Are you excited about Holi? With the festive season comes the time to indulge in our favourite eats. Especially on Holi, not eating Gujiya is simply a culinary crime. From matthi, gujiya to dahi vada, the Holi menu makes our mouths water!

While the festival of colours is all about unwinding and de-stress yourselves, one can not ignore their health completely. After the pandemic enjoying cautiously is the new normal. So we have prepared a mini collection of sweet and savoury Holi eats that will help you enjoy these delicious foods while watching your health! Let’s begin-

Sugar-free gujiya

Holi is incomplete without gujiya, but gujiya can often be too high in sugar or khoya content, so here is our solution to your problem- Sugar-free gujiya!

Ingredients for the filling- 

• 250 g Khoya
• 3 tbsp coconut sugar
• 8 almonds - blanched and chopped
• 8 cashews - blanched and chopped
• 10 raisins
• Elaichi 
• Nutmeg powder

For the covering-

• 2 cups Maida
• 3 tbsp dalda
• Water as required
• Groundnut oil 

Method- 

1. Mash khoya and cook it in a deep bottom pan.
2. Once it changes colour, add sugar and other ingredients.
3. Top it with nutmeg powder and elaichi and let it rest.
4. Sieve the flour into a large bowl ad mix the dalda with the flour.
5. Use a little amount of water to form the dough and then knead it to develop gluten.
6. Section the dough into little balls and flatten it with a rolling pin.
7. Add 1 or 2 teaspoons of the filling and close the gujiya.
8. Heat groundnut oil in a kadhai and then fry the gujiya until golden brown!

Your sugar-free gujiya is ready!

Bhang pakora

Bhang is sacred to Holi and if you are a Shiv-bhakt, no better way to celebrate Holi with your friends than have Bhang pakora with Thandai! Here is what you need- 

Ingredients of Bhang Pakora

• 1 cup besan
• Pinch of turmeric
• ½ tsp amchur
• 2 small onions- sliced
• Refined oil for frying
• Salt
• 1 tsp bhang seed powder
• Chopped chaniya
• 2 big potatoes - chopped

Method- 

1. The trick here is to perfect the batter to get that crispy, crunchy pakoras. Mix besan, salt, haldi,chilli powder, amchur, bhang powder together and whisk.
2. Then add water in small quantities until the batter is of a dropping consistency.
3. Add the onions, potatoes and dhaniya.
4. Add chopped chillies to the batter if you like spicy food!
5. You can also add rice flour to increase the crunch of the pakoras.
6. Mix well and set aside for a few minutes.
7. Take a pan and heat the oil in it. Drop a little batter in the oil first to check if it’s hot enough.
8. Drop the pakoras and shallow fry them from both sides.
9. Serve with pudina chutney and sauce!

Sugar-free phirni 

What better way to end your Holi meal than the perfect dessert- Phirni! Today we have a better and health-conscious phirni recipe for you and your family to enjoy.

Ingredients 

• 1 cup skimmed milk
• 2 strand saffron
• Coconut sugar - 3 tbsp
• 3 tbsp soaked rice
• 4 pistachios
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered green cardamom
• 2 tbsp pure khoya

Method–

1. Blend the soaked rice to a rough powder and set aside.
2. Soak saffron in one tbsp of milk.
3. Roast the pista and chop it into small pieces.
4. Boil the milk and let it thicken on the stove.
5. Add the khoya, and coconut sugar and stir.
6. Add the rice powder and mix continuously to avoid lumps.
7. Add green cardamom and powder, saffron milk and mix. When the mixture starts thickening take it off the heat.
8. Serve it in an earthen bowl and garnish with pista!

Dhuska

This traditional delicacy of Jharkhand is a deep-fried snack that is enjoyed on Holi and other cultural festivals!

Ingredients 

• 1 cup basmati rice
• Chopped chillies, coriander leaves
• Haldi 
• Curry leaves
• 1/2 cup soaked chana dal
• 6 to 8 garlic cloves
• Salt 
• 1 finely chopped onion
• Water as required

Method-

 

1. Soak rice and dal for about 4 to 5 hours.
2. In a grinder, add the soaked rice, dal, chillies, and garlic and grind with minimum water.
3. Add the salt and masalas to the batter, you can also add Kashmiri red mirch, amchur and jeera powder.
4. Heat oil in a kadhai, and make sure it's not too hot.
5. With a spoon, drop the paste into the oil and fry until golden.
6. Serve this with pudina chutney and enjoy!

Here's our last secret recipe-

Vegan thandai

If you didn’t have thandai on Holi, your celebration was incomplete! Try this vegan thandai treat recipe that is easy to make!

Ingredients 

• 1 cup blanched almonds
• ½ cup raw Kaju
• ½ cup raw pista
• 4 tbsp sunflower seeds
• Fennel seeds and white poppy seeds
• Saffron (optional)
• ½ cup rose water
• 6 cups oats milk
• Cardamom powder
• 1 cup sugar

Method-

1. Blend the nuts, seeds, fennel, poppy seeds, saffron, and cardamom powder together with rosewater and half a cup of oat milk.
2. To make the vegan Thandai, place the remaining oat milk in a saucepan. Add the Thandai Masala and mix well. 
3. Bring the oat milk to a boil over medium-low heat. Once it boils, reduce the heat to a simmer and let the milk and nuts and spices infuse for 8 minutes. 
4. Add sugar and turn off the heat.
5. Strain the thandai and then chill in the fridge.
6. For garnish, you can add more nuts and saffron!

Now you are all set with your favourite dishes for holi that are gut-friendly and delicious. For more such recipes visit our food recipe blog now!