Food and festivals go hand in hand. This holds true for Rakshabandhan as well. It is the time of the year when brothers and sisters leave no stones unturned to show each other how much they love and care for each other. We all indulge ourselves in enjoying various types of delicacies from sweet to savoury with our siblings.For those who love to cook for their brothers and sisters on Rakhi, there are some food menus which are very delicious and do not require any frills and fancy plating. Although they require a good amount of time to prepare some recipes are easy to follow and the ingredients for making them are also easily available in the kitchen.
So the hunt for the simple and perfect Rakhi menu ends here with these scrumptious food options to go for:
Mughlai Shahi paneer, dal makhni and stuffed naan
This is a type of Mughlai cuisine food that has butter-based rich curry cooked with aromatic spices, nuts and dry fruits. The flavour of this food can range from mild to spicy and is associated with its distinct aroma and use of whole and ground spices. This menu can be prepared for Rakshabandhan lunch being. It combines the traditional spices and flavours that epitomise Indian cuisine. This menu is very much alive in Indian kitchens especially on festivals and special occasions. Mughlai shahi paneer comprises of soft paneer cubes simmered in rich, aromatic, flavourful and creamy white gravy. The white gravy is made from boiled onions, cashews, cream, fresh yogurt and saffron. Dal makhni is a traditional Mughlai dish that is to die for if prepared in proper authentic style. This dal is slowly cooked adding mild aromatic whole and ground spices, cashew nut paste and cream. The more slowly it is cooked, the better it tastes. Loaded with butter, it offers an ultra-rich taste. Serve these dishes with stuffed naan, onion lachcha salad and pineapple raita. A complete menu for Rakhi celebration!
Aloo ki sabzi, bedmi, boondi raita and methi ki chutney
Crisp bedmi served with spicy masala potato curry along with savoury methi ki chutney is part of true North Indian food menu. The semi-mashed and spice-soaked pieces of boiled potatoes are dunked in flavourful runny curry. Generally it is prepared without tomatoes, but few people add tomato puree to give the curry a thick texture and a bit milder taste. Green chillies, ginger, garam masala, coriander powder, red chilli powder and fresh coriander leaves are few important ingredients which add oodles of flavour to the simmering curry and make it addictive. Urad dal pitthi stuffed pooris popularly known as bedmi are also loaded with flavourful, aromatic spices. Methi ki chutney gives a big boost to the taste of this pungent meal. Made without onion and garlic, this is a saatvik food option for those who do not eat onion and garlic. Serve this meal with chilled boondi ka raita. Awesome fulfilling Rakhi brunch!
Chole bhature and dahi-bhalla
Chole bhature is a dish that belongs to the delicious Punjabi cuisine. It is a satisfying, authentic and delectable dish which is relished by people of all age groups. Boiled chickpeas are sautéed with onion-tomato and flavoured with strong and warming flavour of spices. It can be a super-easy and delicious brunch or lunch option for Rakhi celebration. Served along with dahi-bhalla – another famous North Indian snack which is made during special occasions, this menu can enhance the flavour of Rakhi.
Sweet dishes that can be made for those with a sweet tooth
Custard pudding
This is a sweet dessert made from simple ingredients, custard powder, milk, sugar, tinned fruits, fresh fruits and jelly. You can spruce it up in numerous ways – fruit custard, caramel custard, chocolate custard, cream custard and nuts custard pudding.
Traditional rice kheer
Rice kheer is indeed the perfect sweet dish to celebrate a festival like Rakhi. Rice cooked with milk, cardamom, saffron, dry fruits and sugar can entice the five senses, toss you up in the sky with pure ecstasy and make you experience the richness of this festival. This traditional, yummy and aromatic dessert is an all-time favourite of everyone.
Fruit cream
It is a sweet dessert in which a light and fluffy fresh cream is loaded with myriad of fresh and tinned fruits. Fruit cream is very simple to make in a few minutes. Perfect to make for Rakhi get-together.
These food choices taste best when they are prepared in their simple authentic form because it is the original flavour that strikes a chord more than anything else. While the food counters in the market and restaurants are loaded with snacks and other main course options in all sorts every day, including Rakhi, they are nothing close to the original, home-made variants full of love and care. Yes, making food at home for your brother or sister is not a two-minute job, it is going to take good time and effort. However, you always need to put energy and time to relish the true flavour of food. Cherish special moments at their best with your loved ones on festivals like Rakhi.
You and your siblings are going to love them all. Worth trying!