The cold weather is slowly paving the way for the bountiful ‘king of seasons’ - vasant. It’s that time of the year when we welcome the spring season with all our hearts. We Indians know why it’s extra special for us. The spring festival of India, Vasant Panchami, is just about a week away now, and we know you can’t keep calm anymore.
As we are a group of foodies, it’ll be fair for us to discuss food exclusive to the festival. The signature dishes of the festival are usually yellow in colour, as this hue symbolises light, prosperity, energy and optimism. So, to add to your Vasant Panchami fervour, we bring you five traditional Indian food items:
1. Khichdi
No brownie points for guessing the ultimate comfort foods of Indians. Khichdi flavoured with ghee and subtle spices served with beguni, labra and payesh is a wholesome meal that we savour on Vasant Panchami every year. Most Bengalis cannot even think about celebrating this day without this hearty meal.
2. Rajbhog
Being an Odia, rasagola or rasgulla is a must-have in my house. And Vasant Panchami can’t go without savouring Rajbhog. The spongy delights made with chhena, filled with dry fruits and nuts and the fragrant cardamom and saffron make it a treat hard to resist.
3. Kesari Chawal
Also known as meethe chawal, kesari chawal is a sweet rice dish that is flavourful and irresistibly delicious. The rice is sweetened with sugar syrup, flavoured with spices like cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and saffron. The fragrant and delicious delight is perfect to amp up your Vasant Panchami menu for sure.
4. Rava Kesari
If there’s anything that is extremely easy and quick to prepare to light up your festive mood, it is rava kesari. Popularly savoured in the Western Indian states, rava kesari is made using semolina, ghee, milk, nuts and flavoured with saffron and cardamom.
5. Boondi Laddoo
No matter what occasion it is, most typical Indian households will have a packet of boondi ke laddoo in the fridge. Aligning with the festive hues of the festival, boondi ladoos are a quintessential part of the festival. Follow the easy recipe below to make them at your home this Vasant Panchami.
