6 Traditional Holi Snacks That You Can Make At Home

Holi is just around the corner and like most of the Indian festivals, this one too comes with its own set of signature food preparations, without which this festival of colors is incomplete. While the variety of Holi dishes across the country differ from region to region, EazyDiner has put together a list of traditional and most popular recipes that are almost synonymous with this celebration of colors. So whether you are having an intimate celebration with family or planning an elaborate gathering of friends, these Holi recipes are sure to impress people with your culinary prowess!

Gujiya

Out of all the Holi special delights, Gujiya is the one dish that is an absolute star and the most popular sweet loved by almost everyone. Native to Rajasthan, Gujiyas are sweet dumplings made of maida or flour and featuring a filling of Mawa/Khoya, dry coconut, almonds, and cardamom. This quintessential Holi sweet treat is extremely customizable and comes in various shapes sizes and flavors. You can find ones with a sugar coating, or stuffed with dry fruits or even chocolate nowadays! Here we are sharing the traditional Gujiya recipe that is sure to make you nostalgic.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour + 1 cup all-purpose flour or 2 cups of all-purpose flour or 2 cups of whole wheat flour

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ⅓ to ½ cup water or as required

• 2 tablespoon ghee

• 1 cup khoya/mawa - tightly packed or 200 to 220 grams

• ½ tablespoon ghee

• ⅓ cup chopped dry fruits - 10 cashews, 10 almonds, 10 pistachios, ½ tablespoon raisins

• ⅓ cup powdered sugar or as required

• ½ teaspoon cardamom powder or 6 to 7 green cardamoms powdered in a mortar-pestle.

Instructions:

• Take the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour (if using), and salt in a bowl.
• Heat ghee in a small pan and carefully pour it on the flour-salt mixture. Rub the ghee with the flours, with your fingertips to form a breadcrumb-like texture.
• Then add water in parts and begin to knead. Knead the dough till firm. cover the dough with a moist cloth and keep aside for 30 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, crumble and grate the khoya (mawa).
• Melt ½ tbsp. ghee in a pan on a low flame. Add the crumbled or grated khoya and keep stirring continuously on low heat till it begins to gather around itself. Switch off the flame and let it cool off completely.
• Once cool, add powdered sugar, chopped dry fruits, and cardamom powder. Mix everything well and keep the stuffing aside. Check the taste and adjust sugar accordingly.
• Divide the dough into two parts. Make a medium log of each part and slice it into equal parts.
• Roll each part in your palms to make balls and place all the balls in the same bowl. Cover with a moist kitchen towel.
• Dust the rolling board lightly with some flour. Roll each ball with the rolling pin to a small circle having 4 to 5 inches diameter. Don't add too much flour while rolling. If you can roll without the flour, then it is better.
• With your fingertip, apply some water all over the circumference edge. Place about 1 tbsp or 1.5 tbsp of the khoya filling on one side of the circle, keeping edges empty. Don’t add too much stuffing as then it’s difficult to shape them and may cause Gujiyas to break in the oil.
• Carefully, bring together both the edges and join. Gently press the edges.
• With a small gujiya cutter or pizza cutter and trim the extra edges if any. You can also go for the traditional pleated design folds to seal the gujiya by folding and twisting the edges till the end.
• Keep the ready Guijya on a tray and keep them covered with a moist napkin so that the dough does not dry out.
• Heat oil for deep frying in a Kadhai or pan.
• First test the temperature of oil, before frying. Add a small piece of the dough in the oil. If the dough comes up gradually, then the oil is ready. If the dough sits at the bottom, the oil is still cold. If the piece of dough comes up briskly and quickly, the oil is too hot.
• Gently slid the Gujiya in oil. Just add a few pieces and don't overcrowd. At a time depending on the size of the pan/Kadhai, you can fry 2 to 3 gujiya at a time.
• Turn them over carefully as you fry the other side. Deep fry till they have become golden.
• Place the finished Gujiyas on a plate or tray lined with kitchen paper tissues to drain the excess oil and you are done!

Thandai

Another Holi favorite, Thandai is a refreshing drink usually made with milk, peppercorn, almonds, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, cardamom, saffron, and rose. Immortalized by so many Bollywood Holi songs, Thandai is basically the official drink for the festival of colors, which is quite easy to make at home and just like Gujiyas, completely customizable.

