Krushna Janmashtami Bhoga

Today is lord Krishna's birthday which is celebrated with much joy and pomp all over India & also in those parts outside India where Indians reside... All temples are decorated beautifully & many temples have small swings for lord, which usually commoners like me are allowed to pull a bit to participate in the celebrations.. :)

Well, this year, we celebrated Krishna Janmashtami at home and we went to the temple too.. so here goes my pooja bhoga (food offering for the pooja).. Kaanika with green peas & potola rassa.

Matar Kanika


Ingredients

• 1 cup basmati rice - washed thoroughly & soaked for about 30 mins.
• Handful of cashews & raisins
• 2 table spoons ghee
• 2 cardamoms pods + 1 inch stick of cinnamon + 6 - 7 peppercorns
• 2 -3 tablespoons sugar (or more if you like your kaanika sweeter)
• Wee bit turmeric powder
• Wee bit salt
• 1/2 cup green peas (thawed or fresh)

Process

• Heat ghee in a nonstick pan.
• Next goes the cashews & raisins. Fry a little bit.
• Next add the cardamoms, cinnamon stick & peppercorns
• When they crackle, add the peas and wee bit salt. Let it cook a little.
• Next goes the rice. Fry for a while. 
• Then add 2.5 cups water + sugar
• Cover and cook on slow.. you'd need to stir the rice twice in between.. so time it properly.
• And done. Keep it covered till you are ready to serve.

Potola Rassa

Ingredients

• 8 - 10 potola(s) {pointed gourd} - scrapped & cut into two pieces (diagonally)
• 2 -3 potatoes - peeled and cut into pieces of equal size as the gourds
• For the masala (Grind the following with little water)
• 1/2 cup grated coconut
• 4 table spoons posto seeds
• 2 - 4 teaspoons jeera
• 2 inches ginger (chopped)
• 1 or 2 red chillies (based on your spice level)
• Salt & Turmeric as needed
• Wee bit of sugar (skip if you don't like it)
• Olive oil

Process

• Heat olive oil in a pan. Whem hot, add the potatoes & potola(s). Sprinkle salt. Cover and fry till potola is little soft (not fully cooked). Remove and keep separate. 
• Now heat a little bit more oil. When hot, splutter the kala jeera.
• Now add the masala paste & fry it on low flame till oil seeps from the sides. This will take time because its on low flame. Please be patient. 
• Add little water & salt if you think the masala is burning. 
• Now, add the fried potatoes & potola(s) to the masala. Mix properly.
• Now add 1 cup of warm water and cover and cook the whole thing.
• When potatoes & potola(s) are cooked, remove from fire. 
• Keep covered until ready to serve. 

Enjoy. Jai Shree Krishna !!!