Akshaya Tritiya 2018: Make these delicious and healthy recipes on this festive day. (Designed by Nidhi Mishra/Indian Express)
Akshaya Tritiya falls on the third day of the month of Vaisakha and is considered as an auspicious day to invest or start a new venture. This year, Akshaya Tritiya, also known as Akha Teej, is being celebrated on April 18. The day of Akshaya Tritiya holds great significance for the Hindus and Jains. In addition to performing various rituals praying for blessings, the devotees also take part in the festivities by feasting on traditional delicacies. While traditionally, the day is observed by fasting and worshipping Lord Vishnu by offering him rice grains, no Indian festival is complete without a family get-together over lip-smacking delicacies.
Here are some recipes of healthy, traditional snacks by chef Sanjeev Kapoor that you can make for your loved ones, this Akshaya Tritiya.
Akshaya Tritiya special recipes: This crispy chakli is an apt snack to have with evening chai.
ALSOTritya
Crispy Chaklis
Ingredients
2 cup – Rice flour
1 cup – Besan flour
1¼ cup – Water
1 tbsp – Ajwain seeds
1 tbsp – Cumin seeds
1 tbsp – Red chilli powder
1 tbsp – Turmeric powder
1 tbsp – Coriander powder
3 tbsp – Oil
2 tbsp – Sesame seeds
Salt to taste
Method
* Crush cumin and ajwain seeds together in the blender.
* Heat 3 tablespoons of oil. Take rice flour, besan, add crushed cumin and ajwain, coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, sesame seeds, salt and mix them together.
* Pour oil and mix well; now add water and start kneading the dough.
* Once it’s at a set consistency, let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
* Use a chakli maker to shape the dough into that of a chakli.
* Deep fry the chaklis till they turn light brown from both sides.
* Drain the excess oil in an absorbent paper and serve when cooled.
Akshaya Tritiya special recipes: Try out this delicious Bitter gourd halwa.
Lauki halwa
Ingredients
3 cups – Bitter gourd (grated)
3 cups – Milk
3 tbsp – Ghee
1/4 cup – Sugar
1/2 tsp – Green cardamom powder
10 piece – Almonds (chopped)
10 piece – Cashew nuts (chopped)
Method
* Heat milk until it comes to a boil.
* In a deep pan, heat ghee, add the grated dudhi and saute for five to seven minutes.
* Add reduced milk and cook. Stir continuously till all the liquid content in the pan has evaporated
* Add sugar, cardamom powder, almonds and cashew nuts. Continue cooking until the mixture turns semi-dry and the sugar has completely dissolved.
* Serve cold or hot, as per preference.
Akshaya Tritiya special recipes: Here is a healthy twist to the delicious Gujiyas.
Healthy Gujiyas
Ingredients
For the dough
1/2 cup – Wheat flour
1/2 cup – Ragi flour
Oil
1/2 cup – Water
For the filling
1/2 cup – Mawa
1/2 cup – Palm jaggery
1/2 cup – desiccated coconut
5 piece – Poppy seeds
1 tsp – Cardamom powder
Method
* Mix the wheat flour, ragi flour, some melted butter and water in a bowl and knead into dough.
* Next, roast poppy seeds and the desiccated coconut separately on a pan. Keep it aside to cool down.
* Once cooled, grind the poppy seeds and coconut together in a mixer grinder.
* Then, mix this ground mixture with mawa, jaggery and cardamom powder. The filling is ready.
* Now, take the dough and make small round balls. Roll out each ball to make a small round roti.
* Next, place a spoonful of the filling on each of the rotis.
* Fold them into half and seal the open side by softly folding the edges.
* Next, preheat the oven to 180 degrees for about 8 minutes.
* Place all the gujiyas on the baking tray and bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
* Now, remove the tray from the oven and turn all the gujiyas over, to cook the other side. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes.
* Once baked, remove from the oven and let them cool.
Try out these special recipes and celebrate Akshaya Tritiya.
Healthy Malpua
Ingredients
1/2 cup – Wheat flour
1/2 cup – Powdered oats
1/2 cup – Palm jaggery
1 tsp – Cardamom powder
Salt to taste
Water
Ghee
Method
* Mix the wheat flour, powdered oats and salt in a bowl.
* Add half a cup of water to bring the mixture to a smooth consistency, just enough to pour on the pan.
* Now, add jaggery, cardamom powder and half a cup of water into the mixture in the pan.
* Heat this mixture to make a syrup. The syrup should not be too thick or too thin in consistency.
* Next, heat a few drops of butter on a pan. Pour some batter and cook. Flip and cook again.
* Cover the pan with a lid for about a minute to cook it well.
* Once cooked, dip it in the syrup. Delicious hot and healthy malpuas are ready to be eaten.