Gopalkala is a yogurt based dish made in Maharashtra specially on the occasion of Janmashtami, the birthday of Lord Krishna. The curd is in accordance with the 'dahi handi' or 'yogurt pot' which plays an important role during Janmashtami celebrations! This healthy and scrumptious dish is made with beaten rice (poha), curd and cucumber. Gopalkala is offered to Lord Krishna and then distributed among children and Gopalas, who make human pyramids to break the dahi handi. In this recipe I have used brown rice flakes instead of regular flattened rice, and the dish turned out to be pretty yum!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Organic Brown Rice Flakes
- 1/2 cup Curd
- 1/4 cup chopped Cucumber
- 1/4 cup Apple chunks
- 1/4 cup Pomegranate seeds
- 1 green Chilly , finely chopped
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh Coriander leaves
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Salt to taste
Method:
1. Soak the brown rice flakes in water with a pinch of salt for 1-2 minutes.
2. Drain the flakes and soak them again in a little ( 1/8 cup water or less) clean water for 10 minutes. The rice flakes will absorb all the water and become soft. Drain again.
3. Add the curd all at once and mix well to blend the curd with the flakes.
4. Add salt and sugar and mix it thoroughly so that it's evenly distributed throughout the curd-poha mix.
5. Follow up with the chopped chillies, cucumber, apple and pomegranate seeds. Mix well and you are done.
4. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve immediately.
Enjoy this Janmashtami with a refreshing and healthy dish full of nutritious ingredients like yogurt, fruit, vegetables and organic brown rice flakes. Though this dish is made specially for Janmashtami, it can also be prepared as a healthy breakfast or snacks even by those who do not celebrate this festival - it's too nutritious to miss out! The best part - this is a and recipe - perfect for busy Moms!
