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.