Baisakhi, also known as Vaisakhi, is a vibrant and joyous festival celebrated in different parts of India with great fervor and enthusiasm. It marks the arrival of the harvest season and is observed as a time of thanksgiving by farmers for a bountiful harvest. Baisakhi is not only a religious festival for Sikhs, but also holds cultural significance for Hindus and other communities in various regions of India. It is synonymous with dance, music, prayers, and food. Along with traditional rituals and lively festivities, food plays a significant role in commemorating Baisakhi. From delicious sweets to savory dishes, the festival is celebrated with a variety of delectable recipes and foods that are unique to each region, adding a special flavor to the celebration. In her podcast, Cooking Tips from Swati’s Kitchen on Audible, homechef Swati Sani shares quick recipes to whip up some easy yet tasty dishes using basic ingredients in your kitchen. Read on to know more.
- Potatoes and garlic – Lahsuni Aloo
“Lahsuni aloo banane ke liye aapko chahiye 4-5 bade aloo, do bade pyaaz barik kate hue, pandra se beez leshun ki kaliya, do kadhi kashmiri lal mirch, teen bade chamach tel, chutki bar hing, ek chauthayi chamach haldi, ek chauthayi chamach methi ke dane, swad anusar namak aur hara daniya garnish ke liye. First aap aloo ko ubal kar unke chilka nikal le, lahsun aur kadi lal mirch ko barik pees le. Aur thoda pani dal kar uska paste bana le. Ek pan mai tel dal kar garam kare, aur garam tel mai methi aur hing dale. Aur turant hi ismai kata hua pyaaz dal de. Aur pyaaz ko halka gulabi hone tak isko bhune. Jaise hi pyaaz gulabi hone lage pan mai haldi, lahsun mirch ka paste dal de aur achi tarha mila de. Namak dal kar use bhi achi tarha mila de. Aloo ko 5-6 minute tak medium anch pe fry hone de, uske upar barik kata hara daniya dal de aur bhune hui alo ke saath mila de”. (To make garlic potatoes, you need 4-5 huge potatoes, two large onions chopped, 15 – 20 pods of garlic, two large red chillies, three large spoons of oil, a pinch of asafoetida, 1/4th spoon of turmeric, 1/4th spoons of fenugreek seeds, salt to taste and coriander to garnish. First, boil the potatoes and peel off its skin, chop the garlic and the red chilli. Add some water to it and turn it into a paste. Heat some oil in a pan and add some fenugreek seeds and asafoetida to it. Instantly add some chopped onions, wait for the onions to turn pink. Just as they get a little pink, add the turmeric along with the chilli garlic paste and stir. Garnish the mixture with salt and mix it nicely. Let the potato fry for 5-6 minutes on medium flame and add finely chopped coriander to it and it is ready to serve.)
