The year’s festival season has begun and we find ourselves in the thick of multiple harvest festivals clustered together, all marking the beginning of the harvest season and the beginning of a new year by the Hindu calendar. We travel to three corners of India, Punjab for Baisakhi, Bengal for Pohela Boishak and Kerala for Vishu.
These festivals are about new beginnings and abundance and are celebrated with much colour, fervour and feasting. There are fairs in Punjab, feasts of fish and raw mango in Bengal and the Sadhya in Kerala, consisting of up to 30 dishes sometimes.
Get a little taste of each of these festivals with these recipes:
Baisakhi
Poila Baisak
Vishu
And the harvest festival of Assam, Bihu, brings with it some delicious Coconut Laddoos, super easy to make:
Coconut Laddoo
Ingredients
1 can of Condensed Milk
300 grams Desiccated Coconut
Directions
Keep aside around 50 gm or a little over half cup of the desiccated coconut. Add the condensed milk and the rest of the coconut to a saucepan and cook over a low heat for about 5 minuts or until the mixture starts to leave the side of the pan.
Spread out the mixture onto a plate to cool. Oil your hands and roll the mixture into small laddoos. Roll the laddoos in the remaining coconut.
Note: You could sprinkle a little ground pistachio or cardamom over the top of each laddoo for a hint of pretty colour.