HOLI

The special food items that are prepared for Holi are gujjia, papri and kanji ke vade. Meat dishes, like kofta curry, are also served. Thandai or alcoholic beverages are served along with the food.

How the foods are prepared.

1.Gujjia
2.Papri
3.Kanji ke vade
4.Meat kofta curry
5.Bhang ke vade

Meat kofta curry.
Serves two.
Ingredients.
(For the meat balls)
1/2 kg keema
1 tsp ginger garlic paste.
1 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped fine)
1/2 tsp mint leaves (chopped fine)
1 egg
1/2 tsp garam masala.
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
(For the curry)
2 onions (grated)
2 tej pattas
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
2 tomatoes (pureed)
salt to taste, haldi, and red chilli powder.

Method:
Mix the mince with the mentioned ingredients, roll into balls and keep aside. Take two tablespoons of oil and heat it in a pan. Fry the grated onions till light brown. Add tej pattas, ginger garlic paste, tomato puree, haldi, salt and red chilli powder and fry this well. Add two glasses of water to the pan and bring to a boil. Immediately, put in the koftas and turn the flame low. Cover and allow to cook until done. Add a pinch of garam masala when the dish is almost ready, and take off the fire when done.

Bhang ke vade.
As a dietary supplement and tasty treat, BHANG is still prepared and served as it has been for MILLENIA throughout the Himalayan foothills. Using a mortar and pestle, the buds and leaves of Cannabis are squashed and ground into a green paste, to which milk, ghee, and spices are added. This BHANG base is made into a nutritious, refreshing drink, Thandai - a very healthy alternative to alcohol. BHANG is also mixed with ghee and sugar to make a tasty green Halvah, and into peppery, chewy little balls called Goalees.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 litres water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup milk
1 tbsp. almonds
1 tbsp. kharbooj/tarbooj seeds skinned (commercially available)
(these are skinned dried seeds of watermelon and cantaloupes)
1/2 tbsp. khuskhus (poppy seeds)
1/2 tbsp. saunf (aniseed)
1/2 tsp. cardamom powder or 15 whole pods
1/2 tsp. rose water (optional)
1 tsp. peppercorns whole
1/4 cup dried or fresh rose petals (gulkand variety)

Method:
Soak sugar in 1/2 litre of the water used. Keep aside. Wash clean all other dry ingredients, except cardamom if using powder. Soak in 2 cups of remaining water. Keep aside. Allow all soaked items to stand for at least 2 hours.Grind all soaked ingredients to a very fine paste. (not sugar) Use a stone grinder (manual or electric) if possible. When the paste is very fine, mix remaining water. Place a strong muslin strainer over a large deep vessel or tie a strong muslin cloth over rim of vessel and use to strain. Press through muslin with back of hands, extracting the liquid into vessel.Add remaining water, a little at a time to extract more. Pour back some of the extract and press, repress. Repeat this process till the residue becomes dry and husklike. Add milk, sugar and rosewater to the extracted liquid. If using cardamom powder mix it in with the milk. Mix well.Chill for a hour of two before serving.

Making time: 45 minutes
Makes: 8 glasses (approx.)
Shelflife: Refrigerated 35-40 hours