Traditional Holi snacks from the heartland

All Indian festivals are incomplete without food that compliments the celebrations, and this is true of Holi as well! So this year, as we gear up for festivities, Village Square presents a list of typical Holi food preparations that will make the festival that much more special. Here are some treats you can prepare from the comfort of your home and enjoy with your loved ones. 

Dhuska

Dhuska is a popular snack from Jharkhand, made of a batter of rice and lentils. Deep fried and savoury, this bread is often eaten as breakfast in eastern India and finds itself in high demand during Holi as well. 

Ingredients:

Rice – 1 cup (200 gms) (soaked)

Chana dal – ½ cup (100 gms) (split chickpeas) 

Urad dal – ¼ cup (50 gms) (black gram)

Green chilli – 4

Ginger julienne – ¾ inch

Green coriander leaves – 2 tbsp

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Asafoetida – ½ pinch

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Salt – 1 tsp

Oil – for frying

Method:

Soak the chana dal, urad dal and rice overnight. Then drain the excess water and transfer the soaked ingredients to a grinder with some water, chillies and ginger. Grind till you have a smooth paste.

Transfer the batter into a bowl and add cumin seeds, asafoetida, turmeric powder, salt and chopped green coriander. Mix the batter well to achieve a consistency that’s not too flowy or thick. Beat it for about 2 minutes to make it lightweight. 

In a pan, heat the oil. Once hot, add portions of the batter and fry on medium heat till golden brown on both sides.

Finally, drain the excess oil and serve hot. 

Malpua

Malpua is a sweet-fried pancake that is popularly made in the eastern states of India such as Bihar, Jharkhand and Bengal. According to food historians, the earliest reference to this delicacy goes back to 3000 years and is found in the Rig Veda. 

Ingredients 

For the batter 

1 cup refined flour

1 tbsp semolina

2 tbsp curd 

250 gms mawa (thickened milk solids or khoya)

Salt to taste 

⅓ cup water 

½ tsp black peppercorns (crushed)

¼ tsp fennel seeds (crushed)

1 tsp saffron water

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp oil

For the sugar syrup 

1 ½ cups water

2 cups sugar 

Method:

The dough:

In a mixing bowl, combine refined flour, semolina, curd, mawa, salt, and water. Whisk until you get a smooth, lump-free batter. To this, add crushed black peppercorns, fennel seeds, saffron water, baking soda, oil and mix well. 

Let the batter rest for 25-30 minutes to allow the ingredients to blend and develop a perfect texture.

The sugar syrup: 

In a small sauce pot, add sugar, water and cook on moderate heat. Once the sugar syrup achieves a one-string consistency, turn off the flame and keep it aside for further use.

The malpua (pancakes)

Heat ghee in a flat pan, then pour in the batter and fry until it turns golden brown.

Next, dip the fried piece into sugar syrup and allow it to soak for a few minutes.

Place it on a serving dish, and garnish with almond and pistachio slivers. 

Gujiya

Gujiya, the popular sweet fried dumpling, is one of the most loved Holi snacks in India. Enjoyed in rural and urban areas alike, this snack is prepared at home as well as gifted to people during the festival of Holi. Crispy on the outside with a sweet filling inside, gujiyas are relished throughout north India. 

Ingredients: 

For the filling

1 cup mawa

2 tbsp ghee 

¾ cup semolina 

½ cup cashewnuts, chopped  

½ cup almonds, chopped 

1 cup powdered sugar 

½ tbsp cardamom powder

Oil to deep fry 

For the dough 

2 cups all-purpose flour  

3 tbsp ghee 

½ tsp salt 

1 tbsp rose water 

Water as required 

Method:

The filling

Heat a kadai and add the mawa, roasting it on a medium flame until it turns light brown.  

In the same kadai, add ghee and semolina, roasting them thoroughly.  

Mix in the chopped almonds and cashew nuts, stirring well.  

Return the roasted mawa to the kadai and combine everything evenly.  

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow it to cool. Once cooled, add powdered sugar and cardamom powder, mix well, and set aside.

For the casing

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, ghee, salt, rose water, and enough water to knead into a stiff dough.  Cover this with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Making the gujiya

Roll out a portion of the dough into a thick round shape or cut it using a round cutter.  

Moisten the edges of this circle with water and place a spoonful of filling on one half. Now fold the dough over, press the edges to seal, and create a decorative pattern by pinching and twisting the edges.  

Heat oil in a kadai over medium flame and fry the gujiyas in batches until golden brown.  

Remove from oil, drain on absorbent paper, and enjoy!

Thandai 

Thandai is a sweet cooling drink, enjoyed during festivals like Holi and Mahashivratri. While thandai masalas are available in stores, a thandai paste can be created at home as well. This drink is believed to have cooling properties and is popularly enjoyed during summer. 

Ingredients 

Milk (full fat) – 1 ltr

Cashew nuts – ¼ cup

Almonds – ¼ cup

Pista  – ¼ cup

Cardamom  – 10 

Peppercorns  – 10 

Poppy seeds  – 2 tbsp

Fennel seeds  – 1½ tbsp

Rosewater – 1 tbsp

Cinnamon powder – ½ tsp

Nutmeg powder – ½ tsp

Saffron (soaked) – a pinch 

Water – a dash

Sugar – to taste 

Ice cubes – a few

Method:

In a bowl, soak the cashew nuts, almonds, pista, cardamom, peppercorns, poppy seeds, and fennel seeds for about 2 hours. Once soaked well, add it to a blender with cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder and rose water to create a puree out of it. 

In a pan, add the milk and soaked saffron, bring it to a boil and let it simmer. Now add sugar to taste and then mix the puree while whisking the mixture. Let it boil once again. 

Remove the drink from the pan and let it cool completely. Serve it chilled in a glass with ice cubes, garnished with saffron and dry fruit slivers. 

Puran Poli

Puran Poli is a sweet stuffed flatbread that is popularly made in western India during festivals such as Holi. The name of this snack is made of two words puran and poli which refer to the stuffing and the flatbread respectively. 

Ingredients 

1 cup chana dal (soaked for 1 hour and drained)

1½ cups refined flour (maida) 

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon saffron water

2 tablespoons oil

1 cup chopped jaggery

½ teaspoon green cardamom powder

¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder

Ghee 

Method:

The puran (filling)

To prepare puran, start by boiling enough water in a deep non-stick pan. Add the chana dal cover, and cook until tender. Now drain about three-fourths of the water and return the pan to the heat.  

Add jaggery to the cooked Chana dal and stir until it melts. Cook for 8-10 minutes, then mix in nutmeg and cardamom powders. Transfer the mixture to a puran crusher and mash it until smooth.  

The poli (flatbread dough) 

In a bowl, mix flour, salt, saffron water, and oil. To this, gradually add water and knead into a soft dough. Cover with a damp muslin cloth and let it rest for 15 minutes.  

To make the Puran Poli: 

Lightly flour the work surface and knead the dough again. Divide it into equal portions, make a small indentation in each, fill with puran, seal the edges, shape into balls, and slightly flatten them.  

Roll out each portion into a semi-thick disc, dusting with flour as needed. Heat a non-stick pan and roast each puran poli on both sides until golden brown, brushing with ghee while cooking and serve hot.

The lead image at the top depicts malpua, a sweet pancake that’s also enjoyed during Holi celebrations. (Photo courtesy Shutterstock)