We always learn a lot from our traditions. It’s not only stories, but also practical implementations that we can do in our day to day life. There’s so much to learn from mythology and history alike. For instance, we have grown up listening to stories of Lord Krishna. We all know that Lord Krishna was brought up in Gokul, where there was plenty of milk & milk products. He was considered notorious for stealing milk, butter, and curd in his childhood. In one of the folklores, it’s mentioned that Lord Krishna used to gather all the food stuff brought by his fellows and mix it up. This gave birth to the dish – Gopalkala (Dahikala) which has different foods mixed up with curd.
We celebrate Janmashtami –Lord Krishna’s birthday, the way Lord Krishna celebrated it; With all the goodies that he liked, prepared at home. Gopalkala or Dahikala is made and given in offering to him on this occasion and then served to the rest of the people.
On the occasion of Janmashtami, let’s look at a Gopalkala Recipe. It’s easy to prepare and doesn’t involve cooking. At the same time, it’s nutritious & healthy. One can have it as an evening snack, mid meal or even as a pre-workout meal! You can even give this dish to your kids in their school tiffin box as well.
What You Will Need
- Thick Poha or rice flakes – 1 bowl
- Fresh curd – 1 bowl
- Chopped Cucumber- ½ bowl
- Groundnuts – ¼ bowl
- Roasted chick pea – ¼ bowl
- Pomegranate – ¼ bowl
- Grated coconut/ Coconut pieces – ¼ bowl
- Grated ginger – 1 tsp
- Chopped Green Chillies – 1-2 tsp
- Chopped coriander – 1-2 tsp
- Sugar – 1 tsp
- Salt to taste
How To Prepare
- Wash the rice flakes in a sieve and keep it aside for 5 mins. Let it get soaked
- In 1 big bowl, beat the curd with sugar, salt, ginger, green chillies & coconut pieces
- Add rice flakes in this bowl. Let it soak for another 5 mins
- Add cucumber, groundnuts, roasted chick pea and pomegranate seeds
- Mix well & top it with coriander
Nutritional Value
It’s a healthy filling snack, nutritionally well balanced.
- Poha or rice flakes contribute to the carbohydrate content
- Curd, groundnuts and roasted chick pea make up for the protein content
- Curd is an excellent probiotic that is extremely good for gut health and digestion
- While the Gopalkala recipe doesn’t require oil or ghee, it has healthy fats from groundnut (MUFA) & coconut.
- It completes your salads & fruits quota too through cucumber & pomegranate. So don’t worry about the fiber, vitamins and antioxidants!
Worried about Poha being a rice product and its GI (Glycemic Index)? Please don’t! The protein, fats and fiber in it will bring down the GI. So what are you waiting for? Don’t just eat it as an offering to God but include it in your daily meals.
We hope you do try this Gopalkala recipe at home and share your thoughts with us in the comments below! Alternatively, you can also take pics of your preparation and share it with us on the GOQii Arena or our Instagram page, tagging GOQii.
For more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.
Wish you all a happy Shri Krishna Janmashtami!
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