Holi is the festival that marks the victory of good over evil. When Holika was burnt and Prahalad was saved, this festival also marks the beginning of the harvest season and is celebrated by throwing colors and colorful water on each other. Loud music, delicious food and the spirit of togetherness characterize this festival.
The food part is the most important, like for any other Indian festival, Holi too has a distinct place in the culinary delights from the Indian kitchen, here are the top 5 Holi special recipes you can try this festival of colors:
1. Gujiya:
No Indian festval is complete without sweets and Gujiya is a Holi special, have a look at the recipe for this delicious sweet delight:
 Ingredients:
1 kg Khoya
500 gms Sugar
500 gms Maida
200 gms Almonds, chopped
6 tbsp Cooking oil
3 tbsp Raisins
200 ml Water
Green Cardamom seeds (mashed)
How to make Gujia:
Combine maida with 6 tbsp of oil using your fingers.
Make soft dough and knead it lightly. Add water if needed.
Cover with a wet cloth and leave aside.
In a frying pan, deep-fry the khoya till it gets light brown.
Add chopped almonds, cardamom powder, sugar and raisins and mix well.
Fry again for few minutes. Allow the mixture to cool.
Prepare a small chapati from the kneaded dough. Make sure the dough is not rolled to make too thin or too thick chapattis.
Stuff half of the chapati with the khoya mixture.
Fold and draw the edges of chapati inwards to close.
On slow fire, deep-fry the gujia till it turns golden brown.
Take out them out of the frying pan using a sieve and drain the oil properly.
Store them in an airtight container.
Repeat the procedure with the remaining dough.
2. Bhang-lassi:
Holi is incomplete without Bhang lassi, this intoxicating lassi is a must-have in all Holi celebrations:
 Ingredients:
1/2 Ounce cannabisÂ
2 Cups warm whole milkÂ
1/2 Cup sugarÂ
1 tbsp Coconut milkÂ
1 tbsp Almonds, choppedÂ
1/8 tsp Ginger, powderedÂ
1 Pinch garam masalaÂ
1/2 tsp GrenadineÂ
1 Cup water
Procedure:
Bring water to a boil in a teapot and add cannabis to it.
Brew for about 7 to 10 minutes, then strain.
Gradually grind the strained cannabis along with 2 tbsp of milk, repeat this process several times.
Strain the milk into another bowl and keep aside.
Add a little more milk to the cannabis and grind it along with the almonds, repeat this several times.
Remove the cannabis and pour the milk, coconut milk, grenadine and boiled water into a container.
Combine ginger, sugar, and garam masala with it, keep stirring.
Bhang Lassi is ready to serve.
3. Puran Poli:
A Sweet dish, typically made by Maharashtrians during Holi which is extremely delicious and healthy:
 Ingredients:
 1/2 kg Maida (All purpose flour)
• 1/2 kg Lentil (Gram dal)
• 1 tsp Cardamom powder
• 1 tsp Ghee
• 1/2 kg Jaggery
• 100 ml Oil
• Salt to taste
How to make:
Wash and boil the lentil with water and 1/2 tsp salt till it becomes soft.
Cool slightly and strain the dal using a strainer.
Add cardamom powder and jaggery and grind to make fine paste.
If the paste is sticky, keep it on fire to dry up completely. This is puran.
Knead 1/2 kg maida with water and 1/2 tsp salt. Do not make it hard.
Add oil and knead the maida again till oil gets absorbed.
Prepare equal number of balls from maida and puran.
Roll out maida balls to make small pooris.
Stuff these pooris with puran ball.
Roll them again into balls.
Roll out to make chapatis. It is called poli.
Heat a griddle and roast each poli.
Apply ghee on both sides when done.
Serve with hot cup of tea.
4. Dahi Vada:
A tangy and spicy snack filled with Dahi (curd) that helps balance the Holi sweets:
 Ingredients:
 3 Cups Fresh Curd
• 1 Cup Urad dal
• 1/4 Cup Moong dal
• Pinch of Asafoetida
• 1 Green Chili (finely chopped)
• 2 tsp Cumin Seed (roasted and grounded)
• 1 tsp Chili Pepper
• 1 tsp Garam Masala
• 6 tsp Sweet Tamarind Chutney
• Coriander leaves (chopped)
• Salt to taste
• Oil to fry
| Â |
How to make:
Wash and soak the two dals overnight in water.
Drain out excess water.
Add asafoetida, salt and green chilli.
Grind to make a thick batter, beat till fluffy.
Now heat oil in a large frying pan.
Add spoonfuls of dal batter in oil and fry until turned golden brown. Remove excess oil.
Drop the hot vadas in a cold water bowl and leave for about 3-4 minutes.
Take each vada out from water, squeeze and set aside. Now add garam masala, pepper and salt in beaten curd.
Pour curd mixture over vadas, placed on a deep bottomed dish.
Sprinkle with roasted cumin powder and chopped coriander leaves.
Dahi Vada is ready to serve with sweet tamarind chutney.
5. Bhang Pakore:
Try Bhang in this different avatar, mixed into pakore, a tasty snack that fit’s the festival completely:
Ingredients:
250 gms Besan (gram flour)
200 gms Potatoes
200 gms Cauliflower
150 gms Onions
100 gms Spinach
200 gms Brinjal
10 gms Bhang seed powder
2 gms Soda-bicarb
5 gms Ajwain
5 gms Pomegranate seed powder
Salt to taste
Oil for deep-frying
Instructions:
Wash and peel all the vegetables.
Sieve besan, soda-bicarb and salt together.
Add bhang seed powder, ajwain, red chili powder, and pomegranate seed powder.
Add water according to requirement and make thick batter.
Heat oil in a deep-frying pan.
Dip the peeled vegetables in the batter.
Deep-fry on medium fire till golden brown.
Pakoras are ready to serve.
Â
3 Comments