Top Raksha Bandhan Recipes to Make Your Family Feel Special

Raksha Bandhan is a special occasion to celebrate the bond between siblings, and a great way to make the day memorable is by preparing delicious dishes that everyone will love. Here are some top Raksha Bandhan recipes to make your family feel special:

1. Sweets

Coconut Ladoo

Ingredients:

• Desiccated coconut, condensed milk, ghee, cardamom powder.

Instructions:

• 1. Heat ghee in a pan, add coconut, and roast lightly.
  2. Mix in condensed milk and cardamom powder, and cook until the mixture thickens.
  3. Form into small balls and let cool.

Kaju Katli (Cashew Fudge)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cashew nuts
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• Silver vark (optional)

Instructions:

1. Grind cashew nuts into a fine powder.
2. In a pan, dissolve sugar in water and boil to form a one-string consistency syrup.
3. Add cashew powder and cardamom powder to the syrup, and cook on low heat, stirring continuously until it forms a dough-like consistency.
4. Transfer the mixture to a greased plate and roll it out. Once cool, cut into diamond shapes and decorate with silver vark.

Rasgulla (Spongy Cottage Cheese Balls)

Ingredients:

• 1 liter full cream milk
• 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 cups water
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• Few saffron strands (optional)

Instructions:

1. Boil milk and add lemon juice to curdle it. Strain and wash the curds under cold water.
2. Knead the curds until smooth and make small balls.
3. In a pressure cooker, boil sugar and water. Add the balls and cook under pressure for about 7-8 minutes.
4. Let the rasgullas cool in the syrup, then refrigerate. Garnish with saffron strands before serving.

Besan Ladoo (Gram Flour Sweets)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups besan (gram flour)
• 1 cup ghee
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• Chopped nuts (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a pan, roast besan in ghee on low heat until it turns golden brown and aromatic.
2. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly. Mix in powdered sugar, cardamom powder, and nuts.
3. Shape the mixture into small round ladoos and let them cool completely before serving.

Puran Poli (Sweet Stuffed Flatbread)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chana dal (split Bengal gram)
• 1 cup jaggery
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder (optional)
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• Ghee for cooking

Instructions:

1. Cook chana dal until soft, drain, and mash it. Cook with jaggery until the mixture thickens.
2. Add cardamom and nutmeg powder. Cool and make small balls.
3. Prepare dough with wheat flour and water. Roll out small discs, place a filling ball in the center, and seal.
4. Roll out again gently and cook on a hot griddle with ghee until golden brown on both sides.

Coconut Barfi

Ingredients:

• 2 cups grated coconut
• 1 cup condensed milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• Chopped nuts for garnish

Instructions:

1. In a pan, combine coconut, condensed milk, sugar, and milk. Cook on medium heat, stirring continuously.
2. Once the mixture thickens and leaves the sides of the pan, add cardamom powder.
3. Pour the mixture into a greased tray, spread evenly, and garnish with chopped nuts. Let it cool and set before cutting into pieces.

Malpua (Sweet Pancakes)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup semolina
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• Ghee for frying
• Chopped nuts for garnish
• Sugar syrup (optional)

Instructions:

1. Mix flour, semolina, sugar, fennel seeds, and milk to form a batter. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
2. Heat ghee in a pan and pour small portions of the batter to form pancakes. Fry until golden brown.
3. Dip in sugar syrup for a few minutes if desired and garnish with chopped nuts before serving.

Seviyan Kheer (Vermicelli Pudding)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup vermicelli
• 4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• 2 tbsp ghee
• Chopped nuts and raisins

Instructions:

1. Roast vermicelli in ghee until golden brown.
2. Boil milk, add roasted vermicelli, and cook until soft.
3. Add sugar, cardamom powder, and nuts. Cook until it reaches the desired consistency.
4. Serve warm or chilled, garnished with more nuts.

2. Snacks

Paneer Tikka

• Ingredients: Paneer, yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, spices (turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala), lemon juice, oil.
• Method:
  1. Marinate paneer cubes in a mixture of yogurt, spices, lemon juice, and oil.
  2. Skewer the paneer and grill or bake until golden and cooked through.

Aloo Tikki

• Ingredients: Potatoes, breadcrumbs, green chilies, ginger, spices (cumin, coriander, chaat masala), oil.
• Method:
  1. Boil and mash potatoes, then mix in breadcrumbs, chopped chilies, ginger, and spices.
  2. Form into patties and shallow fry until golden and crispy.

Chole Bhature

• Ingredients: For chole – chickpeas, onions, tomatoes, ginger-garlic paste, spices (cumin, coriander, garam masala, chole masala). For bhature – all-purpose flour, yogurt, baking soda, oil.
• Method:
  1. Soak and cook chickpeas, then prepare a gravy with onions, tomatoes, and spices. Add chickpeas and cook until thick.
  2. Make a dough with flour, yogurt, and baking soda, let it rest, then roll out and deep fry.

3. Main Course

Pulao

• Ingredients: Basmati rice, mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, beans), onions, spices (bay leaf, cumin, cloves, cardamom), ghee.
• Method:
  1. Sauté spices in ghee, add onions, and cook until golden.
  2. Add vegetables and rice, sauté briefly, then add water and cook until rice is done.

Paneer Butter Masala

• Ingredients: Paneer, tomatoes, onions, ginger-garlic paste, cream, butter, spices (turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala).
• Method:
  1. Sauté onions and ginger-garlic paste, add tomatoes and spices, and cook until thick.
  2. Blend the mixture until smooth, return to the pan, and add paneer and cream. Simmer until paneer is soft.

4. Drinks

Mango Lassi

• Ingredients: Ripe mangoes, yogurt, sugar, cardamom powder.
• Method:
  1. Blend mangoes, yogurt, sugar, and cardamom powder until smooth.
  2. Chill and serve garnished with mint leaves.

Masala Chai

• Ingredients: Tea leaves, milk, water, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, sugar.
• Method:
  1. Boil water with spices and ginger, then add tea leaves.
  2. Add milk and sugar, bring to a boil, and strain before serving.

Conclusion

These delightful recipes will not only make Raksha Bandhan special but also create lasting memories with your loved ones. Enjoy the festive spirit with these delicious homemade treats!