Basant Panchami special: 5 simple and easy recipes you can prepare to mark Saraswati Puja day

Basant Panchami, which is also known as Saraswati Puja day, is celebrated to worship the 'Goddess of Wisdom'. The festival is observed on the fifth day of the month of 'Magh', which marks the onset of the Spring season. It will be celebrated on February 5 this year.  Goddess Saraswati, considered the Hindu deity of music, culture and learning, is worshipped across the country with traditional gaiety and religious fervour.  On the day, men and women deck up in traditional bright yellow outfits and offer flowers to the deity and prepare delicacies to enjoy the day. If you're looking for lip-smacking recipes for this Basant Panchami, then you're at the right place. Here are some super simple and delicious dishes you can prepare and savour on the auspicious occasion. 

Sweet saffron rice

Ingredients:

• 1. One cup long-grained basmati rice
• 2. Six tbsp ghee
• 3. Two tbsps almonds chopped
• 4. Two tbsps pistachios chopped
• 5. Two tbsps cashew nuts chopped
• 6. Two tbsps cranberries chopped
• 7. Two tbsps raisins
• 8. Two cardamoms green
• 9. One bay leaf
• 10. Two cinnamon sticks
• 11. Six cloves
• 12. Half cup sugar syrup (chashni)
• 13. Two tbsps milk
• 14. Two cups water
• 15. One pinch saffron sachet powder
• 16. Rose petals for garnishing

Method:

Wash the rice and soak it in water for 30 minutes. Heat ghee in a pan, and then add the chopped nuts and dried fruit. Saute on medium flame until cashews are golden brown and raisins are puffed up. In the remaining ghee, add the cardamom, bay leaf, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir for one minute or so until the cinnamon unfurls and cloves are puffed up. In another bowl, wash rice and drain them and add to the pan. Toast the rice with the spices on a medium flame for two to three minutes. Then add two cups of water. Bring this to a boil. Once the water is boiling, reduce the flame, cover with a lid and allow to cook for eight minutes. Then, mix the saffron powder in the milk, pour sugar syrup, and saffron on rice. Gently toss the rice in the saffron milk until it gets a uniformly golden hue. Remove the pan from the flame. Mix half the fruit-nut mix into the rice. Remove this onto a platter. Garnish with the leftover fruit-nut mix rose petals.

Bengali cauliflower and potato curry

Ingredients:

• 1. Cauliflower - 250 gms
• 2. One large potato
• 3. One piece of cinnamon
• 4. Three cloves
• 5. One bay leaf
• 6. One tsp cumin seeds
• 7. Half tsp chilli powder
• 8. Two large pinches of turmeric
• 9. Three tbsp of mustard oil
• 10. Salt to taste

Method:

Peel and cut the potato into 1/2'' cubes. Clean and break the cauliflower into small florets. In a wok or kadai, heat the mustard oil. Add the cumin seeds and wait till they start to change colour. Add the bay leaf, cloves, and cinnamon. Stir fry for 10 seconds. Add potato and stir fry for five minutes. Add cauliflower and stir fry for five minutes. Add one cup of water. Cook covered till the potato and cauliflower are parboiled.

Turmeric Ber fruit smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1. One cup of almond or any other milk curd
• 2. Half tsp of turmeric juice
• 3. 10 sweet Ber fruit seedless
• 4. One tsp of honey
• 5. Five soaked almonds
• 6. Half tsp of cardamom powder

Method:

Add all the ingredients to a blender. Blend until all the ingredients are mixed properly. Warm the milk (optional) and it's ready to serve!

Makkai Kesari Halwa (Polenta Halwa)

Ingredients:

• 1. One-third of makkai fine dalia or polenta
• 2. One-third cup of sugar
• 3. One-third cup of ghee
• 4. One-fourth tsp of Cardamom powder
• 5. Two or three cups of hot water
• 6. Roasted dry nuts
• 7. Two tbsp of khoya
• 8. Four to six drops of yellow or orange food colour

Method:

In a pan, heat the ghee. Add the polenta and saute for about five minutes. When the polenta gives off a gentle aroma, add the sugar ad cardamom powder. Now add the water and food colour and mix well. Over medium flame, cook till the water is absorbed and the polenta Kesari is slightly translucent. Turn off the heat and let the Kesari cool to room temperature. Using a spoon or a fork, mix the Polenta Kesari well so that it becomes a bit crumbly. Garnish with roasted nuts and grated khoya. Served with poori.

Masala jhaal muri

Ingredients:

• 1. Two tbsp of mustard Oil
• 2. One cup of peanuts (raw)
• 3. Half cup roasted gram dal /Dalia
• 4. 10-15 curry leaves
• 5. Two tsp Asafetida or hing
• 6. Two tsp of turmeric
• 7. Salt to taste
• 8. Two tbsp boiled potatoes
• 9. Eight cups of puffed rice or brown puffed rice
• 10. Two tsp of red chili powder
• 11. One cup of sev fried chickpea noodles (optional)

Method:

Heat oil in a pot, add peanuts and stir well. Add roasted gram dal and curry leaves, asafoetida, turmeric, salt and mix well. Add in puffed rice and stir well. Add in the red chili and mix well to combine. Add sev and potatoes, again mix it well. Serve with tea and enjoy. Apart from these lip-smacking dishes, one could also treat their taste buds with sweets such as Rajbhog, and Sondesh. These sweets are first offered to Goddess Saraswati and then distributed among the devotees celebrating the occasion.

-With ANI inputs