Vasant Panchami marks the arrival of the spring season and honours Goddess Saraswati. Devotees present offerings to the Goddess, which typically include milk, rice, curd, ghee, and butter. The delectable bhogs, predominantly yellow, comprise dishes that promote well-being.

Crafted with sincerity and respect, these offerings are thought to bring forth wisdom and prosperity. Nutrient-dense dishes such as khichdi, meethe chawal, and sesame or besan laddoos are gentle on the digestive system, possess anti-inflammatory properties, and enhance energy and immunity.

Meethe Chawal

By Chef Virendra Rawat, Founder, Good Food Concept

Ingredients:

Basmati rice 1 cup

Sugar/jaggery ½ cup

Clarified butter/ghee 3tbsp

Saffron soaked in milk a few strands

Tej patta/bayleaf 1

Cardamom powder ¼ tsp

Cinnamon 1 small stick

Cloves 2 to 3

Dry fruits (cashews, raisins, almonds)

Method:

Soak rice for 1 hour, drain and keep aside.

Heat a heavy-bottomed pan, add 2 tbsp ghee.

Sauté dry fruits and keep aside.

Sauté whole spices, introduce rice with 2 glasses of water and cook.

Cook the rice really well else adding sugar will harden the rice.

Once rice is cooked, add sugar/jaggery and stir well.

Keep stirring till it forms a homogenous mixture.

Add more ghee and saffron milk. Give it a good mix.

Garnish with fried dry fruits.

The celebration of Vasant Panchami honours the goddess Saraswati, the patroness of the arts and wisdom, and marks the beginning of spring. Along with other traditional cuisines, "Kesari Halwa" (also known as "Suji Halwa" or "Semolina Halwa") is one of the most popular dishes prepared on this occasion. This is a basic recipe for it -

Kesari Halwa (Suji Halwa):

Executive Chef Anshul Dhyani, ITC Grand Central, Mumbai

Ingredients:

1 cup Suji (semolina)

3/4 cup Sugar

1/2 cup Butter or Ghee

2 cups Water

1/4 tsp Powdered cardamom

A pinch of warm water-soaked saffron strands

Almonds and cashews (for garnish)

A few rose petals (for garnish, if desired)

Method:

1. In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat 2 tablespoons of ghee over medium heat and roast semolina till it turns golden.

2. Make the Sugar Syrup: Heat 2 cups of water and sugar in a separate pan. Stir until a simple syrup is formed and the sugar has completely dissolved. Add the saffron-infused water to the syrup once it begins to heat up to add colour and flavour.

3. Mix the Semolina and Syrup: To prevent lumps, slowly pour the heated sugar syrup over the roasted semolina while stirring constantly. As the semolina absorbs the syrup, the mixture will get thicker. To give it a rich texture and flavor, add an additional two to three tablespoons of ghee.

4. Stir in the cardamom powder after the halwa has thickened to a pudding-like consistency. For a festive touch, garnish with cashews, almonds, and rose petals.

Kesar Shrikhand

By Vaisshali Sanjay Sawant – Food Content Creator and Reiki Healer

Ingredients:

Dense hung curd 1ltr

Sugar powdered ½ cup

Cardamom powdered a pinch

Saffron strands a few soaked in milk 2tbsp

Chopped almonds and pistas

Method:

1. Place the hung curd in a mixing bowl. Beat it until thick and creamy with a

hand mixer or a whisk.

2. Introduce saffron water, and cardamom powder and mix again.

3. Add powdered sugar and give it a good mix.

4. Store the shrikhand in an airtight container. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before serving.

5. Garnish with pastas and saffron strands.

Til ke Ladoo

By Chef Palash Ghosh, Executive Chef, Taj Hotel & Convention Centre, Agra

Ingredients

Till – 200 gms

Mawa-200 gms

Sugar- 100 Cardamom-05 gms

Ghee -50 gms

Method:-

1. In a pan roast sesame over medium heat until it becomes fragrant and turns into

golden colour.

2. Once the sesame is roasted, transfer it to another bowl.

3. Heat ghee in a pan then add sugar and mix well.

4. Transfer the roasted sesame seeds to this heat mixture, add cardamom powder

and mix well.

5. Keep stirring till the mixture gets a perfect consistency.

6. Allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes then add mawa.

7. Wet your hands slightly, take small amount of the mixture and roll them in to

balls.

8. Garnish with pista and almond

Puran poli

By Chef Palash Ghosh, Executive Chef, Taj Hotel & Convention Centre, Agra

Ingredients

Refined flour- 200 gms

Chana dal blanched -150 gms

Turmeric powder-10 gms

Ghee-50 gms

Jaggery- 100 gms

Sugar- 50 gms

Cardamom powder-05 gms

Salt – 10 gms

Method:-

1. Heat a pan over medium flame and add ghee to it, once ghee is melted add blanched dal in it.

2. Roast for 2-3 minutes and then add jaggery, and cardamom powder.

3. Mix all the ingredients and cook for 2-3 minutes once done turn off the flame and let it cool. Then mash the dal.

4. Take a bowl, add refined flour, turmeric a pinch of salt and refined oil.

5. Mix all and add water and knead the dough.

6. Divide the dough into roti-sized balls. Take a dough ball and press it a little to make space in the centre.

7. Stuff the chana-jaggery mixture in it. Then close and shape again like a ball.

8. Use a rolling pin, roll it like a roti.

9. Put tawa on medium flame and place the roti on it, grease it with some ghee and cook well from both sides.

10. Serve with homemade ghee.

Read Also: Boost Your Eye Health: 5 Essential Yoga Practices for Better Vision

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!