With the arrival of March, people welcome the season of spring on a beautiful note by celebrating it in the form of Holi also known as the Festival of Colours.
By splashing coloured powders on one another in spirits of merriment, Holi is commemorated with the hope of welcoming a colourful new beginning in life.
This festival, which celebrates the arrival of summer and the end of the dreary winters, is marked by people showering colours on one another as a way of showing love and affection.
Holi is also called the Festival of Love as people of the Braj region of India celebrate it in honour of the divine love between Radha and Lord Krishna.
The festival is also celebrated as a victory of good over evil as according to Hindu mythology the demoness Holika was burned to death due to her evil deeds upon a pyre and the devotee Parahlad got saved due to the grace of Lord Vishnu.
This year, the Festival of Colours or Holi is going to be held on March 8, 2023.
As every festival in this diverse land of India, Holi too is incomplete without some delicious food to munch on with our loved ones.
Among the various food items consumed in Holi, Bhang which is an edible preparation made from the leaves of cannabis plant, is highly enjoyed in the form of drinks like Thandai and Lassi or even in the avatar of snacks like gujiya and pakora.
However, Bhang is an intoxicating substance and can be greatly harmful if consumed in wrong proportions.
To help you out in enjoying your Holi in full blast, here are some easy recipes to try at home-
Recipe 1 : Paan Thandai
Ingredients –
- ¼ cup almonds
- ¼ cup cashews
- 2 tbsp pistachios
- 2 tbsp melon seeds
- 2 tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- 2 tbsp dried rose petals
- 2 tbsp poppy seeds
- 1 tbsp peppercorns
- 8-10 cardamom pods
- Pinch of saffron
- Milk
- 2 Paan Leaves
- 1-2 tsp Gulkand
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Ice cubes
Method-
i) Mix the almonds, cashews, pistachios, melon seeds, fennel seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried rose petals, poppy seeds, peppercorns, cardamom pods and saffron in a bowl , add water and let it soak there for 5-6 hours
ii) Peel some almonds and add it along with the soaked thandai mixture in a blender and blend it thoroughly to make the thandai paste
iii) Take half a cup of milk in another blender , add 2 paan leaves (after removing petiole and tearing it) along with gulkand and sugar
iv) Next, add 2 tbsp of thandai paste, half glass of milk along with some ice cubes in it and blend nicely
v) Serve the Paan Thandai in a glass, garnish with saunf and enjoy
Also Read : Arjun Tea : The best Ayurvedic beverage that works wonders for your heart
Recipe 2 : Baked Gujiya
Ingredients for dough
- 1 cup Plain Flour
- 2 tbsp Ghee
- ¼ cup Milk
- Water as per need
Ingredients for Filling
- 1 cup Semolina
- ½ cup Desiccated Coconut
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 8 tbsp Melted Ghee
- ½ cup Powdered Dried Fruits
- 2-3 tbsp Chopped Raisins
- 1 tsp Fresh Cardamom Powder
Method-
i) Knead the dough , add the filling inside it and fold in braided portion along the edges.
ii) Apply ghee and bake at 180°c for 10mins
iii) Reapply ghee again and bake at 180°c for 6 more mins and then serve