Vibrant Dishes for Vasant Panchami

Kesariya Bhaat

Luscious Kesariya Bhaat is an ethereal sweet delicacy savoured as main course of meals. Prepared by frying the aromatic Basmati rice in the pure Desi Ghee (clarified butter) and little milk, sweetened with sugar, added with fragrant saffron strands and black cardamom, garnished with raisin and deep-fried dry fruits, like- almonds, cashews, green cardamom powder and pistachios etc. The dish is offered to Goddess Sarswati and relished as prasadam for its divine sweet flavour.

Pumpkin Halwa

Highly nutritious and scrumptious Pumpkin Halwa is a sweet dish usually relished as a dessert. It is prepared from grated raw pumpkin cleaned off seeds and husk and sautéed in the clarified butter till it turns brownish yellow. Added with milk and sweetened with sugar the mouthwatering dish is served hot by garnishing with stir-fried cashew nuts, raisins, green cardamom powder etc. and highly tempting to tickle your taste buds with its enticing sweet flavour.

Kesari Rajbhog

Chockablock with sugar syrup, spongy Kesari Rajbhog is yet another sweet dish to sooth your palate. Prepared from the round portions of well kneaded Indian cottage seed stuffed with small quantities of Khoya (condensed milk), added with almonds, pistachios, ground green cardamom etc. and cooked in the rolling boiled sugar syrup. Stored in refrigerator, the dish is served chilled as dessert and is enticingly flovoursome for its luscious flavour.

Sweet Boondi

Loved by the people of all age groups alike, the traditional Sweet Boondi is again a finger licking sweet dish. It is made from the droplets of gram flour batter deep-fried in the clarified butter and soaked in sugar syrup added with the saffron strands. Kept loose in a plate, this mouthwatering dish is garnished with pistachios, green cardamom powder, finely cut almonds and cashews. Served hot or cold as prasadam after offering to Goddess Saraswati, the dish surely satiates your sweet tooth cravings.

Kesaria Sheera

Highly nutritious and melt in mouth Kesariya Sheera (Halwa) is a luscious delicacy relished as breakfast or dessert and is often prepared on festivals, marriages and Pooja ceremonies. This mouthwatering dish is made from Suji (semolina) roasted in clarified butter, added with water, little milk, natural orange colour, sweetened with sugar and garnished with deep-fried cashew nuts and green cardamom powder. Served hot or cold, the dish is irresistible to try for its divine sweet flavour.

Saffrony Moong Dal Barfi

Delicious Saffrony Moong Dal Barfi is a sweet, soft and creamy fudge savoured as a dessert. This easy to make delicacy is made by sautéing ground water soaked Moong Dal (yellow lentil) added with few strands of saffron, Mawa (condensed milk) and sugar syrup, poured into a plate line with clarified butter and garnished with edible silver foil, dry-fruits, like- finely cut cashews, pistachios and flavoured with green cardamom powders and cut in diamond shaped pieces. Irresistible to try, this creamy dish will surely delight your taste buds.

Kanchipuram Idli

Originated in the Kanchipuram temples of Tamil Nadu, Kanchipuram Idli is a spicy dish consumed as breakfast. This big sized conical fluffy and soft Idli is prepared from the batter of overnight water soaked rice and white lentil (washed black gram) seasoned with salt, green chilies, added with sautéed peppercorn powder, crushed cumin seeds, green chilies, curry leaves etc. and steam cooked. Served hot with any dip or sauce of your choice, this unique Idli is a real treat to your taste buds on the occasion of auspicious Vasant Panchami.

Sarson ka Saag and Makke ki Roti

The blog remains incomplete without mentioning Makke ki Roti and Sarson ka Saag. This ultimate Punjabi dish is a spicy delicacy and relished as full courses of meal. The platter contains hot spicy Sarson ka Saag prepared from pressure cooked green mustard leaves, spinach and pigweed (Bathua) fried in oil with diced onions, garlic, green chilies, ginger, whole red chilies etc., seasoned with salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder etc. served along with Makke ki Roti made from dough of maize. A dollop of butter on Saag and Makke ki Roti accompanied with jaggery will surely make you drool.

Saffrony Raita

In perfect match to spring season, Saffrony or Vasanti Raita is a delectable sour and mildly sweet curry relished as a side dish. The dish is prepared from the boiled and properly squeezed shredded pumpkin added with thoroughly churned yogurt, finely cut green chilies, black salt, normal salt, pinch of sugar and tempered with cumin seeds, mustard seeds and asafoetida (Heeng). Served cold or hot, this delicious Raita pairs well with Roti and steamed rice and very tempting to try for its sour and sweet flavours.

Turmeric Lemon Rice

Delicious Turmeric Lemon Rice is a spicy and tangy dish relished as a side dish along with any Daal or curry of your choice. This simple yet classic dish is prepared from the cooked Basmati rice fried in oil with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, diced onions, garlic, ginger, green chilies, whole red chilies, green peas etc., seasoned with salt and turmeric powder, added with roasted cashews or peanuts and flavoured with lemon juice. Served hot by garnishing with green coriander leaves, it will make your lips to smack with spicy and sour flavours.

These are some of the sweet dishes for this Vasant Panchami festival that can be easily prepared at home and are also abundantly available at the nearby street vendors or eateries. If you wish to know more about such delicacies and locate your nearby joints, download the app right away!