Holi, also known as the 'Spring Festival', is one of the most fun-filled and entertaining festivals celebrated in India. Essentially commemorated by the Hindu community, this festival is observed with great enthusiasm in the country. Many legends are associated with this divine festival. This 'Festival of Colors' happens once in a year and is marked by the throwing of color powders and color liquids on each other by the people celebrating this wonderful festival. Like all festivals in India, Holi too has its own traditional recipes, which are prepared on this occasion as part of the celebration. Indeed, the delicacies prepared on this special occasion add to the delight and excitement.
Numerous delectable dishes are prepared during this amazing festival. Holi recipes are a blend of Maharashtrian, Punjabi, Rajasthani, Gujarathi and many other cuisines. Items such as gujhia, cashew burfi, kheer, basundi, malpua, and kesar chawal, are some of the favorite lip-smacking sweets enjoyed during this festival. The shakkarpara, another sweet dish, is an easy crispy sweet dish prepared from flour, wheat, milk, sugar, oil, salt and ghee. Apart from sweets, there are various delicious snack items prepared too. Snacks such as khasta dal kachori, dahi bara, mathi, papri chaat, onion bhajia, aloo chaat and vegetable pakora are delightful savories prepared on Holi. Various delicious drinks are also made on this wonderful occasion and some of them including thandai and jal jeera are exceptional recipes served to all those participating in the festival. The bhang-ke-vade is a drink made specifically for this event and is drunk in small quantities due to its intoxicating effects. Some of the other mouth-watering dishes prepared during the festival include awadhi dum aloo, methi mathri, masala mathri, palak bhajia and so on. Dried fruits and fresh fruits are also served in addition to the other recipes.