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Holi is here...just around the corner
and whenever I happen to mention the fact my six year old
starts complaining - "How come we can't go to India like
we did last time ?"
I have created a monster you see, he
was fine , that boy of mine, till our last visit to India
coincided with this vibrant festival of color. He had a
BALL...ran out of the house and even forgot to be scared
of the wild dogs (that is how he saw the stray dogs on
streets...) Gone water and color crazy in minutes, he
learned all the age old codes and rules of Holi - known to
all North Indian kids growing up in India... |
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Now not only he wants to go back to India
for Holi, he is also trying to wheedle out a visit for Deewali -
the festival of light...well we shall see ! I can't tell you how much an Indian misses
India at the time of these festivals. I have tried re-creating
them here but it is just not the same.All the Indian festivals rely heavily on
sweets to be the main traditional fare. Holi is no exception.
Sweets of many sorts and styles are prepared shared and eaten on
this day. |
All the people who visit you during the day drenched
with color and eager to douse you in colored water and face paint
- expect to see gujhia - Khoya (thickened milk) and dry
fruits wrapped in a flour sheet and fried - and couple of
other sweet and savory favorites presented in snack trays or
bowl.
Have a Happy Holi every one ! |
 My Recipes
This time I am going to present the typical
Holi meal I used to have at our home, growing up. Boy does this bring back
some memories...
Jackfruit (Kathal) Curry
Ingredients
- Peeled and Chopped Green Jackfruit Pieces
- 2 cups ( I use the canned green jackfruit available at our Indian
grocery store - so convenient)
- Tomato - 4 medium
- Onion - 3 medium
- Ginger Garlic Paste
- Turmeric Powder - 1 level tea spoon
- Corriander powder - 1 table spoon
- Garam Masala powder - 1 table spoon
- Green Chillies - 1-2
- Whole spices
- Peppercorn - 8-10
- Black cardemom - 3-4
- Cloves 5-6
- Cinnamon - 2 sticks
- Cumin seeds - 1 tea spoon
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Oil to cook
- Fresh corriander or your favorite herb to
season- chopped fine.
Method
- In a blender or processor make a
puree of onion, tomato, ginger garlic paste and green chillies.
- Heat the oil in a
deep frying pan or wok .
- Fry the jack fruit pieces or 3-4
minutes and set aside on a paper towel
- In the oil put all the whole
spices, give them several seconds to sizzle then add the puree
(Caution : it might splatter and burn you so do it carefully and cover
the pan as soon as you have done it)
- Cook on medium heat for 10
minutes
- Stir and add all the powdered
spices
- Cook for another 20 minutes
- Add 2 cups of water. Bring
it to a boil
- Lower the heat to medium and add
the jackfruit
- cook another 15 minutes
- Garnish with your favorite herb.
- Serve Hot
Arvi Masala
Ingredient
- Arvi (Colcacia or taro root) - 12 (boiled and
peeled)
- Corriander Powder - 2 table spoon
- Garam Masala powder - 1 table spoon
- Turmeric Powder - 1 tea spoon
- Red chili powder - 1 tea spoon
- Amchur Powder - 1 tea spoon
- Ajwain (Thymol )seeds - 1 tea spoon - optional
- Cumin seeds - roasted and coarsely grounded
- Salt
- Oil to cook
Method
- Slice the Arvis in half lengthwise
- Mix all the spices
- Heat oil in a sauté pan
- Dip the arvi pieces in the masala mix
- Press between your hands a bit
- Pat away the excess masala
- Shallow fry till they are golden brown
Pumpkin Ingredient
- Pumpkin - half kg.- peeled and chopped
- Green Chiiles - 1-2 - chopped
- Cumin Seeds - 1 seed
- Red chilly Powder - 1/2 tsp
- Lemon juice - 1 tea spoon
- Sugar - 1 tdsp
- Oil to cook
Method
- Heat oil in a sauté pan
- Add the cumin seeds and green chilies
- After a few seconds add the pumpkin, add salt
and red pepper powder.
- Cook on medium heat till the pumpkin is cooked
through.
- Add the sugar and lemon juice and mix
well with a heavy spoon so that pumpkin is mashed in the process.
- Cook for another minute or so
- Serve hot
- Top it with 1 tea spoon heavy cream - optional
Malpua
Ingredient
- Milk - 2 cups
- All purpose flour - 300 gms
- Sugar - 2 cups
- Ghee or Oil to cook
- Grated coconut - 2 table spoon
- Sultanas - 15-20
- Green Cardamom - peeled
- baking powder - 1/4 tea spoon
Method
- Make a thick sugar syrup with 3 cups of
water & 3 cups of sugar.
- Make a smooth pancake batter by mixing
coconut, flour, baking powder, coconut, sultanas, cardemom & milk.
Keep for at least one hour
- Heat ghee/oil in a frying pan, add one
round spoon of batter. Cook both the sides till golden brown.
- Dip in sugar syrup for several seconds.
- Serve
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Neerja Mishra |
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