Holi-day binging

After a splash of colours and some dancing, people make a beeline for food in every Holi party. The delicacies made on this day such as pua (pancakes), dahi vada, chole and gujiya are the traditional hot favourites among revelers. But with changing times and intermingling of different cultures, Delhiwallahs are experimenting and coming up with easy-to-grab and tasty snacks taking inspirations from across the borders.

Scatter the batter

Toast and a cup of tea/coffee is a popular quick breakfast among youngsters. “Mushroom ‘n’ corn on toast is one of the most handy dishes for Holi. All it needs is a warm toast with loads of mushrooms and corn with grated fresh cheese and crushed pepper on top. Dollops of butter on the toast makes it a fulfilling snack,” says chef Preetam of Uber Lounge, GK 2.

Quick side dish Idlis continue to remain an ideal snacking option, but this Holi one can experiment with spices and ingredients of idlis and make some light, colourful idlis. “Idlis are one of the healthiest snack options that one can opt for during festivities. For Holi we have come up with a platter of colourful idlis that are inspired by the colours of Holi such as orange (gunpowder), yellow (turmeric), green (coriander) and red (fiery Guntur chillies) served with spicy sambhar and chutney,” says chef Egin Abrahim of Vaango.

Non-vegetarian savouries The main idea behind having some heavy options for snacks in the special menu is to offer guests something wholesome. “Tiger prawns seasoned with a zesty lime-tequila, marinated with garlic, cumin and ground black pepper makes for a tasty appetiser. The dish is juicy, tangy and gives a strong flavour of tequila that goes with the mood of the festival,” says chef Balwant Singh Rawat of Lighthouse 13.

Sweet munchies Pamper your palate with richer and tastier chocolates that one can easily munch on when drenched in Holi colours. Chef Santosh Reddy at Radisson Blu MBD Noida shares, “Keeping in mind the occasion of Holi we have tried to infuse gulkand and pistachio as our core ingredients in the chocolates. Gulkand is one of the flavours dominating the local palate, ranging from paan to desserts. Offering different textures, gulkand chocolates are a little moist and soft, while the pistachio chocolates are a little crunchy. These chocolates are completely eggless and alcohol free, which is ideal for playing a ruckus-free Holi.”

Honey chilli potato Ingredients

100 gm McCain’s ready to eat french fries 1 tbsp red chilly sauce 2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp red chilli flakes 2 tbsp cornflour powder 2 tbsp oil 2 cloves of garlic water to dissolve cornflour powder chopped greens, spring onion and sesame seeds to garnish

Method

Prepare the thin batter of cornflour by mixing it in water. Dip the french fries in the batter and deep fry in hot oil (175 degree. celsius) for 3 minutes. Mix red chilli sauce, honey and red chilly flakes in a bowl. Heat oil in a pan and add finely chopped garlic. Saute till golden. Add sauces and fries to the pan and toss it well. Sprinkle sesame on top. Serve hot and garnish with freshly chopped greens of spring onions.