Healthy Rakhi Recipes: A Comprehensive Guide to a Festive Meal

Raksha Bandhan is a special day to celebrate the bond between brothers and sisters.It is all about celebrating with family and enjoying tasty treats filled with exchanging gifts, tying rakhi, and enjoying delicious food. This year, why not make your festive meal both tasty and healthy? Our guide to Healthy Rakhi Recipes will show you how to prepare flavorful dishes that are good for you. From tasty snacks to nutritious main courses, you’ll find plenty of ways to enjoy the holiday while keeping things wholesome. Let’s make this Raksha Bandhan special with festive and healthy dishes, making your celebration memorable for all the right reasons!

Spicy Tava Idli

Tava Idli is a tasty Indian dish made from idlis cooked with spices and fresh ingredients. The idlis are pan-fried until crispy, giving them a new and delicious flavour. It’s a great breakfast or a light snack choice, with a perfect mix of spices and a crunchy texture.

This Rakhi, try serving Tava Idli as a unique and delightful treat that’s sure to add a special touch to your celebrations. It’s a perfect way to enjoy the festive spirit with a flavorful and satisfying dish.

Ingredients

• 4 idlis, cut into cubes
• 1/4 cup minced onions
• 1 small ripe tomato, cubed
• 2 tsp ghee or butter
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp Danfe turmeric powder
• 1 tsp pav bhaji masala (adjust to taste)
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• 2 tsp lime or lemon juice
• A handful of chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Instructions

• Heat ghee or butter in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds and let them pop.
• Add minced onions, Danfe turmeric powder, and grated ginger. Saute until onions turn pink and fragrant.
• Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they become mushy.
• Mix in pav bhaji masala and salt. Cook for 30 seconds.
• Add the idlis and toss to coat with the mixture.
• Stir in lime juice and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with tea or coffee.

Cheese Aloo Bonda

Cheese Aloo Bonda is a delicious Indian snack made with spicy, mashed potatoes stuffed with gooey mozzarella cheese. It’s a perfect treat for any time of day and pairs wonderfully with chutneys or a cup of hot coffee. This Rakhi, Cheese Aloo Bonda makes an excellent addition to your festive spread. Its crispy exterior and cheesy, spicy filling will add a delightful twist to your celebrations, making the occasion even more special.

Ingredients

• 4 potatoes, boiled and mashed
• 50 grams mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon Danfe mustard seeds
• 1 inch ginger, grated
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
• 1/2 teaspoon Danfe turmeric powder
• A small bunch of coriander leaves (chopped)
• Oil, as needed
• Ingredients for Bonda Batter
• 1 cup gram flour (besan)
• 1 teaspoon Danfe turmeric powder
• Salt to taste

Instructions

• Heat oil in a frying pan. Add  Danfe mustard seeds and let them crackle.
• Add finely chopped onions and sauté until they are soft and light- golden.
• Add grated ginger, chopped green chillies, asafoetida, Danfe turmeric powder, and salt. Sauté for 1 minute.
• Add the mashed potatoes and chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and cook for a few minutes. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool.
• Divide the cooled potato mixture into 8 portions. Flatten each portion in your palm, place a piece of mozzarella cheese in the center, and shape it into a ball. Keep aside.
• For the batter, mix gram flour, Danfe turmeric powder, and salt in a bowl. Gradually add water to make a thick batter that coats the back of a spoon. Whisk until light and fluffy.
• Preheat a kuzhi paniyaram pan and add a few drops of oil into each cavity.
• Dip each potato cheese ball in the gram flour batter and place it into the pan. Cover and steam until the batter is cooked. Uncover and cook all sides until golden brown.
• Transfer the bonda to a plate with absorbent paper. Serve hot with spicy coconut or green chutney and a cup of steaming filter coffee.

Dahi Bhalla Papdi Chaat

Dahi Bhalla Papdi Chaat is a popular Indian street food that combines crispy papdi with soft, flavorful dahi bhalla (lentil dumplings), topped with tangy chutneys, spices, and garnishes. It’s a delightful mix of textures and flavors, perfect as a snack or appetizer. This Rakhi, Dahi Bhalla Papdi Chaat can add a festive and refreshing touch to your celebrations. Its blend of crispy, creamy, and spicy elements will make your Rakhi feast even more enjoyable and memorable.

