Holi is the festival of colours. That’s the first thing we are taught about the festival when we are in school. The thrill of throwing colours and water at each other without upsetting the other person is unmatched. The religious significance of the festival lies in the fact that it is a celebration of Radha and Krishna’s eternal love. On this day, you’d find kids and adults roaming around the streets with their water canons, ready to attack whoever they see next.
Another essence of the day is the win of good over evil when Lord Vishnu himself protects Prahlad from his aunt’s evil plan. A classic of Holi is gujiya. Gujiya, for those untouched by the phenomenon is a crisp, deep-fried dumpling which is made from all-purpose flour and khoya. The filling is sweet and full of nuts. The half-moon shaped dessert is dipped in sugar syrup and served. To spruce things up, you can garnish with some chopped nuts and saffron too.
However, festivals can’t only be about sweets right? There ought to be something more. To add some savoury touch to your Holi party menu, we have picked some delicious pakora recipes. Pakoras aka fritters are a quintessential monsoon treat but who can say no to a crispy bite, right? With a range of fillings, here are some yummy pakoras to fry hot on Holi.
1. Cabbage Onion Pakoras
Why have the usual pyaaz ke pakore when you can twist things up with some cabbage too? Slice the cabbage and onion very finely. Dip them in a batter full of gram flour. Place them in hot oil and fry till they are crispy and golden brown. Serve with tomato ketchup.
2. Cashew Nut Pakoras
Crunchy and crispy pakoras with a nut, do you like the idea? Cashews are dipped in chana flour and fried until they turn light yellow. These differently-shaped pakoras are a treat for the sweet and savoury lovers.
3. Moong Dal Pakoras
Moong dal is a yellow lentil is that often made in North Indian households. The same lentil is soaked and mashed to give the shape of a pakora. The moong dal pakoras are deep fried without any batter coating. These are then served with tomato ketchup and coriander chutney.
4. Chilli Cheese Pakoras
Looking for a hot and spicy snack? These chilli cheese pakoras are just for you. Dunked with loads of grated cheese and chilli flakes, the cheese pull will make you drool.
5. Methi Pakoras
Fenugreek leaves make for a crispy pakora filling. The methi leaves are dipped in gram flour batter and fried in hot oil. Serve it with a spicy chutney.