Happy Holi, Cumin Club family! Holi, otherwise known as ‘The Festival of Colors’ is a Hindu celebration commemorating the beginning of spring and end of winter, the start of a successful harvest season, and the triumph of good over evil. Holi is famously celebrated and enjoyed by throwing colored powder at friends, family, and anyone on the streets during this blissful day. As is any other Hindu festival, Holi is often celebrated with delicious snacks, meals, drinks, and sweets to show the love and happiness that comes from warm relationships.
While Holi is mainly celebrated in India, Holi has become recognized around the world for its fun, joy-filled festivities. Holi is a way for the Indian diaspora around the world to celebrate their loved ones, be in tune with their culture, and just have some good old fun.
Holi wouldn’t be Holi without the food. There are dishes from around the subcontinent that have become popular around the world during this festive season. With the amount of diversity in India, the list is (obviously) endless when it comes to delicious snacks, entrees, and of course, sweets.
Let’s start with the ever refreshing and delicious Thandai . Prepared using cold milk, saffron, and a handful of spices up to the creator’s choice, this drink can never go wrong after a long day of festivities. Thandai originates in the Northern region of India, but has made its way across the country. The best way to beat the heat.
Every holiday within the subcontinent is best enjoyed with some sort of Halwa — and for this Holi, we’re talking about the ever iconic Gajar ka Halwa. This brightly colored dish is made from carrots, milk, sugar, and of course, ghee (clarified butter). Grated carrots are slowly cooked in milk on a medium flame. The mixture is cooked until the milk has completely evaporated — once more sugar is added, ghee is added as well. Stir until the halwa has thickened, and add some cardamom powder for extra flavor. For a final touch, garnish the halwa with nuts of your choice and raisins. Or, save yourself the trouble of making this sweet by hand, and add our Cumin Club version of Gajar ka Halwa to your next order — trust us, many say you can’t tell the difference. And we agree!
It wouldn’t be a celebration without (at least) two sweets to go along with the snacks and drinks. Ladoos are the first sweets that come to mind when thinking about Indian desserts. Made by hand rolling flour, spices, and different types of dal together into a ball form, Ladoos are an iconic Indian sweet. Ladoo variations are endless — from boondi, besan, badam, dates… the list goes on and on. Ladoo recipes vary from region to region, and even family to family. You can never go wrong with grabbing a ladoo for a bite of energy before continuing on with Holi celebrations!
Lastly, an all-time favorite, Rasmalai. This delicious, soft, and unforgettable sweet is a Bengali delicacy made from milk, sugar, and saffron. Ras meaning ‘juice’, and malai meaning ‘cream’ has a three-step process — curdling the milk to make ‘chena’ (or paneer), boiling the chena in sugar syrup, and resting them in the thickened milk. These discs soak up the creamy milk leaving a distinct, sweet, and rich flavor. Finally, the dish is cooled and garnished with saffron, nuts, and cardamom. Rasmalai is a childhood favorite for many South Asians and is a refreshing dessert (or snack) to enjoy any time of year. Psst…Rasmalai may be on our menu soon. You heard it here first!
Celebrate Holi with your favorite Indian snacks, drinks, and sweets! The celebration of Holi often includes friends gathering together to cook delicious dishes from throughout India, singing and dancing, and of course, spending time with family. Whether you’re alone, with your loved ones, or with that special someone, it’s never too late to start celebrating Holi. Bring Holi to you, with our Cumin Club starter kit. This starter kit has an amazing (and delicious) variety of our best sellers that brings you authentic flavors from regions all over India. Check out everything we have to offer at www.thecuminclub.com and feel at home with our authentic 5-minute meal kits wherever you are
