Panchamrit

Panchamrit, “the nectar of five”, is used to bathe the deity and then shared as prasad. The five are milk, curd, ghee, honey and sugar.

Prasad kitchen · Diwali, Purnima · Satyanarayan katha

Makes: about 1 cup, enough for a family puja · Time: 5 minutes

☐ ¾ cup milk, boiled and cooled
☐ 3 tbsp fresh curd
☐ 1 tsp ghee
☐ 1 tsp honey
☐ 1 tbsp sugar or crushed mishri
☐ a few tulsi leaves, washed (only for Vishnu’s worship, such as the Satyanarayan katha)

Whisk the curd until smooth in a clean bowl.
Add the milk and the sugar, and stir until the sugar dissolves.
Stir in the ghee and the honey.
For Vishnu’s worship, add the tulsi leaves; leave them out when the panchamrit is for Ganesha, as on Diwali. Offer it in the puja, then share a spoonful with each person, often received in the right palm.

Make it fresh on the day. Some families add makhana, chopped dry fruit or a little Ganga jal.
If you bathe an idol with it, first set aside a portion in a clean bowl to share as prasad. Add only drinking water to anything that will be eaten.

Take care: Do not give honey to babies under one year old. Keep the panchamrit cool if the puja is long.

KathaVidhi · Quantities are a starting point; proportions vary between families and regions, so follow yours.