Every devotee waits for the birth of Lord Krishna on the holy festival of Shri Krishna Janmashtami. There is also a tradition of offering 56 offerings to Bal Gopal on this special occasion. These offerings include many types of sweets. is one of these Meengi Paagwhich is prepared from melon seeds i.e. kernel of Magaj.
Meengi Paag is considered special among traditional sweets. The special thing is that to make it you neither need mawa nor milk. This sweet can be easily made at home using melon seeds, sugar and a little desi ghee.
Its taste is crisp, sweet and extremely delicious. If you want to make something traditional and different for Kanha ji this Janmashtami, then definitely try this easy recipe of Meengi Paag.
Ingredients to make Meengi Paag
- Melon seeds (meengi/magaj ki giri) – 1 cup
- Sugar – 1 cup
- Water – ½ cup
- Desi Ghee – 1 tablespoon
- Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
- Mace or nutmeg powder – 1 pinch (optional)
Easy method of making Meengi Paag
1. First roast the melon seeds
Heat about 1 teaspoon desi ghee in a heavy bottomed pan. Add melon seeds to it and fry on low flame while stirring continuously.
After some time the seeds will start crackling and swelling. When the seeds turn light golden and a nice aroma starts coming from them, take them out in a plate.
Be careful while roasting the seeds, as they may jump out of the pan when hot.
2. Lightly grind the seeds
For better binding, put about half of the roasted seeds in the mixer and run it on pulse mode for only a few seconds. If you want, you can also grind them lightly.
Keep the remaining half seeds whole. In this way the mixture of whole and coarse seeds will give a good texture to the Paag.
3. Prepare sugar syrup
Now add 1 cup sugar and half cup water in the same pan. Cook it on medium flame and let the sugar dissolve completely.
Let the syrup boil for a few minutes. When the syrup thickens and comes to the state of about one and a half to two strings, then add cardamom powder and if desired, some nutmeg or mace powder.
4. Mix melon seeds in syrup
Now add roasted melon seeds in the prepared syrup. Keep the gas flame low and keep stirring the mixture continuously.
In about 1-2 minutes the mixture will start thickening and leaving the sides of the pan. When a light white crust appears in the mixture, turn off the gas immediately.
5. Spread on a plate and set
Grease a plate or tray thoroughly with light desi ghee. Now add the prepared hot mixture into it and spread it evenly with the help of a spoon.
Don't dilute it too much. The thickness of the Paag can be kept as per your choice.
6. Cut and prepare
When the mixture remains lukewarm, make square or diamond shaped cuts in it with the help of a knife.
After cooling for about 10-15 minutes, the Paag will set well. After this separate the pieces.
If you wish, you can place a basil leaf on it before offering it. In this way, traditional Meengi Paag prepared at home can be offered to Bal Gopal on Janmashtami.
Keep these things in mind while making Meengi Paag
To get the perfect texture of Meingi Paag, roast the melon seeds on low flame and do not let them burn. It is important to pay special attention to the consistency of the syrup. If the syrup is too thin, it may cause difficulty in setting the Paag and if it is too thick, the mixture may harden quickly.
Therefore, after adding seeds, do not cook the mixture on gas for too long. Switch off the gas at the right time and immediately spread it in a greased plate.