Holi Special Recipes By Chef Swapnadeep Mukherjee

Holi, the festival of colors, is incomplete without a delightful spread of traditional sweets and snacks. This festive season, impress your family and friends with these unique Holi special recipes curated by Swapnadeep Mukherjee, Executive Chef at The Metropolitan Hotel. Dive into these vibrant flavors and bring joy to your Holi celebrations!

1. Thandai Kulfi

Ingredients

• Milk (Full Cream): 2 lit
• Almonds: 20 gm
• Pistachio: 20 gm
• Green Cardamom: 4-5 no
• Thandai Syrup: 150 gm
• Sugar: Optional

Method

1. Heat milk in a heavy-bottom pan on low heat.
2. Add crushed green cardamom and simmer until reduced by half.
3. Strain and return to low heat, stirring continuously to avoid burning.
4. Add blanched, skinned, and slivered almonds and pistachios.
5. Reduce further until 1/3rd of the mixture remains.
6. Cool the mixture, then add Thandai syrup and mix thoroughly.
7. Pour into molds and refrigerate.
8. Demold and serve chilled for a creamy, refreshing Holi treat.

2. Gajrele Ki Gujiya

Ingredients

For the Cover:

• Maida (All-purpose flour): 500 gm
• Oil/Ghee (melted): 6 tbsp

For the Filling:

• Carrots: 1 kg
• Khoya: 200 gm
• Green Cardamom Powder: 1/2 tsp
• Almonds (chopped): 25 gm
• Cashew nuts (chopped): 25 gm
• Raisins: 25 gm
• Dried Coconut (shredded): 25 gm
• Sugar: 100 gm
• Ghee/Oil (for frying)

Method

1. Sieve flour, add oil, and mix with your fingers. Add water to form tight dough, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside.
2. Wash, peel, and grate carrots, then sauté in ghee until evenly cooked. Add khoya.
3. Stir in cardamom powder, raisins, and dry nuts, and cook on a slow flame until sticky. Add sugar if desired and cool.
4. Roll the dough into 4-inch pancakes and fill each with carrot mixture.
5. Fold in half-moon shape, seal edges, and fry until golden brown.
6. Garnish with shredded carrots, nuts, or edible silver leaf for a festive touch.

3. Navratan Kheer

Ingredients

• White Pumpkin (Lauki): 1 kg
• Sabudana (Sago): 100 gm
• Milk: 2 lit
• Sugar: 200 gm
• Khoya (paste): 150 gm
• Seasonal Fruits (finely chopped)
• Pomegranate (for garnish)

Method

1. Scrape and grate lauki.
2. Soak sabudana for 30 minutes. Boil grated pumpkin in 1/2 liter milk for 10 minutes. Cool and blend into a paste.
3. Cook remaining milk with sugar, then add lauki paste, soaked sabudana, and khoya.
4. Cook until reduced to half with a smooth texture.
5. Cool and add chopped fruits. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
6. Serve chilled, garnished with pomegranate.

4. Angoori Paneer Tikka

Ingredients

• Cottage Cheese: 300 gm
• Green Grapes: 100 gm
• Black Grapes: 100 gm
• Red Grapes: 100 gm
• Hung Curd: 50 gm
• Ginger Paste: 1/2 tsp
• Garlic Paste: 1/2 tsp
• Gram Flour: 30 gm
• Butter: 2 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp
• Yellow Chili Powder: 1/4 tsp
• Dhaniya Powder: 1/4 tsp
• Cream: 2 tbsp
• Salt: To taste

For Grape Chutney:

• Mixed Grapes (green, black, red): 200 gm each
• Ghee: 1/2 tbsp
• Onion Seeds: 1/4 tsp
• Lemon Juice: 10 ml
• Chat Masala: To taste

Method

1. To make grape chutney, heat oil in a pan, add onion seeds, and sauté.
2. Add diced grapes and cook until the consistency thickens.
3. Remove from flame, add lemon juice and chat masala.
4. For the tikka, roast gram flour in butter until light brown.
5. Mix roasted gram flour with hung curd, spices, and cream for a smooth marinade.
6. Cut cottage cheese into cylindrical shapes, make slits, and fill with grape chutney.
7. Marinate the paneer in the prepared marinade.
8. Roast in a tandoor until light brown and serve with grape chutney and crunchy salad.

Final Touch for Your Holi Celebrations

These handpicked Holi Special recipes by Chef Swapnadeep Mukherjee will add a gourmet twist to your festive menu. From the refreshing Thandai Kulfi to the indulgent Gajrele Ki Gujiya, these dishes will surely make your Holi memorable.

Happy Holi from Tushita! Enjoy the colors, joy, and delightful flavors.