Festive flavours: 4 must-try Holi recipes with vegan options

Ready to celebrate Holi? Add to the fanfare by preparing these lip-smacking delicacies at home

By Ritu Chaturvedi

Published: Thu 17 Mar 2022, 3:27 PM

Last updated: Thu 17 Mar 2022, 3:33 PM

COIN KACHORI CHAAT

Advertising

PREP TIME: 30 mins

COOKING TIME: 30 mins SERVES: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

•1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

•¼ cup semolina

•¼ cup oil

•Salt to taste

•Oil for frying

For Filling:

•½ cup soaked moong dal

•1 tbsp fennel seeds

•1 tbsp fresh grated coconut

•½ tbsp crushed black pepper

•1 tbsp grated ginger

•1 tbsp raisins

•1 tbsp coriander powder

•½ tbsp dry mango powder

For Serving:

•1 cup yoghurt

•2 tbsp boiled beetroot paste

•Salt to taste

•1 tsp sugar

•Pinch of black salt

•½ tsp roasted cumin powder

•½ cup mint chutney

•2 tbsp sweet date chutney

•Fresh coriander for garnish

Method

Mix flour with salt and oil and add water to make soft hard dough. Cover and keep aside. Mix all the filling spices and add soaked dal in the chopper and grind coarsely. Heat pan and 1 tbsp oil and sauté this mixture till light brown. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Make small balls of flour and fill with prepared mixture. Roll gently with both palms and seal completely. Repeat the process. Heat the deep fry pan with oil and fry all kachories on medium heat. Fry them till they turn golden brown. Mix beetroot with yoghurt and add salt and pinch of black salt in it. Add sugar and roasted cumin powder.

For serving: Top kachories with dollops of beet yoghurt, mint chutney and date chutney. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve immediately.

GUJJIYA KHAS

PREP TIME: 20 mins

COOKING TIME: 25 mins

SERVES: 8-12

INGREDIENTS

•2 ½ cup plain flour

•½ cup clarified butter or ghee

•½ milk

•2 green cardamom seeds

•Pinch of saffron

•Ghee or oil for frying

Filling

•1 cup grated khoya

•¼ cup chopped almonds

•¼ cup raisins

•¼ cup pistachios chopped

•2 tbsp rose petal jam

•2 tbsp almond flour

•2 ½ tbsp powdered sugar

•1 tsp cardamom powder

For sugar syrup

•1 cup sugar

•½ cup water

•1 drop of orange food colour

METHOD

Mix sugar with water and boil to make sugar syrup.

Add food colour and keep aside.

Boil milk with green cardamoms and saffron in the small pan. You can microwave too. Remove from heat and cool. Discard cardamom seeds.

Mix flour with ghee in the mixing bowl and add milk to make semi-soft dough. Add water if required. Knead well and cover it and rest the dough for 20 minutes.

For Filling:

Heat pan and add ½ tbsp ghee and roast chopped nuts.

Add raisins, grated khoya, and almond flour, saute well for 1 minute.

Add cardamom powder and remove from heat.

Cool completely and add rose petal jam and powdered sugar.

Divide the dough equally and make lemon size balls. Grease rolling board and pin with butter and roll it in round shape. Add filling and join the edges. Seal corner by pinching the dough or you can use cutters. Repeat the process.

Heat the frying pan and add oil or ghee. Deep fry gujjiya over medium high heat in the batches.

Fry all gujjiyas till golden brown from all sides.

Brush with sugar syrup and serve.

VEGAN THANDAI

PREP TIME: 4 hours

COOKING TIME: 15 mins

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS

•½ cup almonds

•¼ cup pistachios

•2 tbsp fennel feeds

•1 tbsp black pepper, whole

•1 tbsp green cardamom seeds

•2 tbsp rose petals jam (Gulkand)

•½ tsp saffron, soaked in 1 tbsp warm water

•¼ cup sugar or more as per taste

•4 cups almond milk, chilled

•2 tbsp sliced almond and rose petals for garnish

METHOD

Soak almond, pistachio nuts, black pepper, cardamom seeds and fennel seeds in water for four hours.

Grind this soaked mixture with ½ cup water and rose petal jam in the blender.

Add 1 cup almond milk and pass through sieve. Add remaining almond milk, sugar and soaked saffron. Keep this in the refrigerator for an hour.

Garnish with sliced almonds and rose petals and serve chilled.

GULABI ARANCINI BALLS

PREP TIME: 30 mins

COOKING TIME: 15 mins

SERVES: 4-8

INGREDIENTS

•½ cup grated beetroot

•2 tbsp sundried tomatoes, paste

•1 tsp oregano

•1 ½ cups boiled rice

•1 tbsp butter

•2 tbsp white sauce

•½ cup grated mozzarella

•2 tbsp chopped pine nuts

•1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander or parsley

•Salt and pepper to taste

•2 tbsp bread crumbs

•Oil for frying

METHOD

Mix grated mozzarella with pinenuts and parsley.

Make small balls and keep aside. Heat the pan and add butter, add grated beetroot and sauté. Add boiled rice, white sauce and sundried tomatoes paste and stir. Add oregano, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute and remove from heat, cool completely and add bread crumbs. Make small balls of rice mixture and fill it with cheese mixture.

Heat oil and fry until light brown. Serve with the dips you prefer.