India is a vibrant country that celebrates throughout the year. Indians love to rejoice at every stage of life. We revel in the birth of a child, infancy and early childhood, the onset of adolescence, adulthood and even old age. We like to celebrate death too, though only after 13 days. The merriment of the birth of a commoner’s child or that of a Lord, Janmashtami, is always boundless. Similarly, the return of a king back to his kingdom, Deepawali, or praying for a husband’s long life, Karwa Chauth, is celebrated with equal fervour.
Every relationship is celebrated. The festival of Raksha Bandhan is one such occasion where the relationship between a brother and sister takes centre stage. Sisters tie a sacred thread called Rakhi around the wrists of their brothers, and brothers vow to protect their sisters throughout life. This cherished tradition is honoured with a grand celebration filled with joy and good food. Here’s a taste of few Indian specialities, perfect for preparing on this auspicious day.
Masala Chaas
Cook time: 5 minutes + chilling time
Serve: 4 per
Type: Drink
Ingredients:
- Curd: 3 cups
- Green chilli: 1
- Coriander leaves: a sprig
- Cumin powder: 1 tsp.
- Asafoetida: a pinch
- Sugar: ½ tsp.
- Black salt: 1-2 tsp.
- Ice cubes to serve
Method:
- Take a large bowl and pour the curd. Whisk well till there are no lumps.
- Finely chop green chilli and coriander leaves.
- Roast the cumin powder till a nice aroma comes out.
- Add the chopped green chilli, coriander leaves, roasted cumin powder, asafoetida, salt and sugar into the whisked curd.
- Add a cup and a half of water into the curd. Whisk well. The consistency should be runny.
- Add in ice cubes and serve chilled.
Sabudana Vada
Cook time: 30 minutes + soaking time
Serve: 4 per
Type: Starter
Ingredients:
- Sago: 1 cup
- Potato: 3 big
- Peanuts: ¼ cup
- Green chillies: 2-3
- Coriander leaves: a sprig
- Lemon: 1
- Salt: to taste
- Oil for frying
Method:
- Soak sago for 4-6 hours.
- Boil the potatoes, peel them and mash them.
- Roast peanuts in a hot girdle and crush them coarsely. The skin can be removed.
- Chop green chillies and coriander leaves finely.
- Extract the juice of the lemon.
- Take a large bowl and put in the mashed potatoes. Add in the soaked sago. Ensure there is no moisture/water while adding the sago. Drain off excess water.
- Mix the potatoes and the sago well.
- Add in the crushed peanuts, finely chopped green chillies and coriander leaves and lemon juice.
- Season well with salt.
- Shape them into small tikkis and deep fry them in hot oil.
- These can be served with green chutney.
Tip: The addition of black salt, instead of regular salt, enhances the flavour. One can even add some finely chopped mint leaves.
Potato Bhaji
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serve: 4 per
Type: Main Course
Ingredients:
- Potatoes: 4
- Oil: 2 tbsps.
- Mustard seeds: 1 tsp.
- Urad dal: 1 tsp.
- Salt: to taste
- White sesame seeds: 2 tbsps.
- Red chilli: 2-3
- Lemon: 2
- Coriander leaves to garnish
Method:
- Boil the potatoes and peel them.
- Cut them into small cubes.
- Take a frying pan and heat up the oil. Add in the mustard seeds and let them splutter.
- Then add urad dal and fry till it changes colour to a golden brown.
- Add in the cubed potatoes and sauté for a couple of minutes.
- Grind sesame seeds and red chillies coarsely.
- Add this to the sautéed potatoes. Season with salt and remove from heat.
- Squeeze in the juice of 2 lemons and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve this piping hot bhaji with nice fluffy pooris.
Tip: The lemon juice and red chillies can be added according to one’s taste
Sprout Pulao
Cook time: 60 minutes
Serve: 4 per
Type: Main course
Ingredients:
- Rice: 1 ½ cup
- Sprouts: 1 cup
- Potato: 2
- Carrot: 1
- Garam masala: 1 tsp.
- Curd: 1 cup
- Ghee: ¼ cup
- Green cardamom: 1
- Cinnamon: 1 inch
- Cumin seeds: 1 tsp.
- Onion: 1
- Ginger: ½ tsp. grated
- Green chilli: 1 (slit lengthwise)
- Curry leaves: a sprig
- Salt: to taste
Method:
- Wash and soak the rice for at least 20 minutes.
- Take a bowl and pour in the curd. Whisk it well.
- Dice potato and carrot into medium-sized pieces. Add these vegetables into the curd.
- Add in sprouts and garam masala also into the curd. Give everything a good mix.
- Heat a pan and warm up the ghee. Add in green cardamom, cinnamon and cumin seeds. Once they crackle, add in a thinly sliced onion. Sauté well till onion changes colour to a golden brown.
- At this stage, add green chilli, grated ginger and curry leaves. Sauté well.
- Now add the rice, without any water, and fry for a couple of minutes.
- Add in the curd along with the sprouts and veggies into the rice.
- Season with salt and mix well.
- At this stage add a couple of cups of water and cover and cook on a slow flame for 15-20 minutes.
- Serve the pulao piping hot with cold raita.
Sooji Halwa
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serve: 4 per
Type: Dessert
Ingredients:
- Semolina: 1 cup
- Jaggery: ¾ cup
- Ghee: ½ cup + 1 tbsp.
- Coconut: ½ cup (scrapped)
- Green cardamom: 1
- Almonds: 5-6
- Cashew: 5-6
Method:
- Take a heavy bottom wok and heat ½ cup ghee. Put it on a low flame and add in semolina. Roast the semolina on a slow flame till it turns golden brown.
- Take a saucepan and melt jaggery with 1 cup of water. Once it has melted, take it off the heat and filter out the impurities.
- Add the jaggery water into the roasted semolina. Mix well and ensure there are no lumps.
- Add in coconut scrapping and crushed green cardamom into the semolina. Mix well and cook on a slow flame for about 5-8 minutes.
- Chop the almonds and cashew in thin slivers and fry them in 1 tablespoon of ghee.
- Mix some into the halwa and garnish with a few.
- Serve hot.
The festival of Raksha Bandhan is all about spending time with siblings and family, reliving those golden moments and bonhomie. It is a time of sharing and caring. And so, the day calls for cooking nostalgic food that your entire family, especially your sibling, relishes.
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