Radha: Five Favorite Sweets

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#RadhaSweets #RadhasCooking #KrishnaFavoriteFoods #BestSweetsForKrishna #GopalaFavoriteSweets #Krishna

In Govinda Lilamrta (19), Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja describes Uttamasloka Sri Krishna’s Uttara Gostaaparahna-lila(336-6pm), returning to Nandagrama with His boyfriends and His loving, lowing cows.

Meanwhile, in Varsana or Yavata at this time, Srimati Radharanii sbusy cooking five prema sweets for Her dearest Rasika Sekhara Syama.

Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja says, “After painfully separating from Syamaat Surya Mandira, Radhika and Her dearest sakhis arrive home. To comfort and please anguished Srimati, the manjaris render just the right, loving-caresevas i.e. tenderly laying Isvari on a cooling sandalwood bed covered with heaps of cooling, fragrant flower petals.

“After a brief rest, Bhanunandini rises and responds to Rani Yasoda’s request to sweets cook for her Lala. Fully refreshed and enlivened by this sevaajna, Radha rises happily and rushes into the kitchen to cook for Krishna.

“PriyaThakurani Sri Radhathen fabulously prepares Syamasundara’s five favorite sweets. Three sweets—amrtakeli, karpurakeli, piyusapalika, favorites of all Vrajavasis,Syamasavorsat dinner with family.

“But two special delicacies, ananga-gutikaandsidhuvilasa, Damodara devours alone with Sundari Radha in a kunja after His rapturous rasa dancing during Nisa-lila (11 p.m. to 3.36 a.m.). Acting as appetizers, these transcendental tasties stimulate Syama’s senses to more thoroughly enjoy drinking honey nectar with Radhika.

What follows are the basic sweet recipes from Govinda-lilamrta. If anyone knows the exact “how to prepare” recipes for Radha’s fives sweets, then please message the detailed recipes to mahanidhi swami official. Adding them to the post, we will again upload for the benefit of all the Radha-Krishna cooks worldwide. Thank you very much.

Radha Sweets—Krishna’s Five Favorites

1. AMRTA KELI:

Radhika makes amrta-keli and other sweets that will delight Kåñëa’s senses. Amrta-keli is a tart prepared by mixing condensed milk, banana flowers (bananas), urad dal powder as the dough, ground coconut, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom and black pepper. Then it is fried in ghee adding a pinch of camphor, and finally dipped in boiling sugar water.

2. KARPURA KELI

Radhika prepares Kåñëa’s favorite karpurakeli. First yogurt is added to boiling milk to make curd. This curd is placed in a large bowl along with sal rice powder, yogurt, sugar, ground coconut, ripe bananas, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom.

The mixture is kneaded with the fingers until bubbles form. Then it is rolled into a ball that is covered by mung dal powder and fried in ghee. Afterwards, the balls are dropped into a sweet sauce made from condensed milk and honey with a pinch of camphor.

3. PIYUSA GRANTHI PALIKA

Using the same ingredients, Radhika makes piyusagranthipalika. But this time they are made in the shape of a jalebi, then fried in ghee and dumped in pancamrta.

4. ANANGA GUTIKA:

Radhika makes ananga-gutika by mixing sugar with cream, plus rice, coconut, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, and a pinch of camphor. Then the ingredients are ground together with bananas and cardamom, molded into bite-sized balls and fried in ghee.

5. SIDHU VILASA

Radhika prepares tarts called sidhuvilasa. White flour is first stirred and mixed evenly with milk. Then smashed ripe bananas are added with black pepper and nutmeg and fried in thick sugar water. Afterwards, fresh honey and camphor are poured over them.

Sweet Conclusion

Sri Krishna’s five favorite sweets are amrta-keli, karpura-keli, piyusa-grantipalika, ananga-gutika and sidhu-vilasa. The external meaning of the sweet names are nectarplay, amrta-keli; knot of nectar, piyusa-granthi, and a play of camphor, karpura-keli, etc. But for Vrajarasika’s, the names of these sweets i.e. especially ananga-gutika & sidhu-vilasa awaken wonderful visions of Radha-Syama’s srngara-rasa. 

Radha’s five divine sweets completely conquer the nectar-sweet, enervating taste of ambrosia. And thus, Radha’s Priyatama Rasabihari affectionately relishes Her sweets with the utmost bliss and transcendental satisfaction. Jai Jai Sri Radhe Syama ki jai! Krishna’s pancapriyamithai ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!