5 Vegan recipes for Janmashtami 2023

It's 2023, and Janmashtami is here. 

Janmashtami, also known as Krishna Janmashtami or Gokulashtami, is one of India's most cherished and spritually significant festivals celebrated by Hindus across the world!

This festival marks the birth of Lord Krishna, the eight incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and is observed with a lot of devotion.

The festival falls on the eight day (Ashtami) of the Krishna Paksha (dark fornight) in the month of Bhadrapada on the Hindu lunar calendar, typically in August or September. 

Janmashtami is also a celebration of the love and devotion that Lord Krishna continues to inspire in the hearts of millions. This causes our families and communities to come together, celebrant vibrantly, and pay their respects to Lord Krishna. 

In this blog post, we invite you to celebrate a vegan Janmashtami, explore its significance to the teachings of Lord Krishna, and discover new ways to celebrate! 

We're sharing 5 delicious vegan recipes for Janmashtami below.

1. Vegan coconut ladoo

Ingredients

• 2 cups of desiccated coconut 
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup vegan condensed milk. Simple recipe can be found here.
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• Vegan ghee
• Chopped nuts for garnish 

Instructions

1. In a pan, combine the desiccated coconut, coconut milk, and vegan condensed milk.
2. Cook on low heat, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens and leaves the sides of the pan.
3. Add the cardamom powder and mix well.
4. Let the mixture cool slightly, then shape it into small ladoos.5.
5. Garnish with chopped nuts and let them cool completely before enjoying!

2. Vegan banana peda

Ingredients

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• Vegan ghee

Instructions

1. heat a pan and add the mashed bananas.
2. Cook for a few minutes until the moisture evaporates.
3. Add almond flour and powdered sugar, and continue to cook, stirring continuously, until it thickens.
4. Add the cardamom powder and mix well.
5. Remove from the heat and let it cool.
6. Shape the mixture into pedas and garnish with chopped nuts.

3. Vegan masala chai

Ingredients

• 2 cups vegan milk
• 2 tsp tea leaves or tea bags
• 2-3 cardamom pods, crushed
• 1-inch piece of ginger, grated
• 2-3 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2-3 black peppercorns
• Sugar or sweetener of choice

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, heat the vegan milk with all the spices.
2. Add the tea leaves or tea bags and let it simmer for a few minutes
3. Strain the chai into cups, and sweeten with your choice of sweetener. 

4. Vegan fruit chaat

Ingredients

• Bananas
• Watermelon
• Apples
• Oranges
• Grapes
• Pomegranate seeds
• 2 tsp chaat masala
• 1 tsp black salt
• 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
• Fresh lemon juice
• Chopped mint leaves

Instructions

1. Chop the fruits into bite-sized pieces and place them in a large bowl.
2. Sprinkle chaat masala, black salt, and roasted cumin powder over the fruits.
3. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice and toss to combine. Garnish with chopped mint to finish!

5. Vegan poha

Ingredients

• 2 cups poha (flattened rice)
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 cup chopped bell peppers
• 1/2 cup green peas
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• Coriander to taste

Instructions

1. Rinse the poha in a sieve under running water and set aside to drain.
2. In a large pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
3. Once they splutter, add onions, bell peppers, peas, and carrots. Saute until they are tender.
4. Add turmeric powder, salt, and drained poha. Mix well and cook for a few minutes.
5. Garnish with coriander before serving.

Comment below to let us know which one you're making on Janmashtami, and feel free to share this blog post.