Krishna Janmashtami Special: Savour Radhaballabi with Aloo Dum this Golkulashtami

Radhaballabi is a deep-fried lentil-stuffed kachori popularly eaten with aloo dum and would make a great addition to your Janmashtami spread.

Krishna Janmashtami is almost a week away and it's time to prepare lavish meals to celebrate birth of Lord Krishna. A traditional bhog with 56 favourite food items of Shri Krishna is prepared on this day. Milk, butter, makhan mishri, kheer, peda and many other delicacies made of milk and milk products form part of this spread. Many people also prepare things like poori, kachori, urad dal vadas on this special occasion. Considering one can include a wide variety of delicacies in this spread, every family has a special dish for Janmashtami. Cookbook author Roopali Mohanti shares recipe of her favourite Janmashtami meal - a deep fried kachori and aloo dum. (Also read: Krishna Janmashtami 2023: Dos and don'ts to keep in mind while observing the fast)

"Radhaballabi may or may not have an association with Radha and Krishna, as the name reflects, but for me it does. Year on year, I have eaten this for Janmashtami at a friend’s home in Bhubaneswar. The popular Cuttack Sweet Stall makes a great version too. A halwai was kind enough to explain the process. Radhaballabi is a deep-fried lentil-stuffed kachori popularly eaten with aloo dum. Since I associate this with Janmashtami, I have made the no onion or garlic version of the aloo dum," says Mohanti.

RADHABALLABI (Serves 4)

Ingredients

• White urad dal: 180 gm soaked in water overnight

• Ginger:2½ inches

• Fennel seeds: 4 tsp

• Salt: ½ tsp

• Green chillies: 3–4

• Water: 55 ml

Method

- Knead all the ingredients for the dough together with 75 ml water.

- Cover and leave dough at room temperature for an hour.

Filling

Ingredients

• Refined oil: 2 tbsp

• Ginger–chilli paste: remaining quantity

• Nigella seeds: ¼ tsp

• Salt: 1 tsp

• Asafoetida powder: ½ tsp

• Sugar:4 tsp

• Fennel powder: remaining quantity

• Dal paste: remaining quantity

Method

- Heat oil in a non-stick pan.

- Add nigella seeds, asafoetida powder, followed by the ginger–chilli paste, and sauté.

- Sprinkle a little water to prevent it from burning and then add fennel powder, salt and sugar.

- Cook for 2 minutes until the sugar caramelizes, then reduce the flame and add the remaining dal paste. Let the mixture blend well.

- Cook for 20–25 minutes until it comes together like a dough. This mixture will be sticky but as you mix further, it will get smoother.

- Ensure there are no lumps of caramelized sugar in the mix.

Assembling

- Divide the dough into 12 portions and filling into 12 portions.

- Press each piece of dough between your palms to make 2½ inch discs. Place the filling in the middle. Bring the sides of the dough together to form a smooth ball. Dip the ball in a little warm oil.

- Now roll out the ball to a 5½–6 inch disc. Rolling smaller will lead to a thicker edge.

- Heat oil in a wok/ kadai for frying.

- Fry the radhaballabi, one at a time over a medium flame, moving the oil with a perforated frying ladle gently pressing down. Fry for 45 seconds or until golden and puffed.

- Flip and remove to a colander lined with a paper towel. Serve at room temperature.

NIRAMISH ALOO DUM (Serves 6)

Ingredients

• Baby potatoes: 1 kg

• Red chilli powder: ¼ tsp

• Salt: 3 tsp

• Water: 350–400 ml

• Kashmiri chilli powder: ¼ tsp

Method

- Boil potatoes in water with 2 tsp salt until three-fourths done. Drain and keep aside.

- When lukewarm peel the potatoes and rub with 1 tsp salt and both chilli powders.

- Leave for an hour.

Paste

Ingredients

• Roasted cumin powder: 1¼ tsp

• Ginger paste: 4 tsp

• Coriander powder: 2 tsp

• Water: 2 tbsp

• Black salt:½ tsp

Method

Make a paste with all the ingredients and keep aside

Gravy

Ingredients

• Mustard oil: 50 ml

• Sugar:½ tsp + ¾ tsp

• Dried red chillies: 2–3

• Bay leaves: 2

• Cloves: 3–4

• Cumin seeds: ¾ tsp

• Asafoetida powder: ¼ tsp

• Turmeric powder: ¾ tsp

• Kashmiri chilli powder: ½ tsp

• Readymade tomato purée: 2 tbsp

• Cashew nuts: 6 soaked and ground to a paste

• Water:350–400 ml

• Salt: 1 tsp

Method

- Heat the entire quantity of oil in a non-stick pan and fry potatoes lightly. Remove and keep aside. In the remaining oil, caramelize ½ tsp sugar.

- Add all the whole spices and let them crackle, add the paste and cook for 3–4 minutes.

- Add turmeric powder, asafoetida powder and Kashmiri chilli powder.

- Add tomato purée and cook until the oil separates.

- Add cashew paste and cook further.

- Add potatoes, followed by ¾ tsp sugar and salt. Sauté well.

- Add water gradually, depending on the consistency you prefer, and let the mixture cook for 20 minutes. Serve hot