From Hemp Thandai To Mawa Chilgoza Gujiya, 8 Recipes By Top Chefs To Try This Holi!

Celebrate the vibrant festival of colours, Holi, with an exquisite culinary journey featuring tantalising recipes crafted by renowned chefs. From traditional delights infused with rich flavours to innovative twists that captivate the senses, these recipes will elevate your Holi celebrations to new heights of indulgence and joy. Get ready to embark on a gastronomic journey like no other as you immerse yourself in these extraordinary recipes, each crafted with love, passion, and the spirit of Holi. 

Best Holi Recipes By Top Chefs

1. Mawa Chilgoza Gujiyas By Chef Sachin Malik, Executive Chef, Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Maida
• ¼ tsp Salt
• 6 tbsp. Ghee
• Water, as required for kneading
• Vegetable oil (as required for deep frying)
• 1 cup Khoya (grated)
• ½ Cup Chopped Pine Nuts (Chilgoza)
• 1/8 tsp. Cardamom powder
• ¼ cup Caster sugar / White or Brown powdered sugar

Instructions:

1. Add all the ingredients mentioned for the dough, except water, to a bowl and mix.
2. Slowly add water and knead a firm dough. Keep aside, covered.
3. Sauté the grated mawa in a frying pan over low heat until light brown. Let it cool.
4. Add sugar, cardamom powder, and chopped Chilgoza to the cooled mawa. Mix well and keep aside.
5. Make lemon-sized balls from the dough.
6. Roll each ball into a 3.5” diameter round.
7. Add 1½ tbsp. mawa mixture in the middle and seal the edges with water.
8. Fold the pastry circle into a half-moon shape and press the edges gently to seal.
9. Crimp edges with a fork.
10. Heat oil in a deep frying pan/kadai.
11. Fry the Gujiyas over low-medium heat until golden.
12. Drain on paper napkins.

For Air Frying & Baking:

1. Apply ghee over gujiyas and preheat the air fryer to 180°C.
2. Air fry for 15 minutes, flipping in between.
3. Alternatively, bake in a preheated OTG at 180°C for 20-25 minutes.

2. Pista Sandesh By Chef Meghna, American Pistachio Growers

Ingredients:

• 3.5 oz California Pistachios (blanched)
• 5-6 Cardamom pods
• 1 cup Cottage cheese (paneer)
• 1/4 cup Condensed milk
• 1 tbsp. Ghee (clarified butter)
• Rose petals for garnish
• Edible gold leaf for garnish

Instructions:

1. Remove seeds from cardamom pods.
2. Blend California pistachios and cardamom seeds into a paste.
3. Heat the paste, cottage cheese, and condensed milk in a skillet until combined.
4. Add ghee, mix, and pour the mixture into a greased baking tray. Refrigerate until set.
5. Garnish with chopped blanched California pistachios, rose petals, and edible gold leaf. Cut and serve.

Also Read: From Gourmet Gujiyas To Fine Spirits, 16 Best Holi Gifts To Pamper Your Loved Ones

3. Malpua By Maharaj Bhawar Singh, Corporate Chef, Khandani Rajdhani

Ingredients:

• 8 tbsp. Plain flour (maida)
• 1 cup Fresh cream
• Ghee for greasing and cooking
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 4 tsp. Rosewater
• 4 pinches Saffron strands (dissolved in 4 tsp. milk)
• 2 tbsp. Almond slivers
• 2 tbsp. Pistachio slivers

Instructions:

1. Combine sugar and water in a pan, and cook till syrup consistency.
2. Add the rose water and saffron-milk mixture. Mix and keep aside.
3. Mix flour and fresh cream until smooth.
4. Heat a greased tava, and pour batter to make 3” diameter circles. Cook until golden.
5. Dip in warm sugar syrup.
6. Serve immediately, garnished with almond and pistachio slivers.

