Happy Lohri 2024: 4 Delicious Recipes To Add To Your Festive Menu For Memorable Family Gatherings

Step into the warmth of Lohri 2024, where the heart of celebrations lies in the crackling bonfire. Families unite, sharing prayers and dancing to Bhangra and Gidda tunes. The air is alive with the soulful melodies of Punjabi folk songs and the rhythmic beats of the dhol. As the bonfire embraces these offerings, heartfelt prayers echo, wishing for a harvest of prosperity in the coming agricultural season. Lohri 2024, a tapestry of traditions, togetherness, and hope.

Rose Mewa Panjiri

Lohri Special Panjiri with a twist of rose by Recipe by Chef Saarthak Sharma, Chef De Cuisine, SXVIII, Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida.

A traditional Punjabi recipe that you cannot ditch this Lohri season is Panjiri. This is a dry sweet in the form of powder. This is prepared by roasting whole wheat flour in desi ghee and adding jaggery once it's done. Further, roasted dry fruits are added to boost flavor and texture.

Recipe below is traditional panjiri with the twist of rose,

Ingredients

- Wheat flour 2.5 cup

- Cashew 1 cup

- Almond 1 cup

- Pistachio 2/3 cup

- Raisin 1 cup

- Melon seed 1/2 cup

- Fox nut (Puffed Lotus Seed) 2/3 cup

- Dried rose petals 4 tbsp

- Jaggery powder 1 cup

- Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp

- Ghee 2/3 cup

- Rose Water : 2tbsp

Method:

1) Heat a pan first.

2) Dry roast cashews, almonds, pistachios, melon seeds, fox nuts separately and keep in a plate.

3) Next heat ghee in the pan and add in wheat flour.

4) Fry till flour turns light brown in color and releases a nice aroma.

5) Turn off heat and add the jaggery powder along with raisin and cardamom powder , Rose petals & water..

6) Keeping 25% of each dry roasted ingredient aside makes a coarse powder of rest.

7) Roughly chop those whole dry roasted ingredients and add to the wheat flour mixture along with the coarse powder.

8) Mix everything very well and allow cooling down completely.

9) Keep in an air tight container and serve as desired

Beera Da Roasted Chicken

Recipe prepared by Executive Chef Diwas Wadhera, Eros Hotel

Ingredients:

- 4whole Chicken

- 1 kg Curd 

- 100 gms garlic 

- 100 gms ginger

- 30 gms salt

- 250 gms mustard oil

- 20 gms Jeera powder

- 14 gms Chilli powder 

- 14 gms Black pepper

- 15 gms yellow chilli

- 20gms Garam Masala

- 10 gmsKastooriMethi

Procedure:

1) Cut the chicken into four pieces and put approx 18 to 20 gashes. 

2) Do first marination by adding ginger garlic paste, salt, black pepper, red chili powder, yellow chili powder and mustard oil. 

3) Put it in Refrigerator for 2 hours 

3) Make second marination by adding hung curd with salt, black pepper, jeera powder,ginger garlic paste, chili powder, yellow chili powder, garam masala, kasoorimeethi and marinate on chicken. 

5) Cook in oven (Tandoor) by piercing them in skewers. 6) Rest once chicken is half done and apply butter (Basting) 7) once the chicken is rested for 4 to 5 minutes finish in clay oven and serve with chutney and accompaniment salad.

Dal Hare Pyaz Ki Pakodi

Recipe by Kabil Dev, Executive Chef, ITC Rajputana Jaipur

Ingredients:

- 200g lobiya dal

- 50g hara pyaz (green onions)

- 20g red chili powder

- 10g haldi powder (turmeric)

- Salt, as per taste

- 5 chopped green chillies

- 20g crushed whole coriander

- 20g saunf (fennel seeds)

- 10g crushed black pepper

- 10g handi (asafoetida)

Instructions:

1. Soak the lobiya dal in water for 2 hours.

2. Strain the soaked dal and finely paste it in a grinder.

3. In a bowl, combine the dal paste with chopped hara pyaz, red chili powder, haldi powder, salt, chopped green chilli, crushed whole coriander, saunf, and crushed black pepper.

4. Mix all the ingredients well to form a smooth batter.

5. Heat oil in a pan for frying.

6. Drop small dumplings of the mixture into the hot oil and fry until golden brown.

7. Remove the pakodis from the oil and place them on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

8. Serve hot

Bajra, Till aur Gur ke Laddu

Recipe by Chinmaya Paranjpe, Jr. Sous Chef, ITC Mughal Agra

Ingredients:

- 100g whole bajra (pearl millet)

- 75g till (sesame seeds)

- 100g gur (jaggery)

- 15g pistachio

- 15g cashew nut

- 15g almond

- 5g saunth powder (dry ginger powder)

- 70g ghee

- Cardamom powder (quantity as per taste)

Method:

1. Soak the whole bajra in water for 1 hour, then strain.

2. In a pan, heat ghee and sauté the soaked bajra until cooked.

3. In a separate pan, sauté white sesame seeds until golden brown.

4. Saute dry fruits (pistachio, cashew nut, almond) in a pan and set aside.

5. Put a pan on a slow flame and melt the gur (jaggery).

6. Add the cooked bajra, sesame seeds, and sautéed dry fruits to the melted jaggery.

7. Add saunth powder and cardamom powder, then mix well.

8. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool slightly.

9. Shape the mixture into small dumplings (laddus) while it's still warm.

10. Allow the laddus to cool completely before serving.