Delights of Rakhi cuisine

Food has always been an integral part of any celebration. Raksha Bandhan is no exception. Especially sweets are made for this occasion.

Food has always been an integral part of any celebration. Raksha Bandhan is no exception. Certain sweets are especially made by halwais for this occasion — the crispy anarse ki goli (made of ground rice flour and sugar syrup, deep fried and coated with sesame or poppy seeds), ghevar and pheni — and are not otherwise available. These sweets are also known as monsoon delights.

Sweets like imarti, gulab jamun, pateesa, balushai, malpua and sev burfi are the frontrunners with Old Delhi halwais. Moong dal burfi, pista lauj and badaam katli are, despite high prices, always popular.

The savoury chaats are popular at any time, but are best enjoyed during this season as the weather plays on our moods and foods. It’s also true that heeng helps in digestion.

The pucca home khana on Rakhi could consist of aloo bedmi, sitaphal, boondi raita, matar paneer, matar makhan khoya, dahi saunth ki gujiya, khatte kachalu and methi ki chatni. Sweets like kheer or jawe are very important for this day as these are part of the ritual of the festival; an offering of these is made to God and distributed among family members as prasad. Khand ki poori is another Rakhi speciality. Kulfis and chuskis have been favourites with Purani Dilli waalas and are popular even with the young.

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