hours
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
Level of Difficulty: Medium-expert
Servings: 3-4
Ingredients
- 1 Medium-sized bowl Wheat flour
- 1 Medium-sized bowl Jaggery
- 1 tbsp Desi ghee
- 1 cup Water
- Oil to fry
- Poppy seeds to garnish
How to prepare
- Take one medium-sized bowl of wheat flour.
- Add 1 tbsp of pure desi cow ghee and mix it well with the flour. Keep aside.
- Add the jaggery (use the same-sized bowl as the flour) to the water and mix well till it becomes an even mixture. Make a nice batter - not too watery nor too thick.
- To this mixture, add the wheat flour, breaking lumps with your hand.
- Mix well. Cover and allow it to ferment for three to four hours.
- Take a flat pan with cooking oil and warm it on a medium flame.
- Take the batter in a small bowl and start pouring it into the pan.
- Drop a thin line and make small rounds. Once one side is brown, flip it over. Make sure you fry both sides evenly, without burning them. Note: Look for even browning.
- Remove the malpua from the pan. Do the same for the remaining batter.
- Sprinkle poppy seeds on top of it.
Your malpuas are ready to eat!
Common mistakes: Adding too much ghee while making the batter will break the malpuda/malpua while frying.
Unique ingredients of these recipes
Dry Masala
poppy seeds
Nutmeg
Khada sakar
3. Rava na Ladva / Rava Laddu
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Level of Difficulty: Medium to expert
Servings: 6-7
Ingredients:
- ½ kg Ravo (Suji)
- ½ kg Pure desi ghee
- ½ kg Sugar
- 10 grams Elaichi (Cardamom)
- A sprinkle of poppy seeds
- Oil to fry
How to prepare
1. Strain the flour in a big bowl, and add half a cup of pure desi ghee.
2. Knead the dough using warm water.
3. Roll the dough into small balls.
4. Heat the oil in a pan (kadai) on a medium flame.
5. Start frying the dough balls in the oil.
6. Let them cool.
7. After it cools down, crush them slightly using your hands. You do not want very fine pieces.
8. Once you crush them, strain with a flour strainer.
9. Now, add elaichi, powdered sugar, pure ghee, and mix well with your hands (till you can see the ghee glistening on your palms).
10. Make round balls and keep aside on a plate.
11. Once the laddus are made, sprinkle poppy seeds.
Laddus are ready to devour!
Common mistakes: Adding more ghee while making the dough will make the laddu hard. Also, when you fry the balls of dough, make sure you fry it well, otherwise, it will have an odd texture and taste.
Keep in mind when making these recipes
- Patra/Patole: Follow the process of applying the mixture on the leaves strictly.
- Malpuda/Malpua: Take care of how you drop the batter in oil in a frying pan to fry it.
- Rava na Ladva / Rava Laddu: Crush the fried balls with your hands.
- Elaichi Shrikhand: Be careful with steps 4,5,6 & 7.
4. Elaichi Shrikhand
Preparation Time: 4 hours
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 4½ hours
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 kg Curd
- 250 gm Sugar
- 10 gm Elaichi (Cardamom)
How to prepare
1. Take a big bowl and a muslin or cotton cloth.
2. Put all the curd in that cloth and strain water completely from it.
Note: The longer you do this process, the thicker the shrikhand will be. Ideally, 3-4 hours should be enough.
3. Now, add sugar to this thick curd. Slowly start mixing the sugar into the curd.
4. Once this process is done - add elaichi powder, mix it well. Chill in the fridge for an hour and serve! You can also garnish with chopped dry fruits if you like.
Enjoy the cool Shrikhand!
Common mistakes: If the curd is sour then the shrikhand will also taste sour so take care that the curd is not sour.
With the depth and variety of recipes and methods of cooking, festivals are a great way to discover the treasures of traditional Indian cuisine. It is an even better experience to include all members of the family, and partake in some knowledge, but mostly all the yummy food. So, wherever you are from, try these Gujarati delicacies and leave us a comment about your success @artofliving
