Phalgun or the spring festival in India, celebrated with colors, food and gaiety heralds harvest and plenty. With its diversity, our country has a variety to offer as festive food.
Restaurant Delhi Highway in Times Square, Saki Naka, celebrates Holi with a Food Festival of Holi Maharaja Special Thali from 1 March to 7 March 2018. Priced at Rs 650, it is an unlimited lavish Thali of an array of goodies. An ideal place to visit with family and friends after a colorful revelry!
We bring you Holi specialties from different parts of India which one must try this season:
Thandai
Chilled milk with a rich mix of almonds, saffron, rose petals, fennel seeds, pepper, elaichi (cardamom) is a must! It has been handed down from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan as a Holi staple.
Gujiya
This Rajasthani half-moon shaped crispy treat is full of dry fruits and khoya in a coat of maida or flour. Modern versions come stuffed with chocolate or coconut shavings.
Malpua
This traditional mithai of the North East (Odisha, Assam), including West Bengal, is popular during Holi. Pancake kind of fried-in-ghee maida-based dessert is dipped in sugar syrup and garnished with slivers of pista-almond and saffron. It can also be teamed with rabdi. Healthier versions have sooji, paneer or ragi, oats and whole wheat flour.
Puran Poli
Rotis filled with a preparation of chana dal, jaggery, nutmeg and elaichi, done in homemade ghee are a favorite indulgence among Maharashtrians.
Jilipe
Bengali festive special for Dol Jatra to encapsulate the eternal love of Radha-Krishna are Jilipis (small jalebis).
Kachori
Filled with the goodness of dal and flavorsome spices, this deep-fried chaat is famous in Delhi, Rajasthan and Gujarat during the festival. There are different variations like upwas kachori, lachchedar katchodi, dahi katchauri (they are even spelt differently!). Served with mint and imli ki chutney, they are a yummy snack.
Dahi Bhalla
That bite into succulently dahi-soaked wadas after vigorous holi splashing is tempting indeed! Though it is from Punjab and a Holi special in the north, dahi-wada or thayir-wadai is popular in Tamil Nadu also during other time (since the South does not observe Holi).
