E-Paper
Janmashtami treats with a twist: From quinoa murukku to sabudana paratha, 5 modern takes on traditional fast recipes
This Krishna Janmashtami, elevate your fasting experience with modern renditions of beloved traditional recipes
Households across the country celebrate Janmashtami today, a time of joy and devotion marked by both fasting and feasting. Traditional recipes play a key role in breaking the fast, but what if you could enjoy these festive dishes with a tastier twist? If you're on a fast today, check out these modern renditions of beloved recipes that are sure to make your meals an enjoyable affair.
Sweet potato halwa
Indulge in the creamy richness of halwa with a healthy twist. Instead of your usual suji, use sweet potatoes as the base for a warm, earthy bowl of cardamom-coated comfort.
Ingredients: 2 sweet potatoes, ½ cup sugar or jaggery, ¼ cup ghee, 5 almonds, 8 cashews, 2 cardamom pods
Recipe: Pressure cook the sweet potatoes with water for 3 whistles. Once cooled, peel and mash the sweet potatoes. In a pan, heat 2 tbsp of ghee and fry the mashed sweet potatoes until fragrant — about 8 minutes. Then add sugar or jaggery and stir till it melts.
Soak and peel the almonds, then grind them with the cashews and a little water to form a smooth paste. Add this paste to the sweet potato mixture and cook for a few minutes. Stir in the rest of the ghee and continue cooking until the mixture thickens. Finally, mix in the powdered cardamom and garnish with ghee-fried cashews. Enjoy warm.
Sabudana thalipeeth or paratha
Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, sabudana thalipeeth is a classic savoury delight that imitates the sabudana khichdi with a mouth-watering flair of its own.
Ingredients: 1 cup sabudana, ¼ cup peanuts (crushed), 2 potatoes (boiled and mashed), 2 green chillies (finely chopped), 1 tsp cumin (jeera), 1 tsp crushed black pepper, 1-inch ginger (grated), 2 tbsp coriander (finely chopped), 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp salt, ¼ cup singhare ka atta, oil
Recipe: Soak the sabudana in water for 4 to 5 hours or until soft, then drain well. In a mixing bowl, combine the soaked sabudana, crushed peanuts, boiled and mashed potatoes, chopped green chillies, cumin, crushed black pepper, grated ginger, finely chopped coriander, lemon juice, salt, and singhare ka atta to form a dough.
Grease a tawa with half a tsp of oil. Take a ball-sized portion of the dough and gently flatten it into a thick disc. Place the tawa on medium heat and cook the thalipeeth on both sides, adding a teaspoon of oil, until it turns golden brown. Enjoy warm with butter or a spicy chutney.
Makhana kheer
Luxuriously creamy and studded with crunchy roasted nuts, this kheer is a heavenly dessert (no pun intended) that marries the subtle sweetness of makhana with the aromatic richness of Indian spices.
Ingredients for kheer: ½ cup makhana, 2 tbsp cashews, 2 tbsp almonds, 4 cups milk, a few saffron strands, ¼ cup sugar, ½ tsp cardamom powder
Ingredients for garnish: 1 tsp ghee, 2 tbsp cashews (chopped), 2 tbsp almonds (chopped), 2 tbsp raisins, 1 cup makhana
Recipe: In a mixer, combine ½ cup makhana, 2 tbsp cashews, and 2 tbsp almonds. Pulse until you get a fine powder and set it aside. Then in a kadai, heat 4 cups of milk and a few saffron strands, stirring well. Add the powdered mixture and continue stirring as the milk thickens. Mix in ¼ cup sugar and boil until the milk turns creamy and thick.
For your garnish, heat 1 tsp ghee and add 2 tbsp chopped cashews, 2 tbsp chopped almonds, 2 tbsp raisins and 1 cup makhana. Roast until the nuts turn crunchy. Transfer the roasted nuts into the kheer and stir in ½ tsp cardamom powder. Mix well and serve.
Kuttu ka masala dosa
A healthy gluten-free twist on the conventional crispy dosa, this kuttu ka dosa has all the goodness and flavour of a traditional dosa with more health benefits. Plus, this tangy potato stuffing is completely fast-approved.
Ingredients for dosa batter: 1 cup buckwheat flour (kuttu atta), 2 tablespoons yoghurt, ½ tsp sendha namak, ½ cup water, 2 tbsp oil
Ingredients for masala: 2 medium-sized boiled potatoes (mashed), 1 green chilli (chopped), 1 tsp grated ginger, ⅓ tsp cumin seeds, ¼ tsp black pepper powder, 1 tsp rock salt (adjust to taste), 1 tsp oil
Recipe: In a mixing bowl, combine yoghurt and buckwheat flour. Gradually whisk in ½ cup of water to form a smooth batter. Add sendha namak and mix well. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds, and when they start to crackle, add grated ginger and chopped green chilli. Sauté for 30 seconds, then add sendha namak, black pepper powder and mashed potatoes. Mix well and remove from heat. Your stuffing is now ready.
Heat a dosa pan or non-stick pan over low heat. Pour a ladleful of the batter onto the pan and cook until the dosa turns golden. Place 2 tbsp of the stuffing in the centre of the dosa. Serve hot.
Quinoa murukku
Quinoa murukku might be a healthier take on the traditional chakli, but the crunch is at par. The nutty flavour of quinoa combined with the heat of red chilli powder makes this an irresistible treat you must try this Janmashtami.
Ingredients: 1 cup quinoa flour, 3 tbsp roasted gram flour, ½ tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp hing, 1 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp hot oil, ¾ cup water, oil for frying and greasing the mould
Recipe: Start by grinding ¼ cup of roasted gram dal into a fine powder. Sieve the quinoa flour and roasted gram flour together to ensure a smooth mixture.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the quinoa flour, roasted gram flour, red chilli powder, hing, cumin seeds, and salt. Add the butter and hot oil, then mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Gradually add water, a little at a time until you achieve a soft and smooth dough that has a little give.
Grease your murukku press with oil and fill it with a handful of dough. Using it, press the dough directly into the hot oil. Fry the murukku over low to medium flame. Flip each after 40 to 45 seconds and continue frying until the bubbles subside. Once fried, place it on some tissue paper to drain any excess oil and serve.
These recipes not only honour tradition but also introduce a fresh, flavorful twist to your festive menu. Which one are you going to try today?
