Recipe Courtesy: Chef Kaul, The Imperial, New Delh

Come Holi and there is a mad rush to the neighbourhood sweet shop. After all, where else can you get mouthwatering gujias, delicious thandais and other old time delights in this modern age? Of course, with a little effort and patience, you can surprise everyone with an array of lipsmacking delicacies flowing out of nowhere but your own cosy little kitchen. Just try out these recipes and sit back for the thundering applause.

Gujia

Ingredients: Khoya - 250 gms, Suji - 100 gms, Coconut powder - 50 gms, Kaju - 50 gms, Kismis - 50 gms, Chironjee - 50 gms, Pista - 50 gms, Ghee - 1 kg, Maida - 500 gms, Cardamom powder - 25 gms

Method

Take refined flour in a pan and mix it well with water and ghee to make a dough. Keep aside. In a kadai, cook khoya and suji for 30 minutes. Now take all the remaining ingredients, mash them and add them to the suji-khoya mixture in the kadai and cook. Stuff the cooked ingredients in the refined flour, shape it so that it resembles a half moon and fry till golden brown.

Recipe Courtesy: Chef Kaul, The Imperial, New Delhi

Vegetable Pakoras

Ingredients: 1 cup chickpea flour, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder, 1/2 teaspoon garam masala, 2 cloves, crushed garlic, 3/4 cup water, 1 quart oil for deep frying, 1/2 head cauliflower florets, 2 onions sliced into rings

Method

Sift the chickpea flour into a medium bowl. Mix in the coriander, salt, turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala and garlic. Make a well in the center of the flour. Gradually pour the water into the well and mix to form a thick, smooth batter. Place a large, heavy saucepan on fire and heat the oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Coat the cauliflower and onions in the batter and fry them in small batches until golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving.

Thandai

Ingredients: Almonds - 50 gms, Kaju - 50 gms, Honey - 100 gms, Black peppercorns - 10 gms, Fennel seed powder - 25 gms, Poppy seeds - 25 gms, Milk - 2 litres, Sugar - 250 gms, Saffron - 2 gms

Method

Except sugar, saffron, milk and honey, mix all the ingredients and make a fine powder. Add this powder to the cold milk. Add saffron, sugar and honey.

Serve chilled.

Samosas

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 3 (19 ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained 2 tablespoons curry paste 1/2 cup apple juice 1 1/2 (17.5 ounce) packages frozen puff pastry, thawed 1/4 cup all-purpose flour for dusting

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion until browned. Reduce heat and add garbanzo beans. Mix curry paste with apple juice until smooth, then add to skillet. Simmer mixture for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more apple juice or water as needed to keep mixture moist. Cut each sheet of pastry into 3 equal-size rectangles, then cut each rectangle in half. (You will have 18 pieces in total.) Dust a clean, flat surface lightly with flour, and roll each piece of pastry until it is double in size. Dust pastry with flour as needed to prevent it from sticking to rolling pin. Spoon an equal amount of filling into center of each pastry square. Fold in half and press edges to seal. Place on nonstick baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, until golden brown.

Bhang and the splash of colours

Holi, or the festival of colours, heralds in spring and the intoxicating season of love and happiness. Bhang, or cannabis, is freely associated with the splash of assorted Holi colours. During this season, bhang is prepared and served according to age-old traditions throughout the Himalayan foothills.

With a simple mortar and pestle, the buds and leaves of cannabis are squashed and ground into a green paste, to which milk, ghee and spices are added. This base can be mixed with the nutritious, refreshing drink, thandai, an alternative to alcohol, the recipe for which is given above. This can also be mixed with ghee and sugar to make a tasty green Halvah, and into peppery, chewy little balls called Goalees.

Compiled by Meenakshi Sinha