Gopalkala - Janmashtmi special

Happy Krishna Janmashtmi to all my dear friends.

Janmashtami , birth of Lord krishna is celebrated all over India. Each place celebrates this occasion in different ways. In Maharashtra, Janmashtami is popularly celebrated with Dahi Handi, people make a human pyramid , the person on top breaks the earthern pot filled with curds. It is  celebrated with enormous zeal and enthusiasm.

Gopalkala is made as an offering /prasad . Lord Krishna was known for his love for milk, curd and butter. Krishna would graze cattle with his fellow cowherd friends. At lunch time He would mix all the food bought by his friends with His own, and made a Kala. So kala is a mixture of food with milk, curd, and butter.Even now this custom is followed and served as Prasad.There is no hard and fast rule or any recipe for this Kala. How I miss those carefree days when we would go to see the dahi handi with friends and enjoy the gopal kala offered there.

My mom also makes a lovely panjeeri with coriander seeds and gond. It tastes yumm..next time I am going to tell her to make it for me, janmashtmi or not! :)

To get a feel of the festival here, I decided to make the gopal kala and share it with you all! Enjoy and have a lovely day..

Ingredients

1 cup poha ( beaten rice) washed and drained
1/2 cup murmura ( puffed rice)
1/2 cup grated Coconut
1 chopped Cucumber
2 Green Chilies
1 tbsp Ghee
1 tsp Jeera/Rai
1/2 tsp grated Ginger
1 cup Curd
1/2 tsp Sugar
Salt to taste
2-3 tsp bengal gram daal(powdered)
3-4 curry leaves
pinch of hing
some finely cut coriander leaves
Method
1. Soak beaten rice for 10 minutes.
2. Take a big bowl and add soaked poha, murmura, grated coconut, chopped cucumber, curd, sugar, salt and chopped corriander. Mix well.
3. Melt ghee in a small pan for the tempering and add the rai, jeera, green chilies, curry leaves, hing and grated ginger.
4. Pour over the above mixture. Mix well and serve.

Sending this to Walk down the memory lane event by Gayathri, guest hosted by Archana and 

             Celebrate - Month of Shravan by Jagruti, guest hosted by Sangeetha.