Food & Flavor’s are so significant part of our lives that even the tiniest occasion of life is a reason to peep into our Kitchen’s for what’s cooking up. And when it comes to festivals and celebrations they are indeed weighty for foodie souls.
Someone so beautifully said “Food is a taste of Good life!”
Happy summer is just on set to take off…Uff! Exam too are around the corner, Holi at this time comes as a refresher and mood changer. It is the perfect time and season to celebrate life with food. India is all geared up to welcome summer spirit.
Indian cities are always swarming throughout the year, but nothing beats the pomp & show of the toothsome food during festivals.
I love the local flavours during festivities and do confess it’s sinfully nectarous to soothe any foodie soul.
– saloni kilam rampal
- Speaking from the heart here’s what Chef Mattoo has to say on eve of Holi!
RECIPES HOLI-2018
ALSI TIL AUR AATE KE LADDU
| INGREDIENTS | |
| Flax Seeds | 300 gm |
| Alsi Seeds | 1.5 cup |
| Wheat flour | 500 gm (2.5 cups) |
| Clarified butter | 300 gm (1.5 cups) |
| Desi Ghee | – |
| Sugar | 350 gm (1+3/4th cups) |
| Crushed Cashew nuts | 150 gm (3/4th cups) |
| Crushed Almond | 150 gm (3/4th cup) |
| Crushed into small pieces | – |
| Chopped Raisin | 100 gm (1/2 cup) |
| Sesame seed | 120 gm (1/2 cup+1 tbsp) |
| Cardamom powder | 02 gm (1/2 tsp) |
Process
- In a thick bottom pan, roast the flex seeds on medium heat till the seeds start to crackle for about 3 minutes.
- Cool and crush them
- In a thick stainless steel wok or Kadai
- Dry roast the whole wheat on simmering heat till flour gets grainy and light brown in colour about 10 minutes.
- Add Desi Ghee and mix well.
- Cool down the mixture to the room temperature.
- Add sugar, crushed roasted flex seeds, chopped cashew nuts ,almond, raisin sesame seed and cardamom powder in it mix properly .
- Take about 50gms of the prepared mixture and roll it between your palms into round balls.
- Enjoy and savour the dessert.
AMLA KI CHUTNEY
| Ingredients | |
| Indian Gooseberry (Amala) (Fresh cut into quarters without seed.) | 50 gm (1/4th cup) |
| Coriander with stems | 25 gm (1.5 tbsp) |
| Fresh Basil Leaf | 10 gm (2 tsp) |
| Chopped Onion | 50 gm (1/4th cup) |
| Chopped Garlic | 05 gm (1 tsp) |
| Chopped Green chili | 05 gm (1 tsp) |
| Sugar | 05 gm (1 tsp) |
| Salt to taste | (1/2 tsp) |
| Lemon juice | 01 tsp |
Process
- In a bowl mix all the ingredients together.
- Add about 1/4th cup water.
- Blend to a fine paste in the blender.
- Simple and ready to use now.
Spice up your sides with this tangy chutney.
Bang Aur Dal Pakori
| Ingredients | |
| Washed Split white Gram (Urad Dal) | 400 gm (2 cups) |
| Soaked for two hours | |
| Mix it up with | |
| Onion | 45 gm (3 tbsp) |
| Asafoetida (Heeng) | 2.5 gm (1/2 tsp) |
| Cumin Seeds | 05 gm (1 tsp) |
| Bang Leaves | 60 gm (4 tbsp) |
| Green chili | 05 gm (1 tsp) |
| Washed & Chopped | |
| Salt | 05 gm (1 tsp) |
| Fry it up | |
| Sesame seeds | 05 gm (1 tsp) |
| Oil to fry |
Process
The Dal
- Strain the soaked Dal and leave it on the strainer for 10 minutes to drain off the excess water.
- Grind the Dal to a coarse paste where you can feel the half crushed grains of the dal.
- Add little water if necessary.
The Mixing
- In a mixing bowl take the ground dal and beat with your hands for about five minutes to make the dal fluffy.
- Add rest of the ingredients and mix well.
The Frying
- Heat oil to a medium hot temperature.
- Take about 1.5 tea spoons of prepared dal mixture and roll it into round balls between you wet palm. Press in the middle to give the shape of a small doughnuts or vada.
- Sprinkle with sesame seed and fry till crisp and golden brown in colours.
- Serve hot with Amala chutney
Recipe Courtsey: Chef Umesh Mattoo‘s Kitchen