Ingredients: 

• 10-12 Almonds
• 10-12 Cashew Nuts
• 25-30 Black Peppercorns
• 10-12 Raisins
• 10-12 Cardamom
• 1 tsp Poppy Seeds
• 1 tsp Fennel Seeds
• 1 tsp Melon Seeds
• 3 cups Milk
• ¼ cup Sugar
• 1 pinch Saffron
• ½ tsp Rosewater

Instructions:

• Soak almonds, cashew nuts, peppercorns, raisins, cardamom, poppy seeds, fennel seeds, and melon seeds in ½ cup water for 5-6 hours.
• Grind the soaked ingredients in a blender to make a smooth paste. Add little milk if required.
• Once done, add the remaining milk.
• Pass the mixture through a soup strainer.
• Add sugar, saffron soaked in milk, and rose water and mix till sugar is dissolved.
• Pour the Thandai in serving glasses.
• Garnish with rose petals and dry fruit slivers. Serve chilled.

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Dahi Vada

Another one of our favorite Holi dishes is this fluffy, tender, tangy, and sweet snack consisting of homemade fried lentil dumpling fritters, dunked in creamy whipped yogurt and topped with both spicy and sweet chutneys, resulting in is an impressive and delicious snack that includes just the right balance of sour, sweet, savory, and spicy flavors in every bite.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup urad dal (heaped) – 200 grams
• ½ teaspoon chopped green chili 
• 1 teaspoon chopped ginger 
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 pinch asafoetida (heeng)
• ¼ to ½ cup water or add as needed
• 1 tablespoon raisins – chopped
• 12 to 15 cashews – chopped
• salt as required

Other Ingredients

• 2.5 cups Curd– chilled
• ½ to 1 teaspoon chaat masala or as required
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon red chili powder 
• 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
• black salt – (optional)
• ¼ cup pomegranate seeds – (optional)
• 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves

For Tamarind Chutney

• ½ cup tamarind – tightly packed (seedless)
• 1.75 cups water
• ½ teaspoon ginger powder (saunth)
• 1 pinch asafoetida (heeng)
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ¼ teaspoon red chili powder 
• 7 to 8 tablespoons jaggery or sugar, add as required – adjust as per your taste
• salt as required
• 1 teaspoon oil

For Coriander Chutney

• 2 cups coriander leaves 
• ½ to 1 teaspoon dry mango powder 
• ½ teaspoon chopped garlic 
• 1 teaspoon green chilies 
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds or cumin powder
• salt as needed
• 2 to 3 tablespoons water or as required

Instructions: 

Making Sweet Chutney

• Soak tamarind in water overnight or for 4 to 5 hours in a small bowl.
• With your hands, squeeze the pulp from the tamarind in the same bowl. Strain the pulp and set it aside.
• Heat oil in a pan. Lower the heat and add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
• Add ginger powder, red chili powder, asafoetida.
• Stir and add the strained tamarind pulp. Cook for 2 to 3 mins.
• Add the jaggery and salt and simmer for 4 to 5 mins more on low to medium-low heat. The mixture would thicken. Let the tamarind chutney mixture cool.

Making Green Coriander Chutney

• Blend or grind all the ingredients mentioned under the green chutney list with water. Remove and set aside in a small bowl.

Making Vadas

• Rinse the lentils 3 to 4 times in water. Soak in enough water overnight or for 4 to 5 hours. Drain all the water and add the lentils in a blender.
• Add chopped green chilies, chopped ginger, cumin seeds, asafoetida, and salt.
• Add water in intervals and grind to a smooth thick or medium-thick flowing batter.
• Take the ground batter in a bowl. Stir briskly for a couple of minutes. This aerates the batter making it more light and fluffy.
• Add the chopped raisins and cashews. Combine well and set aside.
• Heat a Kadhai with oil for deep frying. When the oil becomes medium hot, add spoonfuls of the batter in the oil. Don’t be in a hurry to turn them.
• When you see the vada becoming pale golden from the base and sides, you can turn them.
• Fry the vada until they become golden and crisp. Place on paper towels.
• Assembling Dahi Vada
• In another bowl take water. Wait for 2 to 3 minutes and while the vadas are still hot, place the vada in the water. Soak for 12 to 15 minutes.
• The vadas will release some of the oil and absorb water increasing a bit in size with a color change.
• Take each vada and flatten and press between your palms to remove the water. Place these vadas in a serving bowl or tray.
• Whisk curd until smooth. Pour the curd over the vadas evenly all over covering them. Top with the green chutney and tamarind chutney as needed.
• Sprinkle a few pinches of red chili powder, roasted cumin powder, chaat masala, and black salt.
• Garnish with pomegranate seeds and coriander leaves.

