The enchanting flavours of Holi

Treasure-worthy gujiyas with chironji and kishmish hidden inside, vibrant chaats and meethe chawal - Holi is the time to soak in some delicious food nostalgia that makes us proud of our composite culture.

The ancient festival of Holi brings with it the enchanting colours of spring that symbolise love, hope and joy. Equally present in the Holi spread, that showcases painstakingly made traditional delicacies that evoke beautiful nostalgia is the longing to revive the vibrant past.

This particular paan is made with an outer casing of filo pastry, filled with paan gel, home made ‘desi gulab’ gulkand and kattha essence.

One’s reminded of big family gatherings, grandmothers singing folk Horis (semi-classical singing popular in the villages of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar), the delicious scent of handmade sweets and snacks making children hungry, the vivid splashes of gulal sprinkling joy everywhere.

“A unique Hori/Holi celebration was on Rang Paashi, traditionally supposed to be the first day of festivities, falling three days before Poornima, or Holi. This was a big evening in our home, when we hosted a Holi dinner for friends and family. Youngsters would put gulal ke tikke on the foreheads of their elders and hot gujiya and besan ke papdi were offered first as prasad and then to everyone,” says Anoothi Vishal, food historian and author.

The papdis were different from dry, off the shelves papads. “They were made at home with great labour and care by kneading besan flour in mustard oil and then pounding it to aerate it, before rolling it out into thin discs and frying fresh. Besan ki papdi is a unique Mathur dish associated with Holi. The gujiya is also preferred hot, not cold, and made with just khoya, chironji and kishmish, no extra sugar or saffron coating,” says Vishal who has curated a week-long festival of traditional Holi specials from Old Delhi homes at Punjab Grill, Aerocity this year.

Tesu Ki Barfi, is made from natural spring flower and tinted milk cannelloni stuffed with tesu coloured rabri, topped with palm sugar coated tesu flowers.

She recalls how the dinner would always a big affair with a special meat kaliya and poori-kachori cooked to mark the festivities. “Chaat also featured in the traditional Holi spread because as per Ayurveda this cool spring time calls for pungent and fermented flavours to protect the body. We also had fermented kaanji-bada (moong pakori soaked in kaanji and left to ferment) that was drunk on Holi.”

For historian-author Rana Safvi who grew up in Lucknow, gujias were the most exciting part of the celebrations. “The colours of Holi and the taste of gujias bring back many childhood memories for me. Regular UP gujias stuffed with lots of khoya, kishmish and nariyal were my favourite.”

Osama Jalali, founder and culinary Head, The Mughal Plate by Jalalis is trying to revive the traditional flavours of Holi with recipes that are closely associated with his childhood memories. He says, “Holi means meethe chawal or Shahi Zarda, thanks to our neighbours who had come from Peshawar five decades ago. On every Holi, they would send meethe chawal for us. I decided to add these in my Holi menu.”

Another Holi treat that Jalali has prepared is Khush Rang Murgh Pulao. “It has small balls of chicken coloured naturally with beetroot and spinach. It’s my mother’s recipe, who is from Rampur, UP. Her grandparent’s house was located in a non-Muslim area and they were the only Muslim family. Every Holi, they loved serving this colourful dish to people in the neighbourhood,” he says.

Traditionally, the festival of Holi starts from Basant Panchmi and culminates on the full moon day, Fagun Purnima. And Brij Ki Holi stands out because it’s believed that’s the place where Holi as a festival has originated from. Samrat Banerjee, director operations, Rooh New Delhi, says, “Brij Ki Holi is unique. It’s played for 40 days in various parts of the region such as Vrindavan and Barsana. Apart from Phoolo ki Holi, Lathmar Holi and Rang Ekadashi, there is something called Laddu Holi where you throw laddu at each other.”

Banerjee changes his menu during on the occasion of Holi. “The menu is called Fagun. Tesu ki barfi is one of the unique dishes, made with Tesu or palash flower. It’s a tinted milk cannelloni, stuffed with tesu coloured rabri, topped with palm sugar coated tesu flowers,” he says.

Shahi Zarda can add colour in the Holi menu.

Recipe of meethe chawal / shahi zarda

Ingredients

1kg basmati rice

250 ml ghee or oil

5 green cardamom

250 ml saffron soaked in warm water

50 grams almonds

50 gram cashews

20 gram raisin

100 gram tutti fruity made with watermelon peel

250 grams sugar

Method

1. Boil water in heavy bottom pan and add saffron water to it.

2. Add soaked rice to the water and cook till it absorbs saffron colour

3. Once rice is cooked ill 80 percent , strain it and keep aside

4. Take another pan add sugar , cardamoms and a cup of water and cook till sugar dissolves

5. Now in a big pan / deghchi put ghee/ oil and add the sugar mixture and layer with rice.

6. Cover the lid and let it cook slowly on dum for 15 minutes

7. Open the lid and add tutti fruity and nuts as garnish and serve.

Author tweets @ruchikagarg271

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