Holi is among India’s most loved festivals, with celebrations taking place in practically every area of the country. It is also known as the “love festival” because on this day, people come together to forget their resentments and negative feelings toward one another.
On the very first evening of the festival, it is known as Holika Dahan or Choti Holi, and the next day is known as Holi. It goes by various names in various regions of the country. You could see colours all over the roads and on the faces of people. All such vibrancy fills the aura with positivity. Yet the most exciting part of Holi is delicious food. In this blog, we will share the recipes of traditional holi food with you which are the tastiest ever and you should try them too.
Best Holi food recipes:
Table of Contents
Gujiya
Holi is associated with Ghujiya. Gujiya is an essential part of each Holi festival. Different names for it include karanji, ghugra, and karajikai. Gujiya is the first thing that springs to mind whenever you talk of Holi. Ghujiya is typically made during the Holi festival. It’s an exquisite treat because of the deep-fried delicate flaky crust of gujiya packed with khoya (mawa), dry fruits, and withered coconut.
Recipe
- Mix 6 tbsp. oil with 6 tbsp. maida. Mix well with your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs and binds to some extent. Now add a little water and lightly mix the dough. Continually add water as needed and knead it into a soft dough. Wrap with a moist cloth and set aside.
- In a deep-frying pan, fry the khoya until it turns light brown. Mix the sugar into the khoya thoroughly. Mix in the almonds and kismis. Remove from the heat after a few minutes of frying. Allow time for it to cool.
- Roll out the kneaded into a broader, smaller chapati than a regular chapati. Fill half of the roti with the khoya mixture, fold it in half, and twist the corners inwards to close the circle. Keep hold not to let the contents spill out.
- Several at a time, deep-fried these gujjias until they are rich and nicely Cook on low heat. When they’re done, drain the oil entirely using a sieve type ladle. Allow them to drain on a napkin spread out until all of the greases has been absorbed. Keep the mixture in an airtight glass jar.
Thandai
Another popular Holi dish is Thandai. Thandai is a regal drink made with all thandai spice mixes, such as cashew, cardamom, sesame seeds, black pepper, almonds, fennel seed (saunf), and rose petals, that all have cooling effects. It is a must-have for all Holi celebrations. You’ll feel re-energized after a drink of this chilly thandai at the holi party.
Recipe
- Heat the sugar and milk together.
- When the sugar has dissolved in the milk, add the saffron. Extinguish the flame.
- To produce a paste, mix almonds, pistachios, soaked poppy seeds, cashews, melon seeds, rose petals, and a little milk.
- To make a powder, mix cinnamon, cardamom, and pepper.
- This powder should be added to the paste. Combine the paste and a little milk, then pour in the rest of the milk.
- Allow cooling before serving.
Malpuas
Malpua is a classic Indian treat that resembles pancakes and is fried in ghee before being coated in sugar syrup. Malpua is a delicately flavoured dish that is easy to make with basic ingredients and is renowned during festivals such as Diwali and Holi.
Recipe
- Malpua is a delightful sugar syrup-soaked recipe. Here’s a quick and easy way to make this dish by yourself by following a few basic steps. Combine khoya, maida, and sooji or semolina in a mixing basin. After that, add the cardamom powder and stir well once more. To make the Malpua batter, slowly add water. Make sure the batter is not too sticky and has a pourable texture. Remove the battery from the heat and set it aside for a few minutes. To prepare saffron water, soak saffron in water in a small basin.
- In a pan, heat the oil over a low flame. Pour a couple of tablespoons of the mixture into the hot oil and spread evenly. Cook on low heat till the malpua is golden brown on both sides. Strain the excess oil and discard the cooked malpua. Allow the malpua to soak in the sugar syrup for 10 minutes. Carry on with the rest of the batter in the same manner. Drain the malpuas and sprinkle with pistachios, saffron water, and rabri. Serve right away.
Bhang pakore
Bhang Pakora is fritters made from a batter containing bhang seeds. Another vital Holi recipe is Bhang Ke Pakore. Holi, the festival of colours, is nothing without the inclusion of Bhang in the meal.
Recipe
- Bhang leaves should be finely chopped and crusted.
- In a large mixing basin, combine all of the ingredients except the oil.
- Mix in the bhang leaves and enough water to make a thick batter.
- In a deep frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat.
- Small quantities of batter should be dropped and deep-fried until golden brown.
- Excess oil should be removed and drained.
- Serve immediately with your favourite chutney.
Namakpare
Namak Pare is one of India’s most popular tea-time snacks. Every Indian household would have a container of these salty strips on hand to snack on. These are commonly made with all-purpose flour and suji and deep-fried until golden brown. People eat them as a snack with tea after playing Holi in the evening.
Recipe
- To create this simple Namak Para dish, sieve the flour into a large tray. Then season with salt, pepper, and asafoetida powder. If you enjoy the taste of onion and ajwain, you can add these as well.
- Add a little water and knead the dough. If you want to make it spicier, add a pinch of red chilli powder. The dough should be thick, with ghee added to enhance the dish’s taste and flavour. Knead thoroughly.
- Form the dough into little balls and roll them into medium-sized flatbread. Keep the chapatis cut into little diamond shapes.
- In a frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Fry the namak paras till golden brown. Now is the time to serve.
