Easy And Quick Holi Snack Recipes For The Working Mother

Every gathering with friends and family members is already pepping up with plans of celebrating ‘the festival of colours’. However, when guests are at home, a working mother and wife, it often becomes cumbersome and tedious brainstorming about what to serve and the ingredients you have to get before the D-Day. But with some subtle twists and tricks, you can make your Holi gourmet spread delectable and lip-smacking without spending hours in the kitchen. Here are some quick, innovative snacks that you can try out at this Holi.

• Thandai: Celebrating Holi cannot be complete without getting your guests' glasses of thandai ready to be served as they get exhausted playing with colours. It is prepared with milk, spices, dry fruits, and herbs, and it makes for a healthy and filling drink that rejuvenates you instantly. You can even twist your thandai recipe by making it with curd or barley for the cooling effect in the hot summer month. Then, top it with bananas, mangoes or watermelon chunks to add colours to your thandai.

• Pancakes: Simple, healthy and delicious, pancakes are a great way to make you feel full, especially after the excitement of playing with colours. It would be best to have the essential ingredients like veggies - carrots, beans, capsicum and cabbage - all cut into pieces in a chopper and onion and garlic. Saute the onions and garlic in oil, then add the veggies, red chilli flakes, oregano, pepper and salt, and green or red chilli sauce as per your choice. Cook till the veggies turn soft. Make the dough with refined flour, and on a dosa pan, pour the dough, wait till one end is cooked and toss it. Now, add the veggies and wrap them up to fry them well. You may also add chicken strips to the veggies and load it with dollops of grated cheese for an oozy cheesy flavour. Serve it with chilli and tomato sauce.

• Eggy Delights: Boiled eggs are full of protein, and it instantly gives you a boost. So, why not turn them into a delicious snack recipe? Please take off the yoke (you can use it later), cut the white part of the eggs into pieces, fry them and keep them aside. Put some chopped garlic, a tablespoon of honey, chilli flakes, tomato ketchup, mixed herbs, salt and pepper, and saute them in a pan of hot oil. Add the egg strips and fry them well. Serve it hot with a glass of lassi or a drink.

• Bhang Crispies: Bhang is a favourite herb at this time of the year, and while it is generally used to mix with thandais and drinks, how about trying some bhang-based crispy pakodas this time? Make your usual onion pakoda with besan, onion, turmeric, coriander leaves and add some bhang to it for the much-desired kick as you bite the crunchy pakodas and drown into their delectable savour.

• Dahi Papri Chaat: Bring the flavours of Delhi street food this Holi with dahi papri chaat. It is tantalising to the taste bud, cooling to the tummy and a perfect quick snack that won’t take much time to prepare. First, get some papri or puri from the market and boil potatoes. Then, chop onions and spread the papris on a dish. Top them with potatoes, curd, chaat masalas, aloo bhujiya, green chilli chutney, and tamarind chutney for a hot, sweet, and sour savour.

Preparing snacks need not always be a hectic and time-consuming task. With these simple hacks and twists, you can treat your guests to delightful varieties and enjoy your day to the lees.