4. Beetroot Mathri Mille-feuille Chaat By Gaurav Ramamkrishnan, Head Chef, Hyatt Centric MG Road Bangalore

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Maida
• Beetroot Juice (instead of Water)
• ½ tsp. Carom Seeds
• ½ tsp. Fennel Seeds (crushed coarsely)
• 3 tbsp Ghee
• Salt to taste
• 2 Boiled Potatoes
• 1 Chopped Onion
• 1 Chopped Tomato
• 1 Chopped Capsicum
• 1 Chopped Seedless Cucumber
• 1 Chopped Green Chilli
• 50g Chopped Coriander
• 2 tbsp Imli Chutney
• 3 tbsp. Sweet Beaten Curd
• 1 tsp. Chaat Masala
• ½ tsp. Jeera Powder

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients except beetroot juice; knead into a dough with beetroot juice.
2. Roll out, prick holes, cut into rectangles, and fry until golden.
3. Mix chopped ingredients with Imli chutney, salt, and chaat masala.
4. Layer mathri with potato and chaat mixture.
5. Garnish with sweet curd and coriander sprigs.

5. Gulabi Thandai By Gaurav Ramamkrishnan, Head Chef, Hyatt Centric MG Road Bangalore

Ingredients:

• 15ml Rose Syrup
• 60ml Milk

Instructions:

1. Infuse rose petals in sugar syrup, or make rose syrup with sugar, water, and rose water.
2. Pour all ingredients into a glass, mix, and serve.

6. Churma Pockets By Vinay Pandey, Chef De Cuisine, Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield

Ingredients:

• 250 g Coarse whole wheat flour
• 75 g Semolina
• 60 ml Melted Ghee
• 30 g Almond
• 3 g Cardamom Powder
• 75 g Sugar
• 50 g Ghee

Instructions:

1. Combine flour, semolina, and ghee. Knead into a firm dough.
2. Let it rest, then divide it into balls.
3. Mix flour, semolina, and melted ghee. Knead into a dough and divide into portions.
4. Fry, then blend into a powder. Add almond, cardamom powder, and sugar.
5. Stuff the dough with the churma mixture and shape it into pockets.
6. Deep fry until golden brown.

7. Himachali Hemp Thandai By Chef Amit, Head Chef, Taj Theog Resort and Spa, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

Ingredients:

• 1 litre Milk
• 40 g Hemp powder
• 20 Almonds
• 10 Cashews
• 15 Pistachios
• 1 ½ tsp. Melon Seeds
• 1 ½ tsp. Poppy Seeds
• 1 ½ tsp. Fennel Seeds
• 12 Green Cardamoms
• 1-inch Cinnamon
• 10 Black Pepper
• 6 tsp. Sugar
• 1 pinch Saffron
• 20 Rose Petals
• Nuts for garnish
• Ice Cubes (optional)

Instructions:

1. Soak almonds, cashews, and pistachios, then grind into a paste.
2. Add poppy seeds, melon seeds, fennel seeds, cardamoms, cinnamon, and black pepper to the paste. Grind again.
3. Mix saffron, sugar, and rose petals.
4. Dilute paste with milk and adjust sweetness.
5. Chill and serve, garnished with nuts.

8. Himachali Apple Pear Gujiya By Chef Amit, Head Chef, Taj Theog Resort and Spa, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Maida
• 200 g Ghee
• 2 cups Khoya
• ½ cup Dry Coconut (Finely grated)
• ½ cup Chironji
• 200 g Apple
• 200 g Pear
• 50 g Almond
• 2 tsp. Powdered Sugar
• 2 tbsp. Cardamom Powder

Instructions:

1. Mash khoya with apple & pear, and roast until pink. Let it cool.
2. Add remaining filling ingredients.
3. Sieve flour, and salt, and rub in ghee. Knead into a firm dough.
4. Divide into balls, then roll into puris.
5. Place puri on a greased gujiya mould, fill with mixture and seal edges.
6. Deep fry until golden brown.

These recipes promise a delightful culinary experience, perfect for celebrating Holi! Enjoy preparing and indulging in these festive treats!

Cover Image Courtesy: Press Release and Canva