Holi 2019: Traditional Food With A Twist

Holi is filled with memories and takes you back to your childhood days filled with fun, laughter, colour and food. Food plays a very important part in our life and like any other festival, celebrations are incomplete without food. We love the delectable delicacies as much as we love the festival because of its colourful hues.

Mythologically the word Holi came from the word ’Holika’ who was the evil sister of the demon king Hiranyakashipu. On the eve of Holi, a bonfire is lit where Holika is set on fire. Today we will talk about some traditional recipes with a twist by well-known chefs of our country.

De constructed Chukandaria (Beetroot) Dahi Bhalla by Chef Avanish Jain of Radisson Blu, Faridabad

Ingredients: 4 Portion

For Dahi Bhalla

• 100 gms Moong Dal

•100 gms White Lentil

•7 gms Cumin Seeds

•200 gms Beet Root

 • 5 gms Chopped chili

• 5gms Chopped Ginger

•10gms Chat Masala

 • 2gms Hing Powder

 • 5gms Black Salt

•5 gms Table Salt

 • 450 ml Thick Plain Curd

 • 60 ml Mint Chutney

• 50 ml Saunth Chutney

• 1 lt  Oil for frying

For Saunth Chutney

• 170 gm Jaggery

• 50 gms Refine Sugar

• 5 gms White Salt

 • 7 gms Black Salt

 • 10 gms Degi Mirch

 • 7 gms Black Pepper

 •  10gms Dry Ginger Powder

•  15gms Dhaniya Powder

 •  45 gms Dry Mango Powder

 • 15gms Funnel Seeds

Green Chutney

• 50gms Fresh Mint

• 100 gms Fresh Coriander

• 20 gms Green Chili

 •10gm Fresh Ginger

 • 5 gms Black Salt

 • 20 ml Lemon Juice

 • 10 gms Salt

 Procedure:

For Dahi Bhalla

1.     Wash and soak both the lentils for 3-4 hrs and then grind them to a thick paste.

2.     Wash, peel and grate the beetroot, strain out the juice and use 3/4th of this juice for grinding the lentil and the rest mix with plain curd and dry the left over beetroot on slow heat.

3.     Mix rest of the ingredients together except plain curd and dry beet root, divide them in equal balls, flatten them on a plastic paper and deep fry on slow pre-heated oil till they are cooked.

4.     Remove them and dip into Luke warm water.

For Saunth Chutney

1.     Place a sauce pan on burner with 50 ml water in it, add sugar, jaggery and let it melt. Remove any black dirt from top and once it is clean add rest of the other ingredients, mix well and cook to a thick consistency, check the seasoning, remove from heat and cool this mixture.

For Green Chutney

1.     Place all the ingredient together except lemon juice in a blender add little water or crush ice and blend to fine paste.

2.     Adjust seasoning and add lemon juice.

Assembling:

1.     Take out the fried Bhalla from water, squeeze them to remove excess water, divide in to two and arrange on a platter.

2.     Pour beetroot mixed curd, Saunth and Green Chutney on it you may sprinkle with some dry roasted, crushed cumin seeds on this.

Gujjiya Dimsum with mango, pineapple, pista and strawberry rabri by Chef Avinash Jain of Radisson Blu, Faridabad

Ingredients: 10pcs

• 200 gms Refined Flour
• 40 gms Sooji
• 200 gms Khoya
• 100 gms Sugar
• 5gms Cardamom Powder
• 40 gms Raisins
• 15gms Pista Slices
• 40 gms Almond Slices
• 100 gms Clarified  Butter  (Ghee)
• 1 lt Full Cream Milk
• 20 ml Mango Puree
• 20 ml Strawberry Puree
• 20 ml Pineapple Puree 
• 20 ml Pista Puree
• 1 lt Oil for frying

Procedure:

1.     In a sauce Pan heat milk and reduce it to half, cool it down, add 50 gr sugar mix well and divide in four equal parts and add Mango puree, Strawberry puree, Pineapple puree and Pista puree in each part.

2.     In a pan heat 50 ml clarified butter and sauté Sooji till light brown, cool it down, add khoya, cardamom pdr, raisins, Pista, almond and mix well.

3.     Make dough with refined flour by mixing remaining sugar in to water, rest this for 10-15 minutes, divide them into equal parts and roll them thin flat round disc, fill with the khoya mixture and fold them into half-moon shape, sealed tightly or any other dimsum shape you are comfortable to fold.

4.     Out of 10 pcs you can deep fry 5 pcs and remaining steam first and then shallow fry to give slight brown colour.

5.     Serve them with four different rabri.

 Thandai by Executive Chef Avinash Kumar, Novotel Imagica Khopoli

Ingredients:-

•       Almonds                 60 gm

•       Pistachios               40 gm

•       Poppy seeds          30 gm            

•       Dried rose petal   10 gm

•       Fennel seeds           10 gm

•       Melon seeds              30 gm

•       Black pepper              5 gm

•       Cardamom                   5 gm

•       Saffron                           3 gm

•       Sugar                                50 gm

•       Milk                                  300 ml

Procedure:-

•       Soak almonds, pistachios, poppy seeds, fennels seeds, melon seeds and cardamom in warm water.

•       Make a smooth paste of all soaked ingredients. Now add this paste with chilled milk and adjust the consistency and sweetness by adding sugar.

•       Garnish it with dried rose petals, chopped pistachios and chopped almond. Serve chilled.