Janmashtami Delights. This is What Makes it A Happy Janmashtami

Janmashtami is the birth of Lord Krishna in Hindu culture. This festival is celebrated around the month of August and September. The date is not for Janmashtami is not specific; it changes each year according to the Hindu calendar. The celebration begins at midnight when the idol of Lord Krishna is removed from a vessel full of ‘Charnamrit’, bathe it in Holy water and then dress the idol in new clothes. This festival is celebrated with a selection of sweets which are served as ‘Prasad’. Yesterday, we celebrated Janmashtami and my aunt had made ‘Charnamrit’ along with three types of sweets. The sweets were yummy. The best part, now I know how to make them, so I don’t need to wait until next year to eat them.

Charnamrit Also Known As Panchamrit

Ingredients

Milk (Doodh)2 cups

Yogurt (Dahi) 2 tablespoons

Holy Basil (Tulsi) a few leaves

Holy Water (GangaJal) 2 tabelspoons

Water (Paani) 1 cup

Sugar (Cheeni) 1 ½ cup

Honey (Shahad) 1 teaspoon

Puffed Kernel of Foxnut (Makhana) a handful

Cuddapah almonds (Chironjee) 1 tablespoons

Method:

Mix the given ingredients together in a deep bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves. This is a drink served as Prasad on Janmashtami. The Idol of Lord Krishna is dipped in this drink and removed to signify the birth of Lord Krishna at Midnight.

Posta

Ingredients

Poppy Seeds (KhusKhus or Posta) 1 ½ cup

Sugar (Cheeni) 1 cup

Water (Paani)¼ cup

Garnish:

Chopped Almonds

Silver Varq

Method:

Soak the poppy seeds in water for thirty minutes.

Drain out the excess water. Spread out the Poppy seeds on an absorbent paper and dry them completely.

Once the Poppy seeds are dry, put them in a pan and dry roast them until golden brown.
Roast them on medium heat and stir continuously so the poppy seeds do not give out a burnt smell.

Turn off the heat and stir until the poppy seeds cool down. Grind it into a coarse mixture.

To make the sugar syrup, mix the sugar with ¼ cup water, in a deep pan.

Place this pan on medium heat and stir continuously until the sugar dissolves.

Continue to cook the sugar syrup until it thickens to two string consistency.

Mix in the poppy seeds with the thick sugar syrup.

Grease a deep round plate with sides or a round cake tin.

Pour in the mixture in the greased vessel and spread it completely with your palm.

Flatten it evenly with your palm.

Sprinkle the chopped almonds on top.

Allow the sweet to cool in the refrigerator and set for five hours to overnight.

Once the sweet is set, cut it into diamond shaped; bite size pieces with a sharp knife.

Garnish with Silver varq.

Gari

Ingredients

Dried grated coconut 2 cups

Sugar 1 cup

Water ¼ cup

Method:

To make the sugar syrup, mix the sugar with ¼ cup water, in a deep pan.

Place this pan on medium heat and stir continuously until the sugar dissolves.

Continue to cook the sugar syrup until it thickens to two string consistency.

Mix in the grated coconut with the sugar syrup.

Grease a deep round plate with sides or a round cake tin.

Pour in the mixture in the greased vessel and spread it completely with your palm.

Flatten it evenly with your palm.

Allow the sweet to cool in the refrigerator and set for five hours to overnight.

Once the sweet is set, cut it into diamond shaped; bite size pieces with a sharp knife.

Garnish with Silver varq.

Chironjee

Ingredients

Cuddapah almonds (Chironjee) 1 cup

Sugar (Cheeni) 1 cup

Water (Paani) ¼ cup

Garnish:

Chopped Almonds

Silver Varq

Method:

Dry roast the chironjee in a pan and grind it into a coarse mixture.

To make the sugar syrup, mix the sugar with ¼ cup water, in a deep pan.

Place this pan on medium heat and stir continuously until the sugar dissolves.

Continue to cook the sugar syrup until it thickens to two string consistency.

Mix in the chironjee with the sugar syrup.

Grease a deep round plate with sides or a round cake tin.

Pour in the mixture in the greased vessel and spread it completely with your palm.

Flatten it evenly with your palm.

Allow the sweet to cool in the refrigerator and set for five hours to overnight.

Once the sweet is set, cut it into diamond shaped; bite size pieces with a sharp knife.

Garnish with chopped almonds and silver varq.

Makhana(Puffed Kernel of Foxnut) are deep fried and dipped in sugar syrup and also served as ‘Prasad’.