Holi is a spring festival celebrated widely across India. It is known as the festival of colors, where people throw colored powder and water at each other to celebrate the arrival of spring. Along with the vibrant colors, delicious foods are also an integral part of Holi festivities. The aromatic, flavorful dishes prepared for Holi represent the essence of Indian cuisine.
Traditional Holi Foods
There are certain traditional foods that are closely associated with Holi celebrations in India. These dishes pack a riot of flavors and colors, just like the festival itself. Here are some of the most popular Holi delicacies:
Gujiya
Gujiya is a sweet dumpling stuffed with a mixture of dried fruits and nuts or a sweet filling made from khoya. This classic Holi treat is made across North India, with many regional variations. The pastry shell is deep fried till crisp and then soaked in sugar syrup. Gujiya comes in various shapes and sizes, including crescent shaped, rectangle, or roundel.
Malpua
Malpua is a pancake like dessert dipped in sugar syrup. It is made by deep frying a batter consisting of maida (refined flour), milk, and sugar. Saffron and cardamom are added to the batter to give a rich aroma. Malpuas are enjoyed with rabri, which is thickened, sweetened milk. This sweet dish is an integral part of Holi in Eastern parts of India.
Thandai
Thandai is a chilled drink made with milk, spices, rose syrup, dry fruits, and sugar. Some variations also contain cannabis. The aromatic spices in thandai include cardamom, fennel seeds, peppercorns, and rose petals. This refreshing beverage perfectly complements the sweets enjoyed on Holi. Thandai is especially popular in North India and a key highlight of Holi festivities.
Dahi Vada
Dahi vada is a savory snack enjoyed on Holi across India. It consists of vadas (fritters) made from urad dal, soaked in thick beaten yogurt, and garnished with spices and chutneys. The combination of crispy vada and tangy yogurt makes for a mouthwatering snack. Dahi vada provides the perfect balance to all the sweet treats.
Kanji
Kanji is a traditional Holi drink from North India made with fermented mustard seeds, spices, and sour raw mango pulp. It has a savory and tart taste that acts as an appetizer and digestive. Kanji is also excellent for keeping the body cool in the summery spring weather. Black salt and roasted cumin powder are added to the kanji before drinking.
Gujhia
Gujhia is another type of sweet dumpling popular for Holi but filled with grated coconut and khoya stuffing. These flaky pastries are shaped into crescents or circles and fried till crisp. Gujhia from Rajasthan is especially famous, where it is served with papad and achaar.
Laapsi
Laapsi is a dessert made by cooking broken wheat in milk and sugar. It has a porridge-like texture sweetened with jaggery or sugar. Laapsi is garnished with nuts, saffron, and cardamom. This simple sweet dish is enjoyed as prasad after Holika prayers in the evening before Holi.
Papdi Chaat
Papdi chaat is a popular street food that is prepared specially during Holi in North India. It contains fried flour crackers, boiled potato cubes, chickpeas, and sweet and spicy chutneys. Yogurt, sev, coriander leaves, and chaat masala add unique flavors and textures. The tangy and spicy taste profile makes it an addictive Holi snack.
Kachori
Kachori is a round-shaped deep fried pastry stuffed with a filling of lentils. It is crushed and added to chaat along with chutneys. There are many types of kachoris, including pyaaz kachori, matar kachori, and dal kachori. Their crispy texture and robust flavor makes them a favorite Holi snack.
Ghevar
Ghevar is a disc-shaped Rajasthani delicacy made using maida, ghee, milk, and sugar syrup. The batter is deep fried till crisp and soaked in sugar syrup. Ghevar has a unique honeycomb texture and comes in different flavours like malai, mawa, and plain. It is decorated elaborately with nuts and varq (edible silver foil).
Mathri
Mathri is a savory crunchy snack popular in North India. The dough is made from maida, oil or ghee, and spices like ajwain, black pepper, and coriander. It is shaped into discs and wavy spirals and deep fried. Mathris stay fresh for days, so they are prepared in large batches for Holi. It is enjoyed with spicy chutneys.
Regional Holi delicacies
Every region in India has its own special cuisine for celebrating Holi with splendor. Though the dishes vary, they all capture the happy and vibrant spirit of the festival.
Puran Poli in Maharashtra
Puran poli is a sweet flatbread stuffed with a lentil and jaggery filling. It is Maharashtra’s signature Holi delicacy. The soft poli perfectly complements the sweet and nutty puran stuffing. Puran poli is enjoyed with ghee and milk.
Beetroot ke kofte in Rajasthan
These vibrant pink koftes made from beetroot are a visual delight. The batter is made from beetroot, spices, and gram flour. They are deep fried and dunked in rabdi. The color represents the rang (color) of Holi.
Crispy pork vadai in Goa
Goan cuisine is influenced by Portuguese flavors. Crispy pork vadai is a popular snack, made from minced pork and Goan masalas. The crispy, juicy vadais are perfect with chilled beers.
Sweet Pongal in Tamil Nadu
Pongal is a rice and lentil dish cooked with jaggery and milk. The sweet version, chakkara pongal, is served on Holi. Dry fruits and spices like cardamom are added to it.
Kesari sheera in Karnataka
Kesari sheera is made from semolina, ghee, sugar, and saffron. Pineapple and mango slices are added for tanginess. It makes for a delicious breakfast on Holi morning.
