Festivals bring along with them the coveted chance to indulge in an array of delicious delicacies without any guilt. Now that Holi is almost here, we are sure a lot of you must be binging on Gujiyas already! Such is the fervour of festivals, and it is definitely incomplete without a hearty gastronomical indulgence.
If you are hosting a Holi party for your loved ones this weekend, we have the food menu sorted for you. It is not only easy to prepare but resonates with the festival’s vibe and is sure to satiate everyone’s taste buds.
Read on, as we list 5 easy recipes for your Holi party food menu:
THANDAI
Thandai is a must-have for your Holi party menu. (Photo: Getty Images)
A quintessential Holi drink, Thandai can be served as a welcome drink and also served in between, amid the hullabaloo of playing with colours and non-stop dancing.
HOW TO MAKE THANDAI?
The first step is to soak peeled almonds, poppy seeds, fennel seeds, dried rose petals, melon seeds, pistachios and black pepper in a bit of warm water. You can soak it overnight or for at least 2 hours. (Use one teaspoon each of almonds, melon seeds and pistachios, and half a teaspoon of fennel seeds, poppy seeds and black pepper each for one large glass of Thandai.)
Then, put this mix into a blender. Add sugar, saffron strands and a few green cardamoms. Blend it all together into a fine paste. In one glass of chilled milk (you can also use milk and water in 50:50 proportions), add two spoons of the thandai mixture. Mix well, and it is ready to be gulped down.
PAPDI CHAAT
Your guests will love a flavoursome plate of Papdi Chaat. (Photo: Pexels)
How about a tantalising plate of Papdi Chaat for the starters? Oozing with tangy and refreshing flavours, it is a perfect dish to delve into the Holi fun.
HOW TO MAKE PAPDI CHAAT
Preparing Papdi Chaat is quite easy, as it is more about assembling than cooking. You can buy crispy papdi and tamarind chutney from a store. You will also need mint chutney, which you can make by grinding fresh leaves of mint and coriander with a few green chillies, salt, garlic cloves and a bit of ginger. You can also add lemon juice or raw mango to add that extra punch of flavour.
Another thing you need to prepare is sweet curd. In a bowl, mix sugar with fresh curd. Use two spoons of sugar for two cups of curd. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Keep it aside.
On a large plate, arrange papdi. Pour over a layer of whisked curd. Top it with cubed boiled potatoes, boiled chickpeas and chopped raw onion. Drizzle over some green chutney and tamarind chutney. Sprinkle salt, red chilli powder, roasted cumin powder and chaat masala. Finally, garnish with sev and pomegranate seeds. Voila, papdi chaat is ready.
CHICKEN PAKORAS
For all the non-vegetarian food lovers, you can make easy-peasy Chicken Pakoras. (Photo: Getty Images)
For all the non-vegetarian food lovers, you can have simple yet flavoursome Chicken Pakoras on the menu.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN PAKORAS?
Cut the chicken breast pieces into thin strips. In a large bowl, mix besan (gram flour) with water and mix well. For every 1 cup of besan, use 1/2 cup of water. Now, add red chilli powder, garam masala, chaat masala, salt and baking soda (1 tsp for 1 cup of gram flour). Mix it all well to prepare a batter.
Now, heat some oil in a wok. Once the oil is hot, dip the chicken strips into the prepared batter and fry them in the oil till completely cooked. Serve with freshly-prepared mint and coriander chutney.
ALOO PURI
Aloo Puri is a fool-proof option for your Holi bash. (Photo: Getty Images)
Nothing like relishing a piping hot plate of tangy potato curry with freshly-made pooris after a heavy Holi play! It is a fool-proof option that everyone enjoys.
HOW TO MAKE ALOO PURI?
Boil 6-7 potatoes in a pressure cooker. Peel them and allow them to cool. Now, mash them and keep aside. Now, heat oil in a wok and add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, a pinch of hing (asafetida) and a few curry leaves. Once they splutter, add 2 tablespoons of ginger and garlic paste. Saute until it turns golden brown. Now, add 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon mango powder, red chilli powder and salt as per taste. Mix it all and cook on low flame for another 2 minutes. Now, add the roughly-mashed boiled potatoes, and mix well.
Now, add fresh tomato puree and cook for another 10 minutes. Keep stirring in between. Add some water and cover the lid. Cook until you get the desired consistency.
As for the pooris, take small round balls and roll them in flat circles with a bit of oil. Deep fry in hot oil carefully.
GUJIYA
Your Holi party is incomplete without Gujiyas.
Gujiyas are simply synonymous with Holi and you cannot not have them on your Holi menu! While you can also order it from a sweet shop, here’s a simple, easy one you can try at home.
HOW TO MAKE GUJIYAS?
The process is making Gujiyas at home can be divided into three steps. First, you need to prepare the dough. Secondly, you need to put together the filling. And finally, you assemble and fry them.
For the dough, mix 1 cup of whole wheat with 1 cup of maida (all-purpose flour) and add a ¼ teaspoon of salt. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in a pan. Once it melts, add it to the flour mix. Give it a gentle mix using a spoon, and then use your fingers to get a breadcrumb-like texture. Using water, knead the dough and keep it aside. Cover it with a wet cloth for at least 30 minutes.
As for the filling, begin with heating some ghee in a pan. Add one cup of grated khoya and cook on low flame while stirring continuously. Once it begins to soften and gather around itself, turn off the flame. Allow it to cool down. Now, take almonds, pistachios, cashews (all roughly crushed) and some raisins and mix them with the khoya. Also, add powdered sugar and cardamom powder. Give all the ingredients a good mix.
Finally comes the assembling part. Take a small ball-sized dough and roll it into a circle using a rolling pin. Apply water on the circumference of the flat dough circles and add the prepared khoya filling in between. Now, fold the Gujiya carefully. Ensure to seal the corners well. Now, deep fry them in hot oil or bake them in an oven as per your preference.
We are in food heaven, already!
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