Maha Shivaratri Special: Prasadam to offer Lord Shiva
With Shivaratri around the corner, it is time for all the Shiva devotees to celebrate the auspicious occasion and please Lord Shiva by offering his favourite bhog or prasadam.
Usually during Maha Shivaratri, sweet dishes are prepared, especially those made with milk and offered.
Hence, check out these five prasadams that you can try making to offer the Lord.
- Rice Kheer
Rice Kheer is the simplest recipe that everyone can prepare. And without traditional rice kheer, no Indian festival is complete. It is basically the blend of fine rice, milk, nuts, cardamom and sugar.
To begin with, dry roast the nuts in a non-stick pan. Boil milk in a pressure cooker on medium flame and allow it to boil, then add rice in it followed by cardamom and sugar.
Mix all the ingredients properly and allow the mixture to be cooked. Cook until the kheer gets a thick and creamy consistency.
- Panchamrit
Panchamrit is considered auspicious, hence is prepared and offered to Shiva.
It is made of five ingredients and contains milk, honey, curd, ghee and sugar. To prepare the bhog, all the ingredient needs to be mixed in equal proportions.
- Thandai
Thandai is considered as one of the favourites of Lord Shiva. It is a cold beverage that also contains bhang and is packed with the goodness of milk, sugar, dry fruits, rose petals and spices.
To begin with peel the soaked almonds, add it along with soaked cashews, pistachios, melon seeds with 2 tablespoon milk and grind the mixture into a fine paste. After this, grind the green cardamom, cinnamon powder, rose petals, and black pepper to a fine powder.
Boil milk add saffron strands, sugar and simmer for a while until the sugar starts melting. And add the paste and the powder to the milk. Mix well and turn off the flame after few minutes. Garnish it with some dry crushed rose petals and saffron strands.
- Milk Cake
Milk cake is traditionally made with milk and sugar, and is a classic Indian sweet dish. Simply add some powdered green cardamom, in case you want to add flavours to it.
To prepare milk cake, boil the milk until it is reduced to two-third chena. Then, add lemon juice and mix well. Drain out the excess water and transfer the chena (Indian cottage cheese) to a pan. Heat it over medium flame and add sugar. Stir well for some time and add butter and stir again. Make sure that it does not stick to the pan.
When the mixture starts to thicken, add some cardamom powder and chopped pistachios. Grease the tray and spread the mixture evenly. Cut it into desired shapes, when it cools down.
- Makhane Ki Kheer
Makhane ki kheer is also offered as Prasad on Mahashivratri. It is made of milk simmered till thick with lotus seeds and flavoured with nuts and cardamom.
To prepare the kheer, heat 2 to 3 tsp ghee in a pan. Add the phool makhana and cashews to roast it, and make it crunchy.
Boil milk add sugar and break the puffy, crunchy Makhanas into smaller pieces and allow it to simmer for about 1 to 2 hours. Lastly, add the golden cashews and raisins.
