Holi 2023: Planning A Holi Party? Here’s A Fully Prepared Menu

The most vibrant festival of India, Holi, is here and will be celebrated this year on March 8th, 2023. It is time to break the monotony and immerse yourself in vibrant colours. It is the perfect time to meet old friends, make new friends, and make memories over colours, food, and drinks.

Holi is celebrated across the Indian subcontinent with great enthusiasm, fervour, and splashes of colours. One of the significant aspects of Holi is the exchange of delicacies and dishes, which symbolises the spirit of togetherness and unity. Despite the diversity in the regional delicacies and dishes, people come together during Holi to celebrate as Indians, and this is what makes the festival so unique and significant. People prepare traditional dishes from all over the country, including the gujiya from the north, the holige from the south, the malpua and sandesh from the east, and the thandai from the west.

Like every Indian festival, Holi is incomplete without a feast and gives us a reason to revel in the quintessential gujiyas, chatpat chaats, and a chilled glass of thandai, among other scrumptious dishes. After all, a Holi party isn't complete without it. And if you are planning one at home this year, we’ve got you sorted with all that you can prepare at home for a grand feast to celebrate the festival of colours with your loved ones.

Our fully prepared Holi party menu has everything from drinks and snacks to a main course and desserts.

Drinks:

Almond Thandai

The perfect blend of almonds, milk, and spices in a glass makes this Holi drink a classic during the celebrations. Do you know the best part of it all? It is super quick and easy to prepare, and it perfectly accompanies all the snacks.

Kanji Vada  

Kanji, a fermented drink, is a hearty melange of herbs and spices that are known to boost our digestive system. Kanji is also referred to as 'rai ka paani', which is fermented for over a day. While it is served with urad dal or moong dal vadas, one can even enjoy the kanji without vadas as a delectable chilled beverage as well.

Snacks: 

Dal Ki Kachori

Super crispy, flaky, and utterly delicious, dal kachori is the ultimate snack that you won't be able to resist. While it is usually paired with tangy tamarind chutney or mint chutney, you can serve it as is too.

Gujiyas  

This one is the star of the Holi celebration! Khoya, nuts, and dry fruits filled inside a maida wrapper make gujiiya an irresistible treat. It is the perfect snack and even dessert for your Holi party. You can experiment with the stuffings and have mava, chocolate, and even coconut filled inside.

Dahi Bhallas 

What could be better than some tangy dahi bhalla to satiate all the foodies at your party? It is easy to prepare and light on the palate, too. They are soft bhallas drenched in dahi and served chilled with some sweet and tangy chutney on top—aren't you slurping already?

Bhang Pakodas  

Bhang is a popular intoxicating drink prepared during the festival of Holi with cannabis leaves. If legends are to be believed, bhang is considered to be an auspicious drink that was consumed by Lord Shiva. It is mixed into many snacks and drinks, like thandai, to give them an extra kick. Serve the pakodas with bhaang along with a home-made bhaang ki chutney.

Mutton Kheema Samosa

Instead of traditional aloo samosas, stuff them with minced mutton, spices, and herbs. For a lover of non-vegetarian food, this would be a delightful surprise!

Main Course:  

Zarda Pulao  

Step aside from the usual biryanis and rice dishes to indulge in the royal delight of pulao. Rich with nuts, saffron, and rose water, zarda pulao is just the perfect sweet rice delicacy to celebrate the festival of Holi.

Dal Makhani 

Made with urad dal and rich flavours of butter, kasoori methi, chillies, and tomatoes, dal makhani is the classic creamy treat that will leave your guests wanting for more.

Chicken Sukka  

Go regional with this fiery and flavourful dish. Chicken sukka is a traditional Mangalorean delicacy made using fresh chicken, a host of masalas, and grated coconut, cooked to perfection.

Amritsari Kulcha  

Complement your chicken sukka and the dal makhani with these crispy Amritsari kulchas. A popular stuffed bread that will make your meal a wholesome affair.

Desserts:  

Kesar Pista Phirni

This decadent blend of milk and rice, with a dash of sugar, is flavoured with green cardamom powder and rose water. And this phirni comes laced with saffron. The garnishing of pistachio nuts and rose petals adds a touch of beauty and completes the dish.