Holi is not only a festival of colours & joyous celebrations but also a chance to indulge in rich & traditional flavours with family and friends. From sweets to savoury delights, the culinary tradition is as colourful as the festival itself. 

Here, we will explore the iconic dishes for Holi shared by our home-chefs from the Foodism Community to add a burst of flavour to your festival - 

Colourful gujiya - by Swastika Ranjan

Ingredients:

• 5 tbsp maida
• 1 tspn oil to knead dough 
• 2 tspn khoya/sooji
• 1 tspn sugar
• 1 cup oil for frying
• 1 tspn drop of edible food colours

Instructions: 

1. Knead the dough and roll out like mini puris
2. Divide the dough into two portions. Mix red food colouring in one portion and blue food colouring in another portion. 
3. Set aside 1 strip from one dough and 2 strips from the other. 
4. You will use these 3 strips of the dough to create the braided colorful look. You can make them as wide or as narrow as you want.
5. Stuff the khoya mixture, shape it and fry until golden brown. 
6. Enjoy

Turkish Slush - by Farzana Sajid

Ingredients:

• ½ ltr milk
• 5 spoon sugar 
• 1 cup Amul fresh cream 
• 1 cup condensed milk
• ½ cup rose syrup  
• ½ cup cashews 
• ½ cup watermelon 
• 2 cups vanilla ice cream 

Instructions:  

1. In a blender, combine all of the ingredients: seedless & chopped watermelon, vanilla ice cream.
2. You can also add 1 tbsp of honey for additional sweetness, depending on the sweetness of your watermelon. 
3. Blend until smooth. 
4. Enjoy immediately.

Thandai Mousse - by Team Foodism 

Ingredients:

• ½ cup store-bought Thandai syrup (or use homemade if available)
• 1 cup whipping cream
• ¼ cup condensed milk
• 1 tsp gelatin (or agar-agar for a veg version)
• 2 tbsp warm milk
• Chopped nuts & rose petals for garnish

Instructions: 

1. Dissolve gelatin in warm milk and let it bloom for 5 minutes.
2. Whip the cream until soft peaks form.
3. Fold in condensed milk and Thandai syrup.
4. Mix in the bloomed gelatin.
5. Pour into glasses and chill for 2-3 hours.
6. Garnish with nuts & rose petals. Serve chilled!

Khoya Laddu - by Ishra Gazi

Ingredients:

• 500 gm khoya/mawa
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tspn cardamom powder
• 1 cup dry fruits (almonds, cashews, pistachios)
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 3 pcs silver foil / varak (optional)

Instructions: 

1. Add ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan to roast the khoya; stirr continuously on low flame until golden brown & aromatic. Once done, let it cool
2. Then to the khoya - add powdered sugar, cardamom powder & dry fruits. Mix well to form a soft dough.
3. Shape it in laddus and let it rest for 10 minutes
4. Apply silver foil for an elegant finish
5. Enjoy. You can also store it in an airtight container or refrigerate it. Tastes better when it's fresh. 

Jalebi Holi special - by Meena Premani

Ingredients:

For the jalebi batter - 

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (maida)
• 2 tbsp cornflour (for extra crispiness)
• ½ cup yogurt (curd)
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¾ cup water (adjust as needed)
• 1 tbsp ghee (for richness)
• A pinch of yellow/orange food color (optional)

For sugar syrup - 

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• A few saffron strands (optional)
• 1 tsp lemon juice (prevents crystallization)

Instructions: 

1. In a bowl, mix flour, cornflour, yogurt, water, baking soda, and food colouring.
2. Whisk well to make a smooth, flowing batter.
3. Cover and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
4. In a pan, heat sugar and water until it reaches a 1-string consistency.
5. Add cardamom, saffron, and lemon juice. Keep warm.
6. Heat oil or ghee in a pan. Pour the batter into a piping bag or squeeze bottle.
7. Pipe spirals directly into the hot oil. Fry until golden and crispy.
8. Immediately dip the hot jalebis into warm sugar syrup for 30 seconds.
9. Remove and serve hot!

Rose Thandai Lassi - by Meena Premani

Ingredients:

For thandai masala - 

• 2 tbsp almonds
• 1 tbsp cashews
• 1 tbsp pistachios
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 5-6 black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp dried rose petals

For rose thandai - 

• 2 cups chilled milk
• 2 tbsp Thandai Masala (prepared above)
• 2 tbsp rose syrup (like Rooh Afza)
• 1 tsp gulkand (rose jam) – optional
• 1 tbsp sugar (adjust to taste)
• Ice cubes

Instructions: 

1. Prepare thandai masala - grind all the dry ingredients into a fine powder.
2. In a blender, combine chilled milk, thandai masala, rose syrup, gulkand, and sugar. Blend well.
3. For a smoother texture, strain the mixture.
4. Pour into glasses, add ice cubes, and garnish with rose petals & chopped nuts.

As you soak yourself into the vibrant colours, these dishes would give a touch of refreshment to your festival. Do try these recipes for your family this Holi. Happy Holi!