Welcome to our last-minute Holi food guide! In this special edition, we’ll be crafting a vibrant and delicious 5-course menu with the expertise of Gautam Mehrishi, Corporate Executive Chef at Club Mahindra. Get ready to embark on a culinary journey filled with flavors and colors that perfectly complement the spirit of Holi.
Whether you’re hosting a gathering or simply celebrating with your loved ones, this menu will surely add an extra touch of festive joy to your celebrations. Let’s dive in and discover the delights that Chef Gautam has prepared for us!
Soup:
Roasted Bell Pepper Soup
Ingredients:
4 large red bell peppers
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped.
2 cloves garlic, minced.
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
4 cups vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Croutons for serving (optional)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Place the whole red bell peppers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Roast the bell peppers in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes, turning occasionally, until the skins are charred and blistered.
Remove the roasted bell peppers from the oven and transfer them to a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the bell peppers steam for about 10 minutes.
After steaming, carefully peel off the skins of the bell peppers and discard them. Remove the stems and seeds, then roughly chop the flesh of the bell peppers.
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic, and sauté until softened and translucent.
Add the diced potato and chopped roasted bell peppers to the pot. Stir well to combine.
Pour in the vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, blend the soup until smooth and creamy.
If using, stir in the heavy cream to add richness to the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve the roasted bell pepper soup hot, garnished with fresh basil leaves and accompanied by croutons if desired.
Starter
Dhabeli Gallets
Ingredients:
2 tablespoon of olive oil
1 teaspoonful cumin seeds
2 tablespoon Dhabeli Masala
2 cups boiled mashed potatoes.
Salt as needed.
1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
1/4 cup chopped onions.
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup chopped cilantro.
1/4 cup Masala peanuts
3 tablespoon spicy cilantro chutney
3 tablespoon dates tamarind chutney
12-14 phyllo cups
1/4 cup nylon sev
Instructions:
In a pan heat oil on medium heat
Add cumin seeds and Dabeli masala and cook for few minutes till the masala and is mixed well.
Add boiled potatoes, Kashmiri chili and salt and mix everything thoroughly and turn off the heat!
Once the potato mixture cools off, add cilantro, peanuts, pomegranate seeds and onions. Mix it together and keep the Dabeli filling ready, can be made ahead of time.
Bake the phyllo cups in oven for few minutes.
Fill each cup with the pre-made Dabeli filling.
Drizzle cilantro chutney and tamarind dates chutney
Sprinkle thin sev and serve immediately.
Main Course
Banarasi Dum Aloo
Ingredients:
For the Potatoes:
500 grams baby potatoes boiled and peeled.
2 tablespoons oil
Salt to taste
For the Gravy:
2 tablespoons ghee or oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 large onion finely chopped.
2 tomatoes, pureed.
2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste.
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
1/2 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur)c
1/2 cup yogurt
1/4 cup fresh cream
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander leaves for garnish.
Instructions:
Prick the boiled baby potatoes with a fork or toothpick. This helps the potatoes absorb the flavours of the gravy.
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the pricked potatoes and shallow fry them until they turn golden brown. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, heat ghee or oil over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
Add finely chopped onions and sauté until they turn golden brown.
Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute until the raw smell disappears.
Add tomato puree and cook until the oil starts to separate from the mixture.
Stir in turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, and dry mango powder. Mix well and cook for a couple of minutes.
Whisk the yogurt until smooth and add it to the pan. Stir continuously to prevent curdling.
Add fresh cream and mix well to combine.
Season the gravy with salt according to taste.
Add the shallow-fried baby potatoes to the gravy and mix gently until they are well coated with the sauce.
Cover the pan with a lid and simmer the potatoes in the gravy over low heat for about 10-15 minutes to allow the flavours to meld together.
Once done, remove from heat and transfer the Banarasi Dum Aloo to a serving dish.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve hot with naan, roti, or rice.
Rangeeli Dhokli
Ingredients:
For the Methi & Beetroot Dumplings:
2 cups Methi leaves washed and blanched.
120 gms Golden Beetroot, boiled and grated
200 grams goat’s cheese
2 tablespoons roasted chana powder
1 green chili finely chopped.
1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste.
1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
For the Tomato Gravy:
4 large tomatoes blanched and pureed.
1 onion finely chopped.
2 tablespoons cashew nuts, soaked in warm water.
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste.
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
1/4 cup almond milk
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander leaves for garnish.
Instructions:
Prepare the Methi & Beetroot Dumplings :
Blanch the methi leaves in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and immediately transfer to ice-cold water to retain the green colour. Drain again and squeeze out excess water.
In a mixing bowl, combine the blanched methi, crumbled goat’s cheese, besan, green chili, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala powder, and salt. Mix well to form a smooth dough.
Divide the mixture into small portions and shape them into round dumplings.
Heat oil in a deep-frying pan over medium heat. Fry the dumplings in batches until they turn golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
Prepare the Gravy:
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
Add finely chopped onions and sauté until they turn translucent.
Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell disappears.
Add the tomato puree and cook until the oil starts to separate from the mixture.
Meanwhile, blend the soaked cashew nuts with a little water to make a smooth paste.
Add the cashew paste to the pan and mix well.
Stir in red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, and salt. Cook for a few minutes.
Pour in water to adjust the consistency of the gravy and bring it to a gentle simmer.
Add almond milk and mix until well combined. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Assembly
Just before serving, carefully cut each fried dumpling into half horizontally.
Place the bottom half of each dumpling in a serving dish.
Spoon some tomato gravy over each dumpling.
Place the top half of the dumplings over the gravy, like a lid.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Dessert
Matcha Srikhand Cannoli
Ingredients:
For the Cannoli Shells:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cane sugar.
1/4 teaspoon fruit salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened.
¼ cup fruit wine (non-alcoholic)
Oil, for frying
For the Srikhand Filling:
2 cups thick yogurt
30 gms matcha powder
1/2 cup palm sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
A pinch of saffron strands, soaked in 1 tablespoon warm milk.
Chopped pistachios and almonds, for garnish.
Instructions:
Making the Cannoli Shells:
In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the softened butter and mix until crumbly.
Gradually add the wine or water, mixing until a dough forms. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Roll out the dough on a floured surface until it’s very thin, about 1/8 inch thick. Using a round cutter or a glass, cut out circles of dough.
Carefully wrap each circle of dough around a cannoli mould or a metal tube, sealing the edges with a little warm-water.
Heat oil in a deep-frying pan to 175°C. Fry the cannoli shells, a few at a time, until golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Let them cool completely before filling.
Srikhand Filling:
In a mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, powdered sugar, ground cardamom, and soaked saffron. Mix well until smooth and creamy. Adjust the sweetness to your taste.
Transfer the Srikhand filling into a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
Assembling the Srikhand Cannoli:
Just before serving, pipe the Srikhand filling into each cooled cannoli shell, filling them from both ends.
Garnish the filled cannoli with chopped pistachios and almonds.
Serve immediately and enjoy the delightful fusion of flavours!
