Fun, frolic and food

The celebration of colours, Holi, is just round the corner. Revel in the festivities with these lip smacking dishes.

Bhang lassi

Ingredients:
Bhang (cannabis) 15 grams
Warm whole milk 2 cups
Sugar 1/2 cup
Coconut milk 1 tbsp
Almonds, chopped 1 tbsp
Ginger, powdered 1/8 tsp
Garam masala 1 Pinch
Grenadine 1/2 tsp
Water 1 cup

Method:

• Take a pan and bring water to a boil
• Now add bhang to it.
• Simmer for about 7 to 10 mints and close the flame and strain it.
• Add some milk to the bhang and grind it along with the almonds. Repeat this several times.
• Strain this mixture and pour the milk, coconut milk, grenadine and boiled water into a pan.
• While stirring add ginger, sugar and garam masala to the above prepared bhang mixture
• Cool it in the refrigerator for few hours before serving the bhang lassi

Gujia

Ingredients
Ghee to fry
For the Cover:
Maida 500 grams
Ghee (melted) 6 tbsp
For the Filling:
Khoya 500-600 grams
Green Cardamom Powder 1/2 tsp
Chopped Almond 25 grams
Raisins 25 grams
Dried Coconut (shredded) 25 grams
Sugar 350 grams
Sieve the flour.

• Mix the six tablespoons of oil with the Maida.
• Using fingers, mix well so that the mixture takes the form of breadcrumbs and binds to a certain extent.
• Now add some water and knead lightly.
• Keep adding water as required and knead into a soft but tight dough.
• Set aside and cover with a damp cloth.
• Now mash the khoya and fry it in a deep pan till light brown in color.
• Add sugar and cardamom powder into the khoya and mix well.
• Add almonds, cashews, coconut and raisins.
• Fry for 2 minutes and remove from the heat.
• Allow it to cool.
• Divide the dough into small balls and roll each ball into a small round of 4 inch diameter.
• Fill half the round with the khoya mixture, fold it and seal the round, twisting the edges inwards.
• Take care that the filling does not ooze out.
• Prepare all the gujiyas and spread on a cloth.
• Heat ghee in a kadhai and deep fry the gujiyas in batches on a medium flame.
• When golden brown in color, drain and remove.

Puran poli

For Kneading Flour
Wheat flour or flour – 400 grams
Salt - to taste
Oil or Ghee – 1 tbsp
For Preparing Pooran
Split Bengal gram – 150 grams
Sugar or Jaggery – 50 grams
Green cardamom – 8 to 10
Ghee or refined oil – 100-150 grams

Method of preparation:

• Soak Bengal gram for 4-5 hours.
• Sift flour, add 1 tablespoon ghee and salt to taste and mix well. Knead smooth dough with warm water. Cover and keep aside for 20 minutes.
• Boil the gram, cool and grind finely in mixer without water.
• Heat 1 tablespoon ghee, add ground lentil and powdered sugar (If you are using jaggery, then drop small pieces of jaggery in hot ghee and melt it, then add ground lentil). Fry for 5 minutes, cool and mix powdered green cardamom. Pooran is ready.
• Heat a griddle. Make a small ball of dough, flatten and stuff 2 tablespoon of pooran. Seal and press between your palms. Rub this stuffed ball with flour and roll into a round 6”-7” in diameter with a rolling pin. Put pooran poli on griddle. Apply oil on both sides and fry till it turns brown, turning regularly. Fry all pooran polis in this manner.

By:Chef GV Ramesh,
Senior Sous Chef, at Novotel Hyderabad Airport