Holi hai!

Colour up your food palate this holi with these lively dishes

Pichkari Thandai
Ingredients
1 1/2 litres full cream milku00a0u00a0
1/2 cup sugaru00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
A few saffron threadsu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
8-10 green cardamomsu00a0u00a0u00a0
20-25 dry rose petalsu00a0u00a0
1 inch cinnamonu00a0u00a0u00a0
8-10 black peppercornsu00a0u00a0u00a0
15 almonds, blanched and peeled
40-50 pistachios, blanched and peeled
10 cashewnutsu00a0u00a0u00a0
3 tbsp melon seeds (magaz), soakedu00a0
3 tbsp poppy seeds (khuskhus), soaked
Mixed fruit jam as requiredu00a0u00a0u00a0
1/2 cup khus syrup
Method
Boil milk in a thick-bottomed pan. Add sugar and saffron and simmer for five minutes. Set aside to cool. Grind green cardamoms, dry rose petals, cinnamon and peppercorns to a fine powder. Add this powder to the milk.
Grind almonds, pistachios, cashewnuts, melon seeds and poppy seeds along with one glassful of chilled milk to a smooth paste. Add it to the milk and mix thoroughly.
Make a design on the inside of the serving glasses with mixed fruit jam. Pour some khus syrup into the glasses and top up with the prepared milk.u00a0 Serve chilled.

Beetroot aur Mewa Pulao
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups basmati rice, soaked for 1 houru00a0
2 medium beetrootsu00a0
2 tbsp raisinsu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
10-12 almonds, slicedu00a0u00a0u00a0
10-12 cashewnuts, halvedu00a0u00a0u00a0
4-5 golden apricots, quarteredu00a0u00a0
4-5 figs, quarteredu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
2 tbsp pure gheeu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
15-20 black peppercornsu00a0u00a0u00a0
2 bay leavesu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
2 medium onions, dicedu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
Salt to tasteu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1/2 tsp garam masala powderu00a0u00a0
10-12 fresh mint leavesu00a0u00a0u00a0
Method
Heat ghee in a deep pan. Add black peppercorns and bay leaves and sautu00e9 for half a minute.
Add onions and sautu00e9 for a minute. Add raisins, almonds and cashewnuts and sautu00e9 for another minute.
Add golden apricots and figs and continue to sautu00e9. Add rice and sautu00e9 for two to three minutes.
Add three cups of water and bring it to a boil. Add salt and garam masala powder and stir. Add torn mint leaves. Cover and cook on medium heat till the rice is half cooked.
Grate the beetroots directly into the rice. Mix lightly. Cover again and cook on medium heat till the rice is completely done. Serve hot.

Sev Boondi ki Bhel
Ingredients
1 cup mint sevu00a0u00a0u00a0
1 1/2 cups masala boondiu00a0u00a0
1/2 medium raw mangou00a0u00a0u00a0
1 medium onionu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1 medium tomatou00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1 1/2 tsp chaat masalau00a0u00a0u00a0
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint leavesu00a0u00a0
1 1/2 tbsp green chutneyu00a0u00a0u00a0
1 1/2 tbsp sweet tamarind chutneyu00a0u00a0
1/4 cup pomegranate pearlsu00a0u00a0
Method
Peel and chop raw mango finely. Put it in a bowl.
Chop onion finely.u00a0 Halve tomato, remove seeds and chop and add both to the bowl.
Add masala boondi, mint sev and chaat masala.u00a0
Add coriander leaves, mint leaves and mix everything well. Add green chutney, sweet tamarind chutney and lemon juice.u00a0 Mix well. Add pomegranate pearls and mix. Serve immediately.

Steamed fruit pudding
Ingredients
4 tbsp short-grain rice, soakedu00a0
2 cups milku00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1/4 cup sugaru00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1/2 tsp green cardamom powderu00a0
3/4 cup cream, whippedu00a0u00a0
1/2 cup rose petalsu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
4 tbsp rose syrupu00a0u00a0
Method
Take rice in a pan, add milk and cook till rice is soft.u00a0
Add sugar and green cardamom powder and cook till thick. Set aside to cool.
Transfer the kheer into a deep bowl. Fold in half cup whipped cream and most of the rose petals. Add two tablespoons rose syrup and mix.
Put the kheer in stemmed glasses and chill.
Put the remaining whipped cream in a piping bag and pipe rosettes on top of the kheer in each glass.
Drizzle a little rose syrup over it, place a rose petal on top and serve chilled.