Celebrate the season with four exquisite festival recipes that combine tradition and taste for an unforgettable culinary experience.
India is known for its vibrant and diverse festivals that bring people from all walks of life together. The festive season of Onam, Ganpati (Ganesh Chaturthi), and Eid Milad Un Nabi is a perfect illustration of this cultural unity, as each festival holds its significance while sharing a common thread of celebration, food, devotion, and togetherness.
These festivals ( Onam, Ganpati (Ganesh Chaturthi), and Eid Milad Un Nabi)not only highlight India’s rich cultural heritage but also emphasize the values of prosperity, renewal, and reflection.
Recipes by Chef Sanjiv Kumar, Executive Chef, The Fern Goregaon
This festive season, embrace the flavours of tradition with four delightful recipes crafted by Chef Sanjiv Kumar, Executive Chef at The Fern Goregaon. Whether you’re celebrating Onam, Ganpati, or Eid Milad Un Nabi, these recipes promise to elevate your festive meals with their vibrant tastes and heartwarming aromas. Each dish is thoughtfully designed to capture the essence of the festival it represents, blending time-honoured ingredients with a modern twist.
From rich, aromatic flavours to comforting classics, these recipes offer something special for every occasion, allowing you to bring the festive spirit to your table with ease. Perfect for home cooks looking to add a touch of culinary creativity to their celebrations, these dishes are sure to impress family and friends alike, making the festivities even more memorable.
Chef Sanjiv Kumar, Executive Chef, of The Fern Goregaon shared, “Celebrating festivals from across India—Onam, Ganpati, and Eid Milad Un Nabi—is a joyful reminder of our rich cultural heritage. Each festival carries unique traditions and flavours that bring people together in celebration. At The Fern Goregaon, we take pride in sharing special recipes that honour these vibrant occasions. Our culinary creations not only reflect the essence of these festivals but also offer a taste of the diverse and delightful cuisine that defines our nation.”
Onam Recipes
Ada Pradhaman
Ingredients:
- Ada (Dry Boiled Rice Flakes): 1 cup
- Water: 1 cup
- Palm Jaggery: 1 cup
- Fresh Coconut Milk: 1.5 cups
- Ghee: 2 tbsp
- Cashew Nuts: 10-12
- Chopped Coconut: 2 tbsp
- Saffron: 1/6 tsp
- Dry Ginger Cardamom Powder: 1/8 tsp
Instructions:
- Preparation: Wash the Ada thoroughly and strain to dry.
- Frying: In a pan, heat 1 tbsp of ghee on low heat. Shallow fry the cashew nuts and chopped coconut until golden. Set aside.
- Cooking Ada: In the same pan, add the remaining ghee and fry the Ada until golden brown. Add 1 cup of water and cook until the Ada is half cooked.
- Sweetening: Stir in the palm jaggery and cook until fully dissolved.
- Finishing Touches: Pour in the fresh coconut milk and cook for 10-12 minutes. Add saffron and dry ginger cardamom powder and cook for 1 more minute.
- Garnishing: Garnish with the fried coconut and cashew nuts. Serve hot.
Aviyal Curry
Ingredients:
- Mixed Vegetables (Potato, Yam, Carrot, Beans, Ash Gourd, Cucumber, Raw Mango, Drumstick, Raw Banana): 500 gm
- Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp
- Thick Curd 1/2 cup
- Salt: To taste
- Fresh Coconut 1/2 cup
- Cumin Seeds 1/2 tbsp
- Green Chilli 2
- Coconut Oil 3 tbsp
- Curry Leaves 8-10
- Hing (Asafoetida) 1/4 tsp
- Mustard Seeds 1/2 tsp
Instructions
- Preparing Vegetables: Cut all vegetables into small, finger-sized pieces and set aside.
- Boiling Vegetables: Boil the vegetables with salt and turmeric until tender but crunchy. Drain and set aside.
- Making Coconut Paste: Grind fresh coconut and green chillies into a coarse paste.
- Tempering: Heat coconut oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing, and curry leaves. Sauté for a minute.
- Combining Ingredients: Add the coconut paste and cook for a few minutes. Then add the boiled vegetables and cook until the raw coconut smell fades, about 3-5 minutes.
- Final Touches: Adjust salt and mix in the curd once cooled slightly. Serve with brown boiled rice.
Ganpati Recipe
Kaju Pista Modak
Ingredients
- Cashews 100 gm
- Pista 100 gm
- Raisins 50 gm
- Roasted Almond 50 gm
- Sugar 100 gm
- Milk 200 gm
Instructions
- Prepare Nut Powder: Grind the cashews and pista to make a coarse powder.
- Cooking Syrup: Heat a pot on medium flame, add 100 gm of sugar and 200 gm of milk. Cook until the mixture starts bubbling. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Combine: Add the nut powder and cook for 3 minutes until dry.
- Stuffing: Chop 50 gm of raisins and 50 gm of roasted almonds. Use this as stuffing for the modaks.
- Shape Modaks: Form modak shapes using the mixture and the stuffing inside.
Eid Milad Un Nabi Recipe
Zarda Pulao
Ingredients
- Rice 1 kg
- Sugar 150 gm
- Honey 50 gm
- Ghee 150 gm
- Refined Oil 50 gm
- Cashews 20 gm
- Almonds 20 gm
- Raisins 20 gm
- Cherry 20 gm
- Pista 20 gm
Instructions
- Preparing Rice: Soak 1 kg of rice in water for 30 minutes.
- Boiling: Boil water and cook the soaked rice for about 15 minutes until 80% cooked. Drain and set aside.
- Frying Nuts: Heat 150 gm of ghee in a pot. Fry 20 gm of almonds, cashews, raisins, and pista. Set aside.
- Making Syrup: In the same pot, add 150 gm of sugar and cook until it forms a syrup.
- Final Cooking: Add the partially cooked rice to the syrup. Top with 50 gm of honey, cherries, and the fried nuts.
- Dum Cooking: Cover with aluminium foil and cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving.
Read more: Food Voyager
