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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : March 20, 2019 8:02 PM IST
Make your favourite snacks healthier this Holi. ©Getty Images
Holi, or any calebration for that matter, is incomplete without food. Lip-smacking snacks like gujiyas, thandai, malpua, malai kulfi, etc, are an integral part of the festival of colours, built into our culture and traditions through ages. While their taste and the sense of nostalgia that they evoke on such occasions are compelling, these popular snacks are not too healthy to say the least. They will not only have you pile up on extra kilos, but may also lead to an upset tummy, acidity and other stomach issues which can play as spoilsports during your favourite festival. Here, Delhi-based nutritionist Neelanjana Singh will tell you how to make your Holi snacks tasty yet healthy.
Gujiya
In the filling of that traditional gujiya, khoya is used. But, you can opt for coconut. Shutterstock
Traditionally, gujiyas are sweet dumplings made of a maida-based outer cover and khoya-based filling. The filling also contains dry fruits.
Make it healthy: You can modify both the filling and the cover of gujiya to add a healthy twist. Replace the refined white flour withunrefined flour. Go for a combination of whole wheat along with some millets like jowar, bajra and ragi. You can take half of whole wheat and half of any of these millets. Do not to make it too coarse. This is so because people are used to that traditional form and they will not take to it if it becomes totally different. It has to look and feel like the traditional gujiya and yet be healthier. However, it will not be smooth like the normal gujiya. As far as the filling is concerned, khoya can be replaced with coconut. Grate coconut and add healthy nuts like walnuts, pistachios and others. The fat composition of coconut is better khoya, which is just like condensed milk with sugar.
Pakoda:
Instead of potato, one can use red amaranth leaves or methi, bathua for making pakodas. Shutterstock
It is a deep-fried snack made with besan, onion, spices and other vegetables. Pokodas made with potatoes are the most popular ones, especially during festivities like Holi.
Make it healthy:Substitute potatoes withred amaranth leaves methi or bathua. Add chopped onions, cumin seeds and the spices of your choice to the leaves that you opt for. Do not over-fry the pakodas. Also, make sure that the oil you use for making these lip-smacking snacks is moderately hot. Do not re-use the oil for too many batches of pakodas. Oil that is re-used for long can become carcinogenic.
Thandai
Dilute the thandai mix with more of milk to cut down the sugar. Shutterstock
This popular Holi drink is made with milk and a mixed powder consisting of ground nuts and seeds and other spices. It Lends a cooling effect to your body.
Make it healthy: This drink is otherwise healthy as it constitutes a lot of healthy nuts and seeds. However, it is loaded with sugar. To bring down the sugar content, dilute the store-bought thandai mix with more milk. Another option is to make your own mix at home instead of buying it. Though the process can be tedious, still you might just give it a shot this Holi.
Malpua
Maida can be substituted with whole wheat atta or any millet of your choice to make malpua. Shutterstock
It is like a fried pancake. This traditional sweet is made out of maida, sugar, rava, khoya, fennel seeds, cardamom powder and milk.
Make it healthy: Like gujiya, the base of malpua is made of white flour which can easily be substituted with whole wheat or any millet of your choice. Instead of sugar, you can add jaggery which is a better option for sure.
Malai kulfi
So, cut down on sugar by adding more fruits like apricots, dates and figs, to make your malai kulfi healthy. Shutterstock
This delicious dessert is made by using whole milk, heavy cream, khoya along with sugar.
Make it healthy: This one is milk-based and sugar-laden. So, cut down on sugar by adding more fruits like apricots, dates and figs. The golden rule is, less sugar and more fruits of your choice.
Kheer
you can substitute white rice with the brown one for making your kheer healthy. Shutterstock
Known as a rice pudding, it is made with rice, dry fruits, milk and sugar.
Make it healthy: As you already know, rice is used in kheer. Here, you can substitute white rice with the brown one. You should soak it up in water for half-an-hour to 45 minutes and then cook it. Though brown rice will make your favourite kheer a little chewy, it is a healthier option for sure. You can substitute sugar with jaggery which will make it even more tasty. You can also include some dry fruits to make it crunchy.
Kachodi
Kachodi can be made by using pulses or sattu, instead of khoya. Shutterstock
It is a round-shaped fried snack made of white flour and a thin filling, mostly made of khoya.
Make it healthy: The filling of the kachodi can be made by pulses like sattu (a flour which contains the mixture of ground pulses and cereals) or peas. A pulse-based filling will make for delicious combo with whole wheat. The outer cover be made by using whole wheat and a millet of your choice. Also, don't fry in excessively heated oil and don't reuse the oil as trans fats are formed.
Tikki Chhole
Don't ignore chhole while having tikki chhole. Shutterstock
This is another Holi favourite which is jam-packed with potatoes. While the chhole or chickpeas are healthy, the tikki made with potatoes can be modified.
To make it healthy: Instead of prepping the tikki only with potatoes, mix some peas with them to add some nutritional value. This is so because the potatoes and the peas will give a combination of amino acids together. In many cases, people just prefer to have the tikki leaving out the chhole. This is not recommended because chhole is rich in proteins. However, mixing peas with potatoes for the tikki will balance it out.