Ingredients

• 4 dahi bhallas
• 1 cup papdi puris
• 1 cup sweet chutney (dates and tamarind)
• 1 cup green chutney (coriander and mint)
• Chaat masala powder, to taste
• Danfe Jeera, to taste
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 tablespoon pomegranate powder (anardana)
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
• 1 cup boondi or sev
• 2 sprigs of chopped coriander leaves

Instructions

• Arrange the papdis or puris on a flat plate or bowl.
• Place the dahi bhallas on top of the papdis. If the bhallas are large, break them into smaller pieces.
• Spoon some yogurt over the bhallas.
• Drizzle sweet chutney and green chutney over the yogurt.
• Sprinkle chaat masala powder and Danfe Jeera to taste.
• Add grated carrot, pomegranate powder, and crunchy boondi or sev.
• Top with finely chopped onions and coriander leaves.
• Serve immediately as a snack or appetizer.

Shahi Paneer Korma 

Shahi Paneer Korma is a rich and creamy Indian curry featuring soft paneer cubes simmered in a luxurious sauce made with a blend of aromatic spices, nuts, and coconut. It’s a royal dish that pairs perfectly with roti or naan for a satisfying meal. For Rakhi, Shahi Paneer Korma adds a touch of elegance and indulgence to your festive spread. It’s rich flavors and creamy texture make it a wonderful choice to celebrate the occasion with family and friends.

Ingredients

For Masala Paste

• ½ cup grated coconut
• 10 blanched almonds
• 5 cashews
• 2 tbsp poppy seeds
• ½ cup water
• Other Ingredients
• 3 tsp oil
• 14 cubes paneer (cottage cheese)
• 1 tsp Danfe Jeera  seeds
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 2 cardamom pods
• 3 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 chili, slit
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• ¼ tsp Danfe turmeric powder
• ½ tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• ¼ tsp cumin powder
• 2 tbsp mint leaves
• 1 cup tomato puree
• 2 tbsp whisked curd (yogurt)
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp grated paneer
• 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
• ¼ tsp garam masala

Instructions

• Heat 3 tsp oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, cloves, and bay leaf. Sauté for a minute.
• Add chopped onion, slit chili, and ginger garlic paste. Cook until the onions are golden brown.
• Lower the heat and add Danfe turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and cumin powder. Sauté until the spices release their aroma.
• Add tomato puree and cook until the oil starts to separate from the masala.
• Stir in the prepared coconut masala paste and cook until the paste thickens and the raw smell disappears.
• Add 1 cup water and salt. Mix well and adjust the consistency as needed. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the curry is well-cooked.
• Add fried paneer cubes and 2 tbsp grated paneer. Stir gently and simmer for 2 minutes, or until the paneer absorbs the flavors.
• Add chopped coriander leaves and garam masala. Mix well.
• Serve Shahi Paneer Korma hot with roti or naan.

 Malpua

Malpua is a delicious Indian sweet made from a batter of flour and semolina, deep-fried into crispy, golden pancakes, and soaked in a fragrant sugar syrup. Often enjoyed during festivals or special occasions, it’s served hot with creamy rabri and garnished with dry fruits for an extra indulgence. This Rakhi, Malpua adds a sweet and festive touch to your celebrations. Its warm, syrup-soaked goodness paired with rabri makes it a perfect treat to share with loved ones and makes the occasion even more special.

Ingredients

For Malpua

• 1 cup Danfe maida flour (plain flour)
• ½ cup Danfe rava (semolina)
• ¼ cup Danfe Indian sugar
• ½ tsp fennel powder
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• ½ cup milk or rabri
• Water, as needed to prepare the batter
• Oil or ghee, for deep frying
• Rabri, for serving
• Dry fruits, for garnishing
• For Sugar Syrup
• 1 cup Danfe Indian sugar
• ½ cup water
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• Few saffron threads

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl, combine Danfe maida, Danfe rava, and Danfe India sugar.
• Add fennel powder and cardamom powder.
• Pour in milk or rabri. Mix well to ensure there are no lumps.
• Add water as needed to achieve a smooth, pourable batter.
• Whisk the batter for at least 5 minutes. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.
• Heat oil or ghee in a pan. Pour the batter into the hot oil to form small pancakes.
• Once the malpuas start to float, splash oil over them and press gently with a perforated spoon to help them puff up.
• Fry both sides until golden brown.
• Drain the malpuas on a kitchen towel to remove excess oil.
• Soak the hot malpuas in warm sugar syrup for 10 minutes, ensuring both sides are well-coated.
• Serve hot with rabri and garnish with dry fruits.

Enjoy these delicious sweet and savoury items and celebrate this Raksha Bandhan with joy and good health with your loved ones!