Traditional must-try recipes for a 'rangeen' Holi

Celebrating the arrival of spring and the conclusion of winter, and the triumph of good over

evil, the festival of Holi is enjoyed with vigour in India. To help you commence your

preparations for this festival of colours, we have enlisted the unmissable foods that deserve

inclusion in your Holi-day menu.

Gujiya - Sweet Dumpling

Cooking time: 1 hr 30 mins Course: Dessert Servings: 10-12 pieces Ingredients for Gujiya Dough: 2 cups all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon salt ⅓½ cup water or as required 2 tablespoon ghee Ingredients for the Stuffing: 1 cup khoya crumbled and grated ½ tablespoon ghee cup chopped dry fruits - cashews, almonds, pistachios, and raisins

a cup of powdered sugar ½ teaspoon cardamom powder Directions: 1. Using all-purpose flour, salt and ghee, knead a firm dough and cover it with a moist cloth for 30 minutes. 2. Melt ½ teaspoon ghee in a pan and add the khoya, stirring continuously until the khoya gathers around itself. 3. After the khoya cools, add powdered sugar, chop dry fruits, and cardamom powder, and keep aside. 4. Cut the dough into small parts and flatten them using your fingertips. Apply some water using your fingers, along the circumference. 5. Place the khoya filling on one side of the stuffing, and carefully bring together both edges, and gently press. 6. Once all gujiyas are ready, fry them in oil until they turn golden.

Khasta Kachori

Cooking time: 2 hrs 45 mins Course: Snack Servings: 12 Kachoris Ingredients for the Dough: 2 cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt ¼ cup ghee or oil ½ cup water Ingredients for the Stuffing: ½ cup moong dal ½ tablespoon ghee ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder ½ teaspoon red chilli powder ½ teaspoon cumin powder ½ teaspoon dry ginger powder 1 teaspoon coriander powder 1 teaspoon dry mango powder salt as required Directions: 1. Using all-purpose flour, salt and ghee, knead a soft dough for your Kachoris and keep it aside for 30 minutes covered in it a moist towel. 2. Soak moong dal soak for two hours, drain the water and grind it roughly. 3. In a pan add some ghee followed by the spice powders and the moong dal. 4. Once the concoction cools, make small balls for the stuffing. 5. Cut your dough into equal portions and flatten it. 6. Place your moong dal stuffing in the centre and wrap the edges of the dough around it. 7. Fry the kachoris in oil until they become golden and nicely crisp.

Thandai - the essence of Holi

Cooking time: 1 hr 30 mins Course: Beverage Servings: 8 glasses Ingredients 1 cup warm water 3 tablespoons almonds 2 tablespoons unsalted pistachios 2 tablespoons poppy seeds white ¼ cup melon seeds 2 tablespoons gulkand 1 tablespoon fennel seeds ½ teaspoon whole black pepper 3 to 4 green cardamoms seeds ½ cup sugar 8 cups cold milk Directions: 1. Soak the nuts and seeds in warm water for two hours. 2. After two hours, blend the nuts and seeds along with cardamom and sugar into a fine paste and set it aside. 3. During serving, add the thandai paste, in a glass of cold milk and mix very well. 4. You can garnish it with rose petals and chopped almonds before serving.