Recipies for Holi

This year Holi the festival of colours, will be celebrated on  27thMarch. This  festival is celebrated  in many parts of  India. The festival is  popular with youngsters as they sprinkle coloured water  and powder on each other boisterously  and have great fun. Small children  start  throwing balloons with coloured water on passers by from the roof tops of their houses  and become hilarious on seeing the reaction of the affected victims.  Sometimes people  become  aggressive and instead of playing  decently,start smearing each other with shoe polish, eggs, cow dung,and many other coloured  objects which spoils the spirit of the festival.On the other hand ,some people  play a very decent Holi. They use colourful flowers and petals  instead of ordinary coloured powder which lends a very decent  touch to the celebrations.
         There is a legend  associated with the festival.There was a king,named  Hiranayakashipu, who considered himself to be God. He directed his subjects to worship him instead of Lord Vishnu.His son,Prahlad, was  very pious and religious, which angered his Father.He tried several methods to kill his son, but  could not succeed.The King's sister Holika  had a boon that  fire  would have no effect on her. The wicked King, in connivance with his sister, made Prahlad sit in her lap and lit a fire.Due to God's mercy prahlad came out of the fire unscathed and Holika was burnt to death.  A night before Holi people light a bonfire  known as Holika Dahan.The festival also signifies the arrival of Spring. The holi of Mathura, Brindaban and  Barsana is famous because of Krisna , Radha and Gopis  playing Holi.
                                        Some special dishes are prepared  for this festival. Gujiya is a very popular sweet associated with Holi.  Kachauri and Aloo are prepared as an offering to God.
                                                                                        
             Recipe  for    Kachori
Ingredients:-
1.Maida 1 cup
2.Urad dal  1 cup
3. Coriander seeds  1 teaspoon
4. Jeera                       1 teaspoon
5,.Asefodita                1 pinch
6.Garam masala        1 teaspoon
7. Oil                 for frying
8.Amchur powder   i teaspoon

 Method  of preparation
 1. Soak the Urad dal in water for 30 minutes. and grind it coarsely.
 2.Add 2 teaspoons oil,  and salt to the Maida and make a dough  and keep aside or 15 to 20  mts.
 3. In a wok roast the  ground dal,asefodita, coriander seeds, jeera.Add salt and garam masala
 4. Divide the Maida into  rolls (lemon size) Now roll out the rolls like poories.
 5. Keep the oil on the fire, till hot. 
 6. Fry the Kachori  on medium fire.
 7. Remove when golden brown .
  8. Serve with any chutney of your choice.

                          Recipe for Gujiya
Ingredients:-
1.Maida      1 cup
2.Suji          1 cup
3.Almonds   soaked in water and skin removed
4.Raisins     2 teaspoons
5. Sugar 
 6.  Oil for frying

Method of preparation
1. Add 2 spoons oil to the  maida  and prepare dough .Keep aside. 
2. In a wok  add about  3 spoons of oil, add the suji,and roast on slow fire. Add chopped almonds and raisins.
3.Divide  equal size balls from the dough. Roll them thinly of the size of a poorie.
4. Fold the poorie  from the centre and place a little roasted suji on one side of the roll and cover it with the other side. 
5. Wet your index finger and thumb with little water and press  both open sides with finger and thumb
6. Fry these gujiyas on slow fire
7. Add  1/4 cup of water to the sugar and keep it on the fire  to make a sugar solution.
8. When the solution cools down, add gujiyas  dip gujiyas in it .Remove  after 15 to 20 minutes.
 Note:Instead of suji we can add khoya.

Black Carrot Kanji  recipe
 This is a drink. In multani families it is very popular. Take 1/2 kg black carrots. Wash and cut them lenght wise(about one inch). Take a jar. Fill it with filtered water. Add the carrots, salt, one teaspoon ground mustard  and red chilli powder.(optional).Stir it. Keep it in the sun for  5 to 6 days. It makes a very delicious and  cool dish .
 Happy Holi