Gopalkala / Dahikala Recipe ~ Janmashtami Special Recipe

Janmashtami is a Hindu festival celebrated in India & many places around the Globe, with pomp & joy to rejoice the birth of Lord Shri Krishna. As with all Indian festivals, on Janmastami also there are some special dishes which are prepared as an offering to Lord Krishna, believed to be his favourite dishes.

As the story goes Lord Krishna was very fond of butter and dairy products. So dishes using milk and milk products are definitely included in the offerings. 

One very popular dish is GopalKala also known as Dahikala. This Janmastami I decided to thank Lord Shri Krishna by preparing a few of his loved food as Naivedyam (which is a Sanskrit word meaning food offered to a deity during worship).Though there are offerings which are as varied as India's diversity, I thought preparing GopalKala would be a good idea. This is a very simple to prepare, rustic, fresh and a delight to your gut dish.

As the legend goes Lord Shri Krishna was born in captivity inside a deep secret dungeon, where his parents were imprisoned by his maternal Uncle, the tyrant King Kansa, who was told in a celestial prophecy that the eighth child of his sister Devaki would slay him. As he loved his sister instead of killing her he imprisoned her with her husband and he killed all the seven children of the couple.Then Lord Krishna was born and with Devine protection his father Vasudeva took him out of the prison in a very stormy night, overcame many perils to leave him in the house of his friend Nanda, who was the head of the Gopa's tribe. There The Lord was raised by him and his wife Yashoda ( seen in the painting above ) as their own with lots of love and pampering. Ancient Indian Scriptures are filled with stories of how The Lord grew up in Brindavana.

GOPALKALA / DAHIKALA RECIPE :

GopalKala is prepared using Beaten Rice (popularly known as poha in India), Murmura(puffed rice), Jowar Lahi (Puffed Sorghum), yogurt, finely chopped cucumber, apple, pomegranate arils, chopped green chillies, freshly grated coconut, soaked husked split chickpeas(chana dal) finely chopped ginger, sugar & salt is added to taste. Cumin seeds (jeera) & Cashew Nuts are tempered in ghee ( clarified butter) & drizzled on top to finish off this dish.

Author ~ Piyali Sekhar Mutha

Serves : 4

Cuisine ~ Indian

Type ~ Offering to the Gods

Preparation Time : 15 mins

Cooking and Assembling Time : 10 mins
Soaking Time Of Chana Dal ~ 2 hours

INGREDIENTS :

1 Cup Thick Poha / Beaten Rice
1/2 Cup Jowar Lahi / Puffed Sorghum
1/2 Cup Murmura / Puffed Rice
1/2 Cup Yogurt
2 Tbsp Chana Dal / Husked Split Chickpeas soaked overnight
1/4 th Cup Cucumber (finely chopped) 

1/4 th Cup Apple (finely chopped)
2 Tbsp Pomegranate Arils
1/4 th Cup Freshly grated coconut

1 Tbsp Ginger (finely chopped)
1 Green chilli(chopped)
1 Tbsp Fresh Coriander Leaves(chopped)

1/4 a tsp or to tasteSugar/ Jaggery

Salt to taste

For Tempering ~

1 tbsp Ghee (Clarified Butter)

1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
8 ~10 Cashew Nuts

Step by step procedure : 

Step 1 ~

* Wash the Beaten Rice / Poha under running water 3 to 4 times. Transfer it into a perforated colander & leave it in there for 5 minutes. 

* Wash the Puffed Jowar / Sorghum / Jowar Lahi under running water and drain out all the water. Transfer into a large mixing Bowl.

Step ~ 2

* Add Murmura / Puffed Rice to the bowl. Next add chopped Cucumber, Apple, Pomegranate Arils, chopped Ginger, Green Chillies, freshly grated coconut & soaked chana dal / husked split chickpeas.

* Add Yogurt, Sugar or Jaggery & Salt. With a large Spoon mix everything nicely.

Step ~ 3

* Take a frying pan. Add clarified butter / ghee. Add Cumin Seeds. Once it crackles, add cashewnuts. Fry till cashew nuts turn golden brown. Add this tempering to the bowl and mix well. Gopalkala / Dahikala is ready to serve.

Procedure In Pictures ~

Step 1 ~

* Wash the Beaten Rice / Poha under running water 3 to 4 times. Transfer it into a perforated colander & leave it in there for 5 minutes. 

* Wash the Puffed Jowar / Sorghum / Jowar Lahi under running water and drain out all the water. Transfer into a large mixing Bowl.

Step ~ 2

* Add Murmura / Puffed Rice to the bowl. Next add chopped Cucumber, Apple, Pomegranate Arils, chopped Ginger, Green Chillies, freshly grated coconut & soaked chana dal / husked split chickpeas.

Step ~ 2

* Add Murmura / Puffed Rice to the bowl. Next add chopped Cucumber, Apple, Pomegranate Arils, chopped Ginger, Green Chillies, freshly grated coconut & soaked chana dal / husked split chickpeas.

* Add Yogurt, Sugar or Jaggery & Salt. With a large Spoon mix everything nicely.

* Take a frying pan. Add clarified butter / ghee. Add Cumin Seeds. Once it crackles, add cashewnuts. Fry till cashew nuts turn golden brown. Add this tempering to the bowl and mix well. Gopalkala / Dahikala is ready to serve.

Note ~

* You can increase the quantity of yogurt if you like it more gooey, smooth and indulgent.

Check List :~

1) Poha / Beaten Rice, 2) Jowar Lahi / Puffed Sorghum, 3) Murmura / Puffed Rice 4) Dahi / Yogurt, 5) Apple, 6) Pomegranate, 7) Cucumber, 8) Freshly grated coconut, 9) Chana Dal / Husked Split Chickpeas, 10) Green chilli, 11) Ginger, 12) Sugar/ Jaggery, 13) Salt, 14)Ghee (Clarified Butter), 15) Cumin Seeds, 16) Cashewnuts 17) Coriander Leaves

This dish is ready within 5 minutes, is filling and very light on the gut. Specially when the mercury is up this dish acts as a wonderful coolant. Do try it friends and give your feedback in the comments below.