- Almonds – Badam Milk
“Agar aap bhi ghar pe badam milk banana chate hai to bahut asani se bana sakte hai. Badam ka doodh banane ke liye aap badam ko thande pani mai raat bhar bhiga de. Aur uske baad unhe bina chilka nikale blender mai thande pani ke saath dal kar achi tarah blend karke chan le. Apka basic almond milk ya badam milk tayar hai. Ismai aap vanilla, dal chini, shehed jo jee chahe dalke fridge mai do din tak chod sakte hai.” (Badam milk can be prepared at home very easily. To make badam milk, you need to soak almonds in cold water overnight. After that without removing the skin of the almond, add them to a blender with cold water and blend it. Drain the milk and it will be ready to serve, This basic almond milk can be enhanced with vanilla, cinnamon, and honey. Add whatever you need and leave it in the fridge for two days and consume as required)
- Rice and Lentils – Ghar Ki Khichdi
“Aap khichdi ko chawal ke saath koi bhi dal mila kar bana sakte hai. Zyada tar log arhar ki dal ya moong ki dal ko chawal mai mila kar khichdi banate hai. Lekin masoor aur chane ki dal ki khichdi bhi bahut swadisht bana thi hai. Dalo ki khichdi banate waqt dhuli dal ko thoda sa ghee mai bhun lene ke baad khichdi mai saunda banaya jata hai. Dalo ko mix karke khichdi bana sakte hai, ya phir apni man pasand sabzsiya khichdi mai dal kar aur paushthik bana sakte hai – aloo, beans, gaajjar, mutter, gobi – ye saari sabzsiya khichdi mai achi lagti hai. Chawal ya arhar ya moong ki dal ki khichdi mai palak ka pulp dal kar palak khichdi bana sakte hai. Ye paushtik hone ke saath saath kafi zaikedar bhi hoti hai.” (You can make khichdi with any dal or rice. Most people make it with arhar dal or moong ki dal along with rice. Masoor and Chana dal’s khichdi is very tasty. When preparing khichdi with dal, it is stir-fried in ghee after which khichdi is prepared. You can mix dals and make khichdi, and add all your favorite vegetables that add nutrition to your dish – potato, beans, carrot, mutter, and cauliflower – all these vegetables make the khichdi wholesome. All these Khichdis made of multiple dals can be cooked with the pulp of spinach to make a spinach khichdi. This spinach khichdi is not only nutritious but also very tasty)
- Gram flour and ghee – Barfi
“Sabse pehle baat karte hai barfi ke bare mai, Barfi besan, khoya, rava, nariyal, moong dal, dry fruits wagera se bani jati hai. Aur isse jamane ke liye barfi ke garam mishran ek thaal mai thand karke phelaya jata hai. Aur phir thanda hone par ise katiya jata hai, barfi ke mishran ko aanch se utharne ke baad bhi thodi der phelate rahe. Aap apne thal mai achi tarha se ghee dale aur uske baad usmai barfi ka mishran dale – thali mai chipkega nahi aur apki bana hui barfi bina toote thal se nikal jayegi. Agar aap nariyal ki barfi bana rahe hai to khadu khas karne ke bajay use mixer mai pees lijiye. Aisa karne se barfi zyada swaadisth banegi.” (Let’s talk about barfi, a barfi can be made with gram flour, mawa, semolina, coconut, moongdal, and dry fruits. To prepare this, a warm mixture of barfi any of the above-mentioned ingredients is spread out on a plate. After cooling down it is sliced into pieces. Ghee is smeared across a thali and the barfi mixture is spread on top of it. This will help it stick to the plate and help us savor its sweetness without letting it break. If you are making a coconut barfi, crush it instead of grating it and the barfi will taste better)
- Coconut – Coconut Ladoo
“Nariyal ki ladoo banane ke liye do cheezo ki awashakta hai, ek pau taaza kadukas kiya hua nariyal aur sau milli litre condensed milk. Sabse pehle ek pan mai kadu kas kiya nariyal, aur condensed milk ek side dal de aur uhne mila le. Iss pan ko dheemi dheemi anch par dheere dheere jala de. Takreeban 10-12 minute jalane ke baad aap dekhenge ki nariyal ka mixture kadayi ke kinaro ko chod raha hai. Bas isi waqt aap usko aanch se utar le aur halka thanda hone par iske gol gol ladoo bana le. Aap chahiye to in laddoo par chocolate ka parak bhi chadha de. Jab ladoo ke satay pe lagi chocolate ki parak sookh jaye to usko fridge mai ek ghante rakh ke aur thanda hone par inhe serve kare”. (To make coconut laddoos, you require two ingredients only – 250 gms of grated coconut and 100ml of condensed milk. Add both of them to a pan, stir and cook it on a low flame. After cooking it for approximately 10-12 minutes, you will start seeing the coconut releasing oil on the sides of the pan. At this point, take the pan off the stove and start making rounds laddoos once it cools down. You can also add a layer of chocolate on it, store it in the fridge and serve cold)
