Janmashtami Special Sweets Made From Makhana: The festival of Shri Krishna Janmashtami holds special significance for the devotees. On August 16, the birth anniversary of Lord Shri Krishna will be celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion across the country. On this occasion, devotees not only visit temples but also perform grand worship in their homes and prepare special offerings for God.
Makhana has an important place in the offerings made on Janmashtami, as it is considered light, nutritious, and delicious. Dishes made from Makhana are very popular for offering to God and can be easily prepared even during fasting.
In this article, we are giving you step-by-step recipes of two special makhana dishes, Makhana Kheer and Makhana-Jaggery Laddu. By following these recipes, you can prepare delicious and traditional dishes as an offering to God on Janmashtami.
Ingredients for making Makhana Kheer
Makhana – 2 cups
Milk – 1 liter
Ghee – 1 tablespoon
Sugar – ⅓–½ cup (according to taste)
Cardamom powder – ½ teaspoon
Saffron – a pinch
Cashews/almonds/pistachios – 2–3 tablespoons
Raisins – 1 tablespoon
Rose water – ½ teaspoon
Method
To make Makhana Kheer, heat ghee in a pan, add makhana and fry on a low flame for 5–6 minutes until it becomes crispy. Crush half the makhana roughly, keep half whole. Boil milk in a heavy-bottom pan, then let it reduce a little (about 800–850 ml) by stirring it on medium flame for 8–10 minutes.
Add roasted makhana to boiling milk. Cook for 10–12 minutes, keep stirring in between so that it does not stick to the bottom. Finally, add sugar, cardamom, and saffron milk. Cook for 3–4 minutes more. Finally, add dry fruits and raisins. Now, finally, turn off the gas and let the kheer cool down, and then offer it.
Makhana-Dates Laddu
Makhana – 2 cups (60–70 grams)
Dates – ¾ cup (120–130 grams)
Ghee – 3 tablespoons
Cashews/almonds/walnuts – ½ cup
Sesame seeds – 1 tablespoon
Cardamom powder – ½ teaspoon
Water – 2–3 tablespoons
Method
Making makhana and dates laddu is very easy. To make it, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a pan, add makhana and fry for 5–6 minutes until it breaks and becomes crispy. Cool down and grind 70% into fine powder and 30% light granular pieces. This gives a good crunch to the laddu. Dry roast nuts and sesame seeds in the same pan and keep aside.
Now add 2 tablespoons of ghee and cardamom. If using date paste, roast it in ghee for 2–3 minutes to make it slightly thick. When the date paste is ready, quickly add makhana powder pieces, roasted nuts, and remaining ghee to it. Let the mixture cool slightly. Apply ghee on the palms and make round laddus with one tablespoon of mixture each.
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