Traditional Holi Recipes with a Twist

“Oh, I don’t like Holi!” Said no one ever!

There’s something for everyone during a festival like Holi. Some revel in the traditional Holi recipes, while others delight in the play of colors. This festival offers a palette of colors to play with and a spectrum of foods to indulge in.

As Holi approaches and you contemplate playful ways to celebrate with your friends and family, let’s delve into some Holi festival dishes that you can easily incorporate into your healthy Holi recipe ideas to kickstart your celebration.

What’s Holi without Thandai?

Since Holi and Thandai go hand in hand, try including this beloved twisted Holi drink, Thandai, among your favorite Holi special recipes this year.

Thandai Mojito – One of the best Holi recipes to try this year:

• Take a glass of milk and pour it into a blender. Add a handful of mint leaves, 1/2 cup of soaked pistachios, 2 crushed cardamom pods (Elaichi), and 2-3 teaspoons of powdered Danfe sugar.
• Blend this magical concoction, then garnish it with some crushed mint and pistachios. And there you have it! Your Holi drink is ready to be served!

By now, you must have noticed that this year, it’s all about infusing Holi food ideas with creative twists and introducing fusion recipes to make your celebration memorable. While these recipes promise uniqueness, they are also some of the easiest Holi recipes to try.

You’ve got to pair your Thandai with some delectable snacks!

Once you try them, you’ll undoubtedly label them as some of the best Holi special dry snacks to enjoy this year and beyond!

Starting with Wholewheat Nachos:

Who doesn’t love a plate loaded with nachos? Celebrate your love for good food this festive season with a healthy Holi recipe like Wholewheat Nachos.

• Take 2 cups of wholewheat flour, 1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds), salt to taste, 1 tbsp curd, and 2 tsp ginger garlic paste. Mix well and knead a soft dough using enough water. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes before rolling it into a flat sheet. Cut small triangles of the dough and fork them.
• You can either deep fry your nachos and serve them hot with your favorite dip, or for a healthier twist, try air frying them to make your festivities even healthier.

If you’re craving a tangy touch this Holi, then you should try this Holi recipe:

Wholewheat Papri Chaat:

Surprise your guests with this Holi special recipe and watch them lick their fingers as they ask for more!

• Using the same recipe as the Wholewheat Nachos, fry round flattened papri pieces and set them aside. Finely chop your favorite veggies and boil some kabuli chana (Chickpeas) for that authentic Papri Chaat flavor.
• Place the round crispy papri on a plate and garnish with the boiled chickpeas, veggies, and some bhujia. Squeeze half a lemon, sprinkle some salt, thick curd, or mint chutney on top, and declare your Holi tangy indeed!

Let’s tweak some traditional sweets for Holi and elevate them to become some of the best Holi dishes you can consider this year and for the celebrations ahead!

Wholewheat Chocolate Gujiya Recipe:

Sounds delicious, doesn’t it? Since we’re talking about Holi recipes with a twist, how can we forget to add flavors to the traditional Gujia recipe and watch it become one of the most loved dishes on Holi?

Since this year, we’ve been focusing on transforming traditional dishes into healthy fusion delights, let’s give Gujiya a healthy twist.

What better way to enhance this Holi dessert recipe‘s health quotient than by substituting regular maida flour with wholewheat flour or using dark chocolate instead of milk chocolates for the filling?

• To prepare the filling, crush ½ cup of your favorite dry fruits and 8-10 pieces of dark chocolate in a bowl, then microwave them for a few seconds until the chocolate melts. Add 1 cup of khoya in a frying pan and cook it until it turns pink in color. Allow it to cool before adding the chocolate mixture.
• For the Gujiya dough, ensure the outer cover turns crispy using fine-grain wholewheat flour (try Danfe Foods products for best results). Make a soft dough with 1 cup wholewheat flour and water, then let it rest for about 10 minutes.

It’s time for the best Gujiya recipe you’ve ever tried!

• Take a Gujiya mold and carefully place a small flat dough sheet on it. Add a tablespoon of the filling and seal the mold using water on the corners, removing any excess dough from the outside. Your adorable Gujiyas are now ready to be deep-fried!
• In a deep frying pan, heat oil and fry the Gujiyas until they turn golden brown on both sides.
  Pro tip: Ensure the dough sheet isn’t rolled too thin, or it may break during frying.
• Allow the Gujiyas to cool before serving. You can also serve them with a chocolate dip, and call it a special Holi recipe for your friends and family to savor for the first time!

What more can you do to make your Holi special sweets recipe fusion-worthy? And how can you make them healthier using natural food products?

Let’s make your love for sweets even sweeter and your summers even more flavorful with a mango kulfi recipe, shall we?

Here’s an easy Holi sweets recipe that will end your celebrations on a memorable note!

• Add 1 ½ cups of milk, ½ cup of powdered sugar, and 1 ripe mango finely chopped in a blending jar. Blend this mixture to a smooth consistency.
• Now, add 1/2 cup of homemade cream or malai to the blender, a pinch of cardamom powder, and blend it once again.
• Take a tin glass container or a kulfi mold and fill it with the kulfi batter while adding chopped mango pieces simultaneously. 
• Gently tap to set the kulfi in the mold and freeze the kulfi for about 6 to 8 hours.
• To separate the kulfi from the mold, place it under running water and sprinkle some mango puree before serving it to your guests!

Holi, the festival of colors, food, and togetherness, promises a good time with your friends and family! However, what becomes difficult around a festival like this is staying conscious of what you eat. Here, we’ve endeavored to fuse the goodness of natural foods with a taste you don’t have to compromise on, allowing you to enjoy traditional Holi recipes with a twist. 

If you still feel overwhelmed with the celebration you had and want to bounce back to your healthy routine the very next morning of Holi, then try the methi water detox recipe that can boost your health and fitness goals in no time!

Cheers to a celebration you will remember and reminisce about every year from here onwards!

Wishing you and your family a happy, healthy, and safe Holi!