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Kesar chawal is yet another fascinating dish, which is slightly sweet. To know the recipe of saffron rice, read on.
Ingredients:
1 cup long grain Indian Basmati Rice
2 cup warm water + extra water for washing and soaking rice
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Saffron strands
1 bay leaf
2 - 2 inch Cinnamon sticks
4 Green cardamoms
15-20 pieces of Paneer (cottage cheese) cubes (about 1cm x 1 cm each)
1/3 Cup raisins
10 Cashewnuts
A little hot milk
2 tbsp ghee or clarified butter oil for frying

Method:
Wash rice thoroughly and soak in water for half an hour. Drain thoroughly.
Soak saffron in a little hot milk for about 15 minutes, till milk is a deep orange-yellow colour. You may vary the quantity of saffron, depending upon it’s quality. If the quality is not very good, you may need a little more saffron to achieve this colour and vice versa.
Heat oil in a wok. Fry the cashewnuts till golden. Drain and set aside. Next, fry the paneer cubes, till light golden, drain and set aside.
In a pan, heat ghee or clarified butter. Add the bay leaf, cardamom and cinnamon.
Add the rice. Add salt. Stir till ghee coats every grain of rice and rice looks glossy.
Add warm water. Bring to a boil. Add the raisins. Stir once.
Reduce heat to minimum and cover the pan with a lid. Leave a little gap, otherwise water will boil over.
When holes appear on the surface and water has almost evaporated, lightly fork in the paneer cubes. Sprinkle the saffron liquid on top.
When water has completely evaporated, fork the rice out onto a serving serving dish. This will separate each grain out. This rice will have a beautiful mix of white and yellow and half coloured grains.
Garnish with fried cashewnuts. Serve hot with any creamy curry. 

Thandai is a sweet refreshing drink, served on Holi. Read the recipe of thandai, to make it at home.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 litres Water
2 cups Sugar
1 tbsp Almonds
1 tbsp Watermelon seeds skinned
1/2 tbsp Khuskhus (Poppy seeds)
1/2 tbsp Saunf (Aniseed)
1/2 tsp Cardamom Powder
1/2 tsp Rosewater
1 tsp Whole peppercorns
1/4 cup Dried or fresh rose petals

Method:
Soak sugar in 1/2 litre of the water used. Keep aside.
Wash clean all other dry ingredients, except cardamom if using powder.
Soak in 2 cups of remaining water. Keep aside.
Allow all soaked items to stand for at least 2 hours.
Grind all soaked ingredients to a very fine paste. (not sugar)
Use a stone grinder (manual or electric) if possible.
When the paste is very fine, mix remaining water.
Place a strong muslin strainer over a large deep vessel. Or tie a strong muslin cloth over rim of vessel and use to strain.
Press through muslin with back of palms, extracting the liquid into vessel.
Add remaining water, a little at a time to extract more.
Pour back some of the extract and press, repress.
Repeat this process till the residue becomes dry and husklike.
Add milk, sugar and rosewater to the extracted liquid.
If using cardamom powder mix it in with the milk.
Mix well. Chill for a hour of two before serving.

The soft and mouth melting dahi bhalle will leave you enthralled. To make dahi vade at home, read the recipe.
Ingredients:

For Bhallas:
1 Cup Urad daal
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

For Dahi:
1 kg Dhabi(yogurt)
1/2 tsp. grated Ginger
Finely chopped coriander leaves
1-2 green chilies chopped
Salt to taste
2tsp Roasted cumin (jeera) powder
Red chili powder to taste

Method:

For Bhallas:
Clean, wash and soak the daal overnight.
Grind it into smooth paste.
Add salt to taste.
Heat oil in a pan and drop a spoonfuls of batter and fry till golden brown.
Take the hot Bhallas and put in cold water for 2-3 minutes.
Now Take them out of water and squeeze the water and keep aside.
For Dahi:
Blend the curd (yogurt) and little water until it is smooth.
Keep in refrigerator for an hour to get chilled.
Add salt, red chili powder and cumin powder.
Serving:
In a deep dish arrange bhallas and pour dahi over them.
Now add imli (tamarind) chutney and green chutney.
Garnish with coriander.
Serve chilled.