Malida in West Bengal
This pudding-like dessert is made from puffed rice, milk, dry fruits, and saffron. It is garnished with silver varq. The crunchy and creamy malida is had as prasad after Holika puja.
Gujhia in Bihar
Bihar’s specialty is khoya gujhia stuffed with dried fruits and khoya. The flaky pastry is deep fried and soaked in sugar syrup scented with kewra essence. They are shaped like crescents, plates or balls.
Dhuska in Jharkhand
Dhuska are fried breads smeared with ghee and served with potato curry. They have a spongy texture and absorb the robust flavors of the curry.
Modern Holi treats
While traditional Holi delicacies are irreplaceable, nowadays people also prepare innovative fusion dishes and desserts for Holi parties and potlucks.
Colorful drinks
Cocktails and mocktails inspired by the colors of Holi are trendy festive beverages. Recipes include orange basil cooler, pink lemonade, virgin mojito, and blue lagoon.
Rainbow salad
Salads like quinoa or fruit salad are brightened up with veggies of different colors like beetroot, carrots, peppers, purple cabbage, etc. Dressings include mint, honey, lime, and chili.
Pizza
Pizzas with colorful toppings like bell peppers, olives, jalapenos, corn, paneer, and cilantro are perfect party food for Holi get-togethers.
Sandwiches and wraps
Grilled sandwiches with cheery fillings like paneer tikka, achari paneer, chicken tikka, and vegetable seekh appeal to both kids and adults.
Chaat
Stalls at Holi fairs prepare chaats like bhel puri, sev puri, and pav bhaji for visitors craving savory snacks, aside from sweets.
Milkshakes and lassi
Thick, creamy milkshakes and lassis in flavors like mango, chocolate, strawberry, kesar pista, and masala chaas are slurp-worthy cool treats for Holi.
Sheera
While traditional gur or suji sheera are made, people also experiment with oats sheera, sabudana sheera, and banana sheera pudding.
Frozen desserts
Ice cream, kulfi, gola, and falooda in a riot of colors and flavors like kesari, paan, and orange are popular frozen treats.
Significance of food on Holi
The scrumptious spread of foods on Holi has cultural and social significance.
Marks the end of winter
The Holi special delicacies use seasonal spring produce like purple yam, carrots, radish leaves, and fresh mangoes. This signifies the end of winter austerities and ushering in of warmer months.
Brings people together
Preparing large batches of food and organizing community Holi feasts fosters bonds between friends, families, and neighbors.
Spreads joy
The festive mood is enhanced by distributing and enjoying the yummy food. The spirit of Holi is amplified when people share sweets and make merry.
Cultural diversity
The diverse Holi delicacies reflect India’s cultural diversity. Though celebrated pan-India, the food in each region is unique.
Religious offering
Sweets and savories are first offered to the gods and then distributed as prasad. Food is a medium to express devotion.
Holi recipes to try at home
If you want to celebrate Holi at home with authentic food, here are some recipes to try:
| Dish | Ingredients | Recipe |
|---|---|---|
| Gujiya | All-purpose flour, ghee, khoya, nuts, cardamom, oil (for frying) | 1. Prepare dough from flour, ghee, and water. Rest for 30 mins. 2. Knead again and divide into balls. Roll out into circles. 3. Fill with khoya stuffing, seal and shape. Fry in oil till golden. |
| Dahi Vada | Urad dal, yogurt, oil (for frying), chaat masala | 1. Soak urad dal for 4-5 hours and grind to batter. 2. Make vadas from batter and deep fry. 3. Soak fried vadas in beaten yogurt. 4. Top with spices, chutneys, and sev. |
| Thandai | Milk, almonds, pistachios, peppercorn, sugar, rose water | 1. Soak almonds, pistachios, peppercorn in water. 2. Grind to smooth paste with water. 3. Sieve and add to chilled milk. 4. Sweeten with sugar and add rose water. |
| Puran Poli | All-purpose flour, chana dal, jaggery, ghee, cardamom, nutmeg | 1. Pressure cook chana dal and mash to smooth paste with jaggery. 2. Make dough from flour, ajwain, and ghee. 3. Roll out and spread puran filling. Roll up and flatten. 4. Cook on tawa with ghee till golden brown. |
Safety tips for Holi celebrations
Here are some tips to celebrate Holi safely and mindfully:
- Avoid food colors with unsafe synthetic pigments. Opt for natural, herbal gulal.
- Refrain from throwing colors forcefully or without consent.
- Apply oil on skin and hair before playing to minimize skin irritation.
- Wear old clothes to avoid permanent stains.
- Wash off colors immediately after playing and moisturize skin.
- Eat homemade sweets instead of street food to prevent upset stomach.
- Drink lots of water and fluids like chaas to avoid dehydration.
- Don’t drink and drive. Appoint designated drivers.
Conclusion
The lip-smacking foods form an intrinsic part of Holi festivities. Gujiya, dahi vada, thandai, puran poli, and other sweets and snacks are prepared with gusto in every Indian household during this season. Though the recipes differ as per region, they all signify the vibrant spirit of Holi. The aroma of spices, the riot of colors on the thalis, and the delicious flavors bring people together. If you wish to experience authentic Holi treats, try making some of these iconic dishes at home. Have a safe and happy Holi filled with good food and great company!