Festivals are incomplete without sweet and savoury delicacies. With monsoons lashing around the nation, several festivals are around the corner. With that said, Hariyali Teej is already knocking at the door. This auspicious Hindu festival is celebrated both in India and Nepal.
In India, we celebrate three different Teej festivals, namely Hariyali Teej, Hartalika Teej, and Karjari Teej. This year, Hariyali Teej is celebrated on August 19 and is a much-anticipated monsoon festival. Hindu women in parts of the Northern Indian states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, and Himachal Pradesh deck up in pretty clothes, jewellery, and henna to celebrate the festival in all hues of green, which is the significant colour of the teej festival. Women observe fasts and pray for their husband's good health and marital life. They gather together to offer prayers to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
Apart from the rituals, Hariyali Teej is celebrated with a sumptuous feast of delicacies, from sweet to savoury. From fried to sugary, the platter is fully served on the table during this festival. If you’re planning to host a feast at home, we have loads of food options available for you.
Take a look:
- Jaswant Sharbat
Welcome your guests with a glass of Jaswant sherbat at home. This is handcrafted with the goodness of hibiscus flowers, milk, and a tang of lime. Often served chilled, Jaswant sharbat offers a perfect blend of aromatic and cooling properties.
- Rajasthani Mirchi Vada
Hariyali Teej is widely celebrated in Rajasthan, and what is a festival without mirchi vada? This delectable dish features large green chillies that are carefully deseeded, stuffed with a spiced potato mixture, and then coated in a seasoned gram flour batter. The chillies are deep-fried to a crisp golden brown, resulting in a harmonious contrast between the fiery heat of the chillies and the savoury goodness of the potato filling. This is the perfect Teej food to add spice to your festival.
- Dal Ki Kachori
It is hard for most of us to resist the flaky, crunchy, and greasy kachoris. This delectable treat is crafted by encasing a spiced lentil (dal) mixture within a crisp and flaky pastry shell. The lentil filling is prepared with a medley of aromatic spices, herbs, and sometimes even dried fruits, creating a tantalising combination that offers a balance of savoury and mildly sweet notes. The kachoris are then deep-fried to perfection, resulting in a golden-brown exterior that's both crunchy and indulgent.
- Bedmi Puri With Raseele Aloo
This is one of the most popular brunch dishes in India. Bedmi puri, along with aloo, is a satiating dish that blends the tantalising flavours of aloo curry with a host of spices cooked in tomato gravy. Bedmi is made with semolina and is stuffed with aamchoor, urad dal, chillies, and other spices. Aloo curry, where chunks of potatoes are cooked in a tomato-based gravy enriched with a medley of spices, creates a harmonious blend of flavours.
- Hara Bhara Kabab
This is a vegetable cutlet, which is a perfect snack to begin your festivity. Hara Bhara Kabab is crafted using a mixture of spinach, peas, potatoes, and an assortment of aromatic spices. Apart from bursting with spices, this kabab has a touch of tanginess owing to chaat masala and lemon. This is a super easy recipe and is served with mint chutney or tamarind sauce.
- Besan Kadhi
This comforting and versatile dish is prepared by whisking together yoghurt and besan, creating a smooth mixture that is then cooked with a variety of spices to achieve a creamy consistency. The resulting kadhi is a flavourful, tangy gravy that is often punctuated with pakoras (deep-fried fritters) made from besan and spices. The combination of silky kadhi and crispy pakoras creates a satisfying contrast in both taste and texture. It is often paired with steaming rice or roti.
- Malai Ghewar
It is Teej, and how can we forget about Ghewar? It is a honeycomb-like, round-shaped Rajasthani sweet dipped in sugar syrup. Malai Ghewar is crafted from a batter of all-purpose flour, ghee, and milk, which is poured into a specially designed mould and deep-fried until it forms a lacy, honeycomb-like structure. The delicate and porous ghewar is then generously adorned with a luxurious layer of malai and embellished with nuts, saffron strands, and sometimes even rose petals. Malai Ghewar is found in huge numbers all across the country during Teej.