EXPLORE THE EXQUISITE FESTIVE DISHES OF INDIA
Festivals in India are not just about rituals and celebrations; they are also a time for indulging in delicious and mouthwatering dishes that are an integral part of the festivities. Each region in India boasts its unique festive recipes that are prepared with love, passion, and traditional ingredients. In this blog, we will embark on a culinary journey to discover some of the most popular festive dishes from different parts of India. For your benefit, we have also included recipes for each dish.
Mango Dal (Mango Lentil Curry)
Mango Dal is a delightful South Indian dish that's often prepared during festivals such as Ugadi (New Year), especially in the Telugu states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. It inventively combines the tangy flavour of raw mangoes with the creaminess of lentils.
Ingredients:
1 cup split red gram (toor dal)
1 raw mango, peeled and chopped
2-3 green chillies, slit
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
For tempering: Mustard seeds, Cumin seeds, Curry leaves, Asafoetida, and Oil
How to cook:
Cook toor dal in a pressure cooker until soft. In a separate pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once they splutter, add asafoetida and curry leaves. Add green chillies and chopped mango and sauté for a few minutes. Then add turmeric powder and salt. Now add the cooked toor dal. Simmer until the mango is soft and the dal reaches a creamy consistency. Serve with hot steaming rice!
Pongal (Tamil Nadu style)
Pongal is a popular South Indian dish, and is a special favourite of Tamil Nadu. It is often prepared during the harvest festival of the same name. It's a hearty and savoury rice and lentil dish.
Ingredients:
1 cup rice
1/4 cup split yellow moong dal
2 tsp ghee
1/2 tsp black pepper (full)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
Cashew nuts and curry leaves for garnish
Salt to taste
How to cook:
Cook rice and dal together in a pressure cooker until soft.In a separate pan, heat ghee and add black pepper and cumin seeds. Add cashew nuts and curry leaves and sauté until the cashew nuts turn golden brown. Now add the cooked rice and dal to the pan. Mix well, and add salt to taste.
Vada
Vada, a popular South Indian breakfast item, is a must-have on the menu during festivals and special occasions. It's a deep-fried savoury treat made from lentil batter.
Ingredients:
1 cup urad dal (black gram)
2-3 green chillies
A handful of curry leaves
A pinch of asafoetida
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
How to cook:
Soak urad dal in water for a few hours and then grind it into a thick batter with green chillies and curry leaves. Add asafoetida and salt to the batter and mix well.
Heat oil in a deep pan. Wet your hands and take a small portion of the batter. Flatten it slightly and make a hole in the centre. Carefully slide it into the hot oil and fry until it turns golden brown and crispy. Serve the hot-hot vadas with ginger or coconut chutney.
Pulihora (Tamarind Rice)
Pulihora is a tangy and spicy rice dish from South India. It is usually prepared during festivals and special occasions. Simple to prepare and delicious in taste are its USPs.
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked white rice
1/4 cup tamarind pulp
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
A pinch of asafoetida
Curry leaves
Red chilli powder
Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
How to cook:
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, and curry leaves. Once the seeds splutter, add the tamarind pulp and cook until it thickens. Now add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and salt to taste. Mix the tamarind sauce with cooked rice and serve with papads or vadiyams (fryums) for unforgettable relish.
Indian cuisine, especially South Indian cuisine is replete with podis or powders that can be added to curries to enhance their flavour, or mixed directly with hot rice and ghee for a delicious start to the meal. They can also be used as accompaniments with breakfast dishes such as idli, dosa, upma, pesarattu, utappam and more. When stored in airtight containers and kept in the refrigerator, they can retain their freshness for long.
Nalla Karam (Andhra Spicy Powder)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup urad dal
1/2 cup chana dal
1/2 cup red chillies
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp asafoetida
Salt to taste
A pinch of turmeric powder
How to cook:
Dry roast urad dal, chana dal, red chillies, fenugreek seeds, and asafoetida separately until they turn golden brown. Let them cool, and then grind into a fine powder.Add salt and turmeric powder to the powder and mix well. Store in an airtight container.
Curry Leaf Powder
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh curry leaves
1/2 cup chana dal
1/4 cup urad dal
2-3 dried red chillies
A pinch of asafoetida
Salt to taste
How to cook:
Dry roast curry leaves, chana dal, urad dal, dried red chillies, and asafoetida until they turn crisp and aromatic. Cool and grind into a fine powder. Add salt and mix well.
Kandi Podi (Andhra Lentil Spice Powder)
Ingredients:
1 cup toor dal
1/2 cup chana dal
1/2 cup urad dal
10-12 dried red chillies
A pinch of asafoetida
Salt to taste
How to cook:
Dry roast toor dal, chana dal, urad dal, dried red chilies, and asafoetida until they turn golden brown and aromatic. Let them cool and grind into a coarse powder. Add salt and mix well.
Nuvvula Podi (Sesame Seed Powder)
Ingredients:
1 cup white sesame seeds
5-6 dried red chillies
A pinch of asafoetida
Salt to taste
How to cook:
Dry roast white sesame seeds, dried red chillies, and asafoetida until the sesame seeds turn golden brown and fragrant. Let them cool and grind into a coarse powder. Add salt and mix well.
Kheer (Rice pudding)
Kheer, a traditional North Indian rice pudding, is a must-have dessert during festivals. It is creamy, sweet, and typically flavoured with saffron, cardamom and nuts. Its South Indian counterpart goes by the name Payasam. The dish can also be made with cracked wheat or vermicelli instead of rice.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup basmati rice
4 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup chopped nuts (cashews, almonds, and pistachios)
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
Saffron strands (optional)
How to cook:
Wash and soak rice for 30 minutes. Drain the water and cook the rice in milk until it becomes soft and the mixture thickens. Add sugar, chopped nuts, and cardamom powder. Cook for a few more minutes. Garnish with saffron strands and serve hot or chilled.
Gulab Jamun (Flour dumplings in sugar syrup)
Gulab Jamun is a classic Indian dessert made during festivals, including Diwali and Eid. These sweet, syrup-soaked dumplings are loved by people of all ages.
Ingredients:
1 cup milk powder
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
A pinch of cardamom powder
2-3 tbsp ghee
Milk/water for kneading
Oil/ghee for frying
For the sugar syrup: 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, and a few saffron strands
How to cook:
Mix milk powder, all-purpose flour, baking soda, cardamom powder, and ghee in a bowl. Add milk or water gradually to form a soft and smooth dough. Divide the dough into small, equal-sized portions and roll them into smooth balls. Heat oil or ghee in a deep pan and fry the dough balls until they turn golden brown. In a separate pan, prepare sugar syrup by boiling sugar and water until it reaches a one-string consistency. Add saffron strands. Soak the fried flour balls in the sugar syrup for a few hours before serving.
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These recipes, from different regions of India, showcase the variety and complexity of flavours that make Indian cuisine so unique and cherished. Whether it's the tangy Mango Dal of Andhra Pradesh, the aromatic Kheer of North India, or the sweet Gulab Jamun enjoyed nationwide, each dish adds its own special touch to the joyous celebrations of festivals in India.