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Independence Day in India is celebrated with great pride and joy across the length and breadth of the country to mark our freedom from the colonial regime and recognise the values of democracy and equality on which the new nation would be built. In 2023, the nation commemorates its 76th year of independence and recalls the sacrifice and effort of the many freedom fighters, revolutionaries and statesmen that became instrumental in shaping the struggle for independence.
On this day, the flag is hoisted high and the national anthem sung, invoking a feeling of patriotism and national pride among the citizenry. The day is a national holiday too, which means that families and friends can gather together to pay homage to the country and to the great leaders who strove for its freedom. Sweets are distributed on this day in keeping with an Indian cultural practice that involves partaking in a sweet treat to mark an important occasion. Read on below for some sweet and savoury binge eats that you can enjoy this Independence Day:
Nariyal Barfi
Independence Day falls in the monsoon month during which nariyal barfi is made across many homes to use the sweet coconut found in abundance during this time. Gorge on the nariyal barfi through the day to celebrate this national holiday.
Pongal
Make sweet pongal, the southern Indian rice dish that will absolutely melt in your mouth when served warm. Add cardamom powder, coconut and jaggery in generous proportions to binge eat this sweet treat while tuning in to watch the many films playing on TV that celebrate patriotism and love for the nation.
Tiranga Dhokla
Bring the tricolour into a savoury dish by following the recipe for a dhokla while adding to it the colours of the flag to make this dish celebrating national pride. Serve it with spicy coriander and mint chutney and binge on this tasty dish as an afternoon snack.
Gudpapdi
This Gujarati specialty is made by bringing together simple ingredients like jaggery and maida mixed in ghee to produce rectangular blocks that can be savoured at any time during the day. If guests come over, place a plate of gudpapdi in the centre of the table as a dessert alternative.
Tri-Colour Mawa Barfi
If you want to revel in the joys of celebrating the pride of the flag colours then make a simple mawa barfi with three layers comprising the saffron, green and white hues which symbolise the tricolour. The milk sweet is delicious to taste and can be binged on in moderate proportions during the celebrations.
Tricolour Dosa
Make dosa batter in flag colours to serve up delicious and warm tricoloured dosas with sambar and coconut chutney. The southern Indian dish is a breakfast staple that can really be gorged on during any big meal of the day. Make tricolour dosas as a marker of national pride on this festive day.
Jalebi
Warm jalebi is a marker of celebration across many regions in the country. Fried to a perfect crisp and doused in sugary sweet syrup, the jalebi made from besan and infused with the soft hues of saffron is an irresistible treat. Binge on jalebis on this holiday to mark the celebration of a freedom hard won.
Tricolour Sandwich
Make a double layered sandwich filled with green chutney and the red tomato chutney in such a way that it resembles the colours of the flag. The white in the bread will nicely complement the spicy chutneys to bring together the three colours of the flag marking national pride. Make a plate of these sandwiches and serve it as finger food that can be enjoyed as a brunchtime snack.
Coconut Ladoos
Binge on coconut ladoos filled with the decadence of milk, ghee and sugar and infused with the crunchiness of dry fruits on this festive occasion. You can also add a bit of colour into the ladoo mixture before rolling them out to turn them into flag-coloured sweet treats, well-suited to celebrate this important day.
Tricolour Momos
Bring in some northeastern flavours into the independence day repast with steamed momos. You can add saffron and green colours to the rice flour outer coating for a flag-coloured theme. Make the momo stuffing and keep making folding momos through the day to binge on these steamed snacks on the holiday.
Khandvi
Make this favoured Gujarati snack to binge on and add saffron and green colours to give it a flag-colour theme. Made from besan and yoghurt or curd, khandvi is easy to prepare at home and can be cut up into little pieces to be served as a bite-sized, binge-worthy treat.