Namak Pare

Crispy and crunchy, Namak Pare are great savory snacks to enjoy with a cup of hot ginger tea. It is popularly prepared during festivals. They are crunchy, addictive, insanely tasty, and super easy to make. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup All-Purpose Flour/ Maida
• 2 tbsp Fine Semolina/ Sooji
• ½ tsp Salt
• ½ tsp Carom Seeds/ Ajwain
• 1 tbsp Ghee
• Oil for frying

Instructions:

• Add maida, sooji, salt, ajwain, and ghee in a bowl. Mix well.
• Add a few tbsp of water at a time and mix to make a tight dough.
• Cover the dough and keep aside for 10-15 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 2 parts and roll each in a thin circle.
• Cut the circle in long rectangles or diamonds.
• Heat oil for frying in a pan and when it is hot, simmer the heat.
• Fry the Namak Pare on low heat till golden brown. Keep in mind that these will continue to brown a bit even after taking them out from oil.
• Remove from oil on a tissue-lined plate.
• Cool and store in an airtight container for up to 10-15 days and serve with hot tea or any beverage of choice.

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Malpua

Malpuas are an indulgent Indian version of pancakes that are dipped in sugar syrup and served with rich Rabdi or sweetened thickened milk. Popularly made on various festivals like Diwali and Holi, Malpua has delicate flavors, made easy with simple ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour or 125 grams
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds - whole or crushed
• 3 to 4 green cardamoms - crushed 
• 3 pinches baking soda 
• ½ cup water or as required
• 3 tablespoon khoya (mawa) 
• 3 tablespoon Curd 
• 3 tablespoon ghee for frying

For Sugar Syrup

• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup water

For Rabdi

• 1.25 liters milk or 5 cups milk
• 2.5 to 3 tablespoon sugar or as required
• 5 to 6 green cardamoms - crushed 
• 2 pinches of saffron strands
• 1 teaspoon rose water 
• 2 tablespoon almonds - blanched and sliced
• 2 tablespoon pistachios - blanched and sliced

Instructions:

Making Malpua Batter

• In a mixing bowl take all-purpose flour, fennel seeds, and crushed cardamoms. Mix well.
• Add 3 tbsp khoya and 3 tbsp curd. Instead of khoya, you can also use milk powder. Add 1/2 cup water and begin to stir to a thick flowing batter without lumps. Allow the batter to rest for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile when the batter is resting blanch the almonds and pistachios in hot water. Keep them soaked in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes. Then peel and slice them. Keep aside.

Making Sugar Syrup

• In a saucepan, heat 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water. On a low flame simmer this mixture. Also, stir well so that the sugar melts.
• You need to have a 1/2 inch string or 1 string consistency in the sugar syrup. If you cannot achieve these string consistencies then just make a sticky syrup. The sugar needs to be kept warm. For this keep the sugar syrup in a hot water bath so that it stays warm throughout and does not crystallize. Meaning keep the sugar syrup pan on a bowl or another pan filled with hot water. The hot water should touch the base of the pan containing the sugar syrup.

Making Malpua

• Heat ghee in a pan.
• When the ghee is heating up add 3 pinches baking soda to the Malpua batter. Mix very well.
• Lower the flame. Take 2 tbsp to 3 tbsp of the batter and gently pour it into the hot ghee. Spread the batter lightly with the back of a spoon. Make 2 to 4 malpua depending on the size of the pan.
• Fry on a low to medium till crisp and golden flipping the malpua a couple of times. Drain them on paper towels to remove excess oil.
• Then immediately place them in the warm sugar syrup. Gently coat the malpua with the sugar syrup with a spoon or small tongs.
• Immediately remove them and place them in a serving tray or plate. Prepare all malpua this way and coat them with the sugar syrup.

