3 Festive Recipes that Will Warm Hearts and Palates

Festive recipes bring people together in a delightful celebration of flavors, traditions, and togetherness. During festive seasons, kitchens come alive with the aromatic symphony of spices and ingredients, each dish telling a story of heritage and joy. The art of crafting festive recipes is a cherished tradition passed down through generations, creating a sense of continuity and nostalgia that warms the heart. Festive recipes not only tantalize the taste buds but also serve as a means of cultural preservation, uniting families and communities in the joy of shared meals. These special dishes, often prepared with love and care, transform ordinary days into extraordinary moments, filling the air with laughter, stories, and the magic of the season. So, whether it’s a hearty feast or a sweet indulgence, festive recipes are a reflection of our rich heritage and the universal language of love, happiness, and gratitude. Reetika Mitra, Home Chef and Author, Fooding Around shares three such recipes

Orange Kheer

Ingredients:

• 750 ml full cream milk
• 4 -5 Tbsp Sugar (100 gms)
• 1 pinch Cardamon powder
• 2 large and sweet Oranges (3 medium sized Oranges)
• Almonds and pistachios for garnishing (Optional)

Instructions:

1. Remove and discard the orange skin. Separate out the orange segments, remove the skin and de-seed them. Gently tear the segments into small sizes.
2. In a deep bottom pan , heat the milk. Bring the milk to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer while stirring frequently.
3. When the milk reduces to half its volume, stir in the sugar and keep stirring regularly over medium-low heat.
4. Once the milk thickens and reduces to 1/3^rd its original volume, sprinkle the cardamon powder and remove from flame and completely cool it.
5. Once cool pop it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or so. Take out and add the orange pulpy flesh. Mix carefully and refrigerate it again to serve the orange kheer chilled. Always add the orange segments to a chilled kheer, else the milk might curdle.

Note: As mentioned already, this kheer needs to be consumed within a short period of time as it absorbs the taste of the orange and  turns sour reasonably fast. You can also add some condensed milk to the recipe or even khoya. Gather the orange juice that is released while separating and tearing the orange segments into smaller pieces. Keep the juice handy and may add it to the kheer once it is cooled, when you add the orange pulpy flesh.

Steamed Suji Rolls

Ingredients:

• 1 cup suji (semolina)
• 1 tablespoon poha or flattened rice
• 1 tablespoon wheat flour
• ½ cup Dahi (yoghurt)
• 2 cups water
• ½  teaspoon ginger paste or finely crushed (optional)
• 1-2 green chillies, finely chopped (according to spice level)
• 2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
• 4- 5 curry leaves, torn into small
• Salt to taste

Ingredients for Tempering :

• 2 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
• 7-10 curry leaves
• ½ teaspoon chilli flakes

Instructions :

1. Blend the suji and the poha together in a grinder jar or a processor to a fine powder
2. Add all the above ingredients to a mixing bowl. Add 1 cup water. Combine well. Add 1 more cup of water and whisk together to form a smooth flowy batter. The batter should be light and runny.
3. Rest the batter for 10 minutes for the suji to get soaked and turn fluffy.
4. In the meantime get your steamer ready and grease a metal thali.
5. Add a little more water if needed to the batter as it tends to thicken once the suji swells up.
6. Now pour ½ cup full of the batter to the thali. Rotate and spread it evenly all around the plate. Place it in the steamer, cover and cook for 3 minutes or until set.
7. Take off lid. Cool off a bit. Cut it into long strips of 2 inches wide and gently roll them individually.
8. Repeat instructions 6 and 7 till all the batter is utilized.
9. Now lay them all in a plate. Temper the suji rolls with 2 tablespoon hot oil along with some mustard seeds, curry leaves, ½ teaspoonchilli flakes.

Oreo Mint Truffle Bombs

Ingredients :

• 20 Oreo biscuits (regular vanilla flavoured)
• 100 gmscream cheese
• 1 teaspoonmint extract or essence
• 7 or 8 pistachios, roughly crushed
• 100 gmswhite chocolate
• 100 gmsdark or milk chocolate

Instructions :

1. Line a tray with parchment or butter paper and keep it ready.
2. Separate the biscuits of the Oreo from the vanilla cream filling and keep the latter in a small bowl.
3. With the aid of a spoon mash the vanilla cream filling to smooth texture. Add the mint extract and the crushed pistachios to it. Mix well.
4. In a food processor or using a regular electric mixer, churn and crush the Oreo biscuits to a coarse powder. Add the 100 gmscream cheese to the food processor or mixer and blend well together until the cream cheese is well infused with the groundoreo.
5. Now scoop about 2 tablespoon at a time and shape them into smooth round balls with the help of your palms. Gently press each of the oreo balls in the middle into well-like hollow and insert 1 teaspoon of the vanilla cream mixture with the mint extract and crushed pistachios. Pinch and close the ends of the biscuit and cream cheese ball to re-shape them back to their previous round form.
6. Next place all the oreo balls on the prepared tray and chill them in the freezer for 15 minutes. If you opt to place them in the refrigerator section, chill them for a good 30 minutes.
7. In the meantime I used a double boiler to melt the respective chocolates in separate bowls and kept them ready. Once the oreo balls are chilled, take them out, dip and coat them with the melted chocolate. You can use a spoon to pour some of the melted chocolate from the top. Place them on a wire rack with a wax paper below to catch some of the excess chocolate drippings.
8. Allow to cool and set. Decorate the oreo mint truffle bombs as you wish or eat them just as they are!