Sitaphal Kheer

Happy Janmashtami to all my dear friends. Janmashtami or Gokulashtami popularly known in Mumbai as "Dahi Handi", is celebrated as an event which involves making a human pyramid and breaking an earthen pot (handi) filled with curds (dahi). This festival is of joy and celebration. In Mumbai, you can find crowded roads and pavements; just to watch the human pyramids breaking the handis. It's a real fun. Here in Bangalore I miss all that fun. Here, I celebrate this festival in simplicity at my home with family. We decorate the Lord Krishna idol and perform puja. It is followed by a simple dinner of rice and dal 'crepes', kind of dosa which we call as 'amboli' in Marathi and black peas sambar accompanied with sabji made up of drumstick leaves and a sweet dish. It is a traditional feast prepared in most of the Maharashtrian houses.

For the sweet dish, this time I thought of making a kheer with a twist. I had some custard apples/sitaphal. So I thought to use it in my kheer. The kheer had awesome taste and the flavour of custard apple just bursted in mouth. I am also posting the video of the recipe. Let's see...

Preparation time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 15-20 mins

Serves : 4

Ingredients:

Rice - 2 tbspn (soaked in water for 20 mins)

Custard apple/Sitaphal - 2-3 medium size deseeded

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Milk - 1/2 litre

Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tspn

Chopped nuts - 2 tbspn for garnishing

Method:

1. Grind soaked rice coarsely in mixer grinder without water.

2. Grind seedless custard apple flesh into paste.

3. Heat a pan and add half of the milk.

4. Add rice to it and cook until done.

5. Add remaining milk, sugar and custard apple paste to it.

6. Bring to a boil and add few nuts and cardamom powder.

7. Serve hot or cold and garnish with nuts.

This is the Janmashtami puja at my home.

For the recipe video, please see below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApR5DmXDVds

I hope you all enjoyed the recipe. Please try out this recipe at your home and celebrate this Janmashtami with your family and friends...