Making Rabri 

• In a broad thick bottomed pan or saucepan or a kadhai take 1.25 liters of full-fat whole milk and bring it to boil. Lower the flame and continue to simmer the milk. Stir at intervals.
• Bring the clotted cream/malai which forms on top of the milk to the sides of the pan. Also, keep on scraping the dried milk from the sides and add it back to the milk.
• Do stir and scrape often so that the milk does not get browned or burnt from the bottom as well as the sides. Keep on simmering, stirring, removing the clotted cream and scraping.
• Switch off when the milk has reduced and become thickened. Add sugar. Stir well so that the sugar dissolves.
• Next, add crushed saffron along with rose water. Add the sliced almonds and pistachios.
• It will take about 1 hour for the milk to thicken on a low flame.
• Pour some Rabri on top on top of Malpuas. Garnish with the chopped almonds and pistachios. Serve hot. Alternatively, you can also just serve Malpuas coated with the sugar syrup and garnished with dry fruits.

Kachori

Flaky and tasty kachori made with spiced moong lentils stuffing is another great savory snack that you can serve on Holi. Basically a deep-fried poori or bread, there are many varieties of kachori recipes in the Indian cuisine but this moong dal kachori recipe is a popular one and also one of our absolute favorites.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (maida)

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ cup ghee or oil

• ½ cup water or add as required

• ½ cup moong dal

• ½ tablespoon ghee

• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

• ½ teaspoon red chili powder

• ½ teaspoon cumin powder

• ½ teaspoon dry ginger powder (saunth powder)

• 1 teaspoon coriander powder

• 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds

• 1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder)

• salt as required

• oil for deep frying

Instructions:

• Take 2 cups all-purpose flour and salt in a bowl or pan. mix well. Add ¼ cup ghee.
• With your fingertips mix the ghee with the flour for a few minutes till you get a breadcrumb-like texture in the mixture.
• Add water in parts and knead the dough till soft. Cover the dough with a moist muslin cloth or kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
• Rinse ½ cup moong dal in a bowl. Soak moong dal with enough water for 2 hours. Later drain all the water and place the soaked moong lentils in a grinder jar. Grind to a roughly coarse mixture.
• Heat a pan. Add ½ tablespoon ghee. Once the ghee melts, keep the flame to the lowest or switch off the flame.
• Add all the spice powders one by one. Keep the flame to its lowest and mix very well. do make sure that the spices do not burn.
• Then add the coarsely ground moong dal. Also, add salt and 1 pinch of asafoetida. Mix well. saute by stirring them continuously on a low flame for 3-4 minutes. Once done switch off the flame and let the mixture cool down just a bit.
• Now make small balls from this moong dal mixture. You can also spread some oil on your palms while making the balls. Keep aside.
• After 30 minutes, lightly knead the dough. Roll the dough into a log. Now cut the dough into equal portions. This will depend on the number of moong dal mixture balls that were made. Take a portion of the cut dough and flatten it with your fingers. Keep the edges thin while flattening. You can also use a rolling pin to flatten.
• Now place the moong dal stuffing ball on the dough. Flatten the moong dal stuffing ball. Bring the edges of the dough together and join them at the center. Excess dough can be pinched off and removed.
• Flatten the top and then gently roll the kachori with a rolling pin to get a medium thickness kachori. Stuff and prepare all kachori this way. Keep them covered under a moist muslin or cotton cloth, so that they do not dry up.
• Heat oil for frying and keep the flame to a low. When the oil is just hot enough, you can add the kachoris.
• When the kachori start puffing up, gently nudge each kachori with a spoon, so that they puff up well. When the base becomes light golden, gently turn them over. Regulate the temperature from low to low-medium as required. Fry till they become golden and nicely crisp from outside.
• Place khasta kachori on kitchen paper towels so that excess oil is absorbed. 
• Serve khasta kachori warm with chutney of your choice and/or curd.