Celebrate Holi with a nutty twist

Sweets are a must-have in all Indian festivals and what better way to indulge in the temptation than preparing it the healthy way. And when we talk of Holi- the festival of colours, it becomes imperative to savour in some traditional delights. This Holi, welcome spring with a myriad of colours and nutty mithais that is sure to leave a long-lasting impact on your near and dear ones.

Try out these amazing Holi delicacies to make your Holi more colourful.

Gulaab ki phirni

Ingredients

♦    Basmati rice 1/4 cup

♦    Walnut milk 4 cups

♦    Sugar 1/4 cup

♦    Rose syrup 3 tbsp

Garnish

Few fresh rose petals

Walnut halves

Preparations:

♦    Soak the rice in water for half an hour. Drain water and pulse in a grinder till you get a grainy textured paste.

♦    Bring the walnut milk to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes. It shall also reduce and thicken slightly.

♦    Add the rice paste while whisking continuously. This will help avoid lumps.

♦    Bring this to a boil while whisking, and then lower the flame to a simmer. Keep stirring the mixture every couple of minutes till about 15 minutes.

♦    Add sugar and mix till it dissolves. Switch off the flame and divide the mixture into two parts.

♦    Mix rose syrup in one part and let the other one the way it is.

♦    Transfer into earthen pots and ripple both mixtures slightly.

♦    Place walnut halves and some rose petals on top of the phirni.

♦    Cool in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours or overnight. Serve cold.

Walnut kanda bhaji

Ingredients

♦    Onions, thinly sliced 1 cup

♦    Walnuts, chopped roughly 1/4 cup

♦    crushed coriander seeds 1 tbsp

♦    Green chilly chopped 1 tsp

♦    Gram flour 1/2 cup

♦    Salt 1 tsp

♦    Oil for frying

Preparations:

♦    Slice the onions thinly and place them in a mixing bowl.

♦    Massage the salt into the onions and allow them to rest aside.

♦    Add gram flour to the sweating onions.

♦    Add walnuts, coriander seeds crushed and green chillies.

♦    Massage all of this together till the gram flour moistens and coats every onion slice.

♦    Heat oil for deep frying in a pan.

♦    Make little clumps and fry on medium flame, fry till they turn crisp and golden brown.

♦    Remove the bhaji on absorbent kitchen napkins.

♦    Serve hot and crisp with fried green chillies.

Walnut milk And saffron kulfi

Ingredients

♦     Large pinch of saffron threads

♦    A few drop yellow food grade colour

♦    Khoya 1 cup

♦    Walnut milk 4 cups

♦    Castor sugar 1 cup

Toppings

Walnuts, chopped roughly 1/4 cup

Candied fruits 2 tbsp

Preparations:

♦    Pour walnut milk into a heavy bottomed pan. Allow it to boil till it reduces to half its original quantity. Add khoya, sugar, saffron threads, yellow food colour and chopped walnuts.

♦    Stir well and Keep aside.

♦    Pour the mixture into freezer proof candy moulds/trays or in an ice cream box.

♦    Place in the freezer overnight to firm.

♦    Quickly dip the base of each mould in hot water to loosen the kulfi and turn out onto serving plates.

♦    Garnish with some more walnuts, candied fruits and saffron strands, if needed.

Celebrate Holi with a nutty twist

Soak a cup of untoasted California walnuts for two Hours in two cups of water. Strain and rinse walnuts well. Transfer to a blender with one cup of cold water. Blend on high for a minute. Strain through a muslin cloth till you get an almost dry powdery mass in the muslin cloth after pressing the milk. Transfer in a glass jar and store in the refrigerator. This gives you two cups of homemade pressed walnut milk.