Share
Image Credit: Adobe Stock
Running around with gulaal and water balloons, Holi is the festival when even the adults play like kids. If your favourite festival is Holi, you must celebrate it differently this year. Whether you’re planning an elaborate Holi party or an intimate gathering with your closest friends, arranging just colours would simply not be enough.
To make this year’s Holi party stand out, why don’t you curate a festive spread with a mix of traditional treats? While you might already have the recipe for gujiya and thandai by heart, give the staples a twist and impress your guests. To help with a festive menu, here are some Holi-special recipes curated by Chef Ashu Chugh, the Executive Chef of Jaypee Greens Golf Resort, Greater Noida.
Sweet Splash Gujiya
Ingredients:
For the paan dough:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- A pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons ghee melted
- 1/3 cup Betel leaf puree
- Water to knead the dough
For stuffing:
- ½ cup mawa
- 3 tablespoons desiccated coconut powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon tutti frutti
- 1 tablespoon gulkand rose petal preserve
- 2 tbsp sugar powder
For the narangi dough:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- A pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons ghee melted
- 1 tsp orange rind
- Water to knead the dough
For stuffing:
- 1 cup condensed milk
- 1/2 cup semolina (suji)
- 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
- 2 tbsp raisins
- 2 tbsp cashew nuts
- 2 tbsp chopped almonds
- 150 gms fresh grated coconut
For sugar syrup:
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
- Few drops of paan essence (optional)
Instructions:
To Prepare Paan Gujiya:
- In a bowl, mix flour and salt properly, then add the ghee to it and mix well to combine.
- Further, add betel puree and lukewarm water and knead a soft dough. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Heat a pan, add ghee and khoya and cook it for 2 min; transfer it to a bowl. Add desiccated coconut, fennel, tutty fruity, gulkand, and sugar powder, and mix well to this. Divide into equal portions.
- Divide the dough into equal-sized balls. Roll each ball in a thin circle.
- In the half-fold, place some gujiya mixture. Fold the gujiya into half, apply water along the edges, and seal it tight.
- Fold the edges and give shape like a rope, or press the edges lightly with the fork.
- Heat oil in a pan. When ready for frying, lower the flame and fry gujiyas until crisp & golden brown. Remove from oil and drain it on the paper towel.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sugar syrup by adding 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar to a pan. Once the sugar dissolves and the mixture starts to boil, lower the flame, cook until it gets a little sticky, and then turn off the heat. Add a few drops of paan essence.
- Transfer the gujiyas into the sugar syrup, 30 seconds on each side and then remove them from the syrup using a tong, dripping any excess syrup. Place them on parchment paper and garnish with crushed tutti frutti. Once the syrup dries off, store them in an airtight container.
To Prepare Narangi Gujiyya:
- In a bowl, put flour and salt, and mix it properly. Then, add the ghee to it and mix well to combine.
- Add orange rind and lukewarm water and knead a soft dough. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- To prepare the stuffing, roast semolina over low heat till it changes colour; add condensed milk, elaichi powder, raisins, cashew nuts, almonds, and grated coconut, mix well to combine and cook further, stirring occasionally, till the mixture is dry. Divide into equal portions.
- Repeat the above process of folding and cooking the gujiyas.
- Arrange them on a serving platter and enjoy it with your loved ones.
Rango Ke Gubaare
Ingredients:
For Raj Kachori:
- ½ cup fine rava
- 1 ½ tbsp whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoons gram flour
- Salt & pepper to taste
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ¼ teaspoon fennel powder
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 2 to 3 pinches baking soda
- Water as required
- Oil for deep frying
For Chaat Stuffing:
- 50gm makhana, fried
- 100gm boiled moong sprouts
- 100gm boiled and peeled potato cubes
- 20 mini bhalle, pre-soaked [optional]
- 4 tbsp onion chopped
- 4 tbsp tomatoes chopped
- 1-2 green chilli chopped
- 50gm green apple chopped
- 200gm beaten curd
- 4 tsp blueberry compote
- 4 tbsp green chutney
- 4 tbsp sweet tamarind chutney
- Black salt, as required
- Roasted cumin powder as required
- Red chilli powder as required
- Chaat masala powder, as required
- 8 to 10 papdi
- Fine sev for garnish
- 4 tbsp pomegranate arils
- Finely chopped coriander leaves for garnish
Instructions:
- In a mixing bowl, put fine rava, whole wheat flour, and besan. Add salt, red chilli powder, saunf powder, black pepper powder, baking soda, drizzle oil, and mix well.
- Then, pour water gradually and knead well to form a firm dough. Cover the dough with a moist kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, knead the dough again and divide it into equal parts to form medium-sized balls. Cover the dough balls with a moist kitchen napkin to prevent drying.
- Take each dough ball at a time, and roll evenly into 4 to 5 inches diameter, not too thin or thick.
- Heat oil in a kadai over medium-low flame. Once it reaches the desired temperature, slide the kachori in it.
- As soon as the kachoris come up on top, gently nudge the kachori with the slotted spoon so that it puffs up. Turn the kachoris upside down and continue frying until it turns crisp and golden.
- Then, transfer the fried kachoris with a slotted spoon over a kitchen paper towel for extra oil to be absorbed. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.
- Place one kachori on a serving plate. Break the upper crust of the kachori and create enough space to pour the ingredients.
- Put a spoon of makhanas, moong sprouts, potatoes, mini bhalle, onion, tomatoes, chilli, and apple. Top it with beaten curd, blueberry compote, green chutney and sweet tamarind chutney as required.
- Sprinkle some black salt, roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder and chat masala as required.
- Crush some papdi and top it on the raj kachori. Finally, garnish with some sev, pomegranate, and chopped coriander and serve immediately.