Vade
Kanji vade is a tangy recipe prepared on Holi. Check out the recipe of kanji vade.
Ingredients:
1 kg urad dal.
2 pcs(small) hing
3 tsp salt
4 tsp rai (finely ground)
2 tsp red chillies (pounded)
6 jugs water
Oil for deep frying
Whole red chillies for garnish

Method:
Soak urad dal overnight and grind to the consistency of a cake batter.
Whisk the paste till it is fluffy.
Heat oil well in a deep frying pan.
Slide the small paste-parts into the heated oil and deep fry to a golden brown color.
Take care not to make the vadas too thick.
Take them out with a sieve type ladle and drain the oil completely.
Keep a tawa on the fire and heat crystals of hing on it.
As soon as it gives off the fragrance, turn an earthen pot on it.
Take it off the fire and fill it with warm water.
Mix rai, salt, red chilli powder and whole red chillies into the water.
Put the fried vadas into the matka.
Clean the top of the matka and cover it with a clean muslin cloth and securely tied.
Leave the matka in the sun during the day for eight days before it is ready to be served.
Makes about 1 Kg. 

Gujhia is the special sweet dish prepared on the occasion of Holi. Read the recipe below to make Gujiya on your own.
Ingredients:
500 gms maida (flour)
1kg khoya
3 tbsps kismis (raisins)
200 gms almonds (cut into thin strips)
6 tbsps cooking oil. ( keep some more aside for deep frying)
200 ml water
500 gms sugar.

Method:
Mix the six tablespoons of oil with the maida.
Now add some water as required and knead into soft dough.
Set aside and cover with a damp cloth.
Fry khoya in a deep-frying pan to a light brown color.
Add sugar, almonds and kismis into the khoya and mix well.
Remove from the fire and let it cool.
Roll out the kneaded dough into a small and thick chapatti.
Fill half the chapati with the khoya mixture and seal the round, twisting the edges inwards.
Deep-fry these gujhias to a deep golden brown color on slow flame.
Take them out with a sieve type ladle and drain the oil completely.
Note - Makes about 40 gujhias.

Holi is deemed incomplete without bhang. To know the recipe of the intoxicating drink, read on.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 litres water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup milk
1 tbsp. almonds
1 tbsp. watermelon seeds peeled (commercially available)
1/2 tbsp. khuskhus (poppy seeds)
1/2 tbsp. saunf (aniseed)
1/2 tsp. cardamom powder or 15 whole pods
1/2 tsp. rose water (optional)
1 tsp. peppercorns whole
1/4 cup dried or fresh rose petals (gulkand variety)

Method:
Soak sugar in 1/2 litre of the water used.
Wash clean all other dry ingredients.
Soak in 2 cups of remaining water.
Allow all soaked items to stand for at least 2 hours.
Grind all soaked ingredients to a very fine paste.
Mix remaining water to the paste.
Place a strong muslin strainer over a large deep vessel and press through muslin with back of hands to extract the liquid into the vessel.
Add milk, sugar and rosewater to the extracted liquid.
Chill for a hour or two before serving.

Another mouth watering snack for Holi is vegetable pakora. To try mixed vegetable pakora at home, read the recipe below.
Ingredients:
1 cup Chickpea Flour (Besan)
2 tbsp Oil
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
1-2 each Chopped Green Chillies (Jalapeno)
1/2 cupWater
1 Potato
1 small Cauliflower
2 Cabbage
5 sliced Spinach
1 1/2 cup Sliced Onion

Method:
Boil the potato until just tender, peel and chop finely.
Finely chop cauliflower and onion. Shred the cabbage and spinach.
Mix first set of ingredients well. Beat in a blender for 4-5 minutes to incorporate air (this will make the batter fluffier).
Let batter rest 1/2 hour in a warm place.
Add the vegetables and mix in evenly.
Deep fry in oil that is heated to 375°.
Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.
Serve with cilantro or mint chutney or tomato ketchup

Papri is a tongue tingling preparation for the festival of Holi. To try papri chaat at home, read the recipe below.
Ingredients:
1/2 kg besan
1 tsp mustard oil
1 tsp(heaped) salt
1 small tsp red chilli powder
1 cup water
1 tsp methi leaves (chopped fine)
1/4 kg maida

Method:
Mix besan, salt, red chilli powder and oil well.
Knead the mixture into dough for about five minutes.
Add the methi leaves and knead for another three minutes or till it is soft.
Heat oil in a deep-frying pan on very high heat.
Rub some oil on your palm.
Roll out the dough into a long strip one inch thick.
Cut the roll into inch size pieces.
Flatten each piece out into a round shape.
Lightly dust both sides of the small chapatis with maida.
Fry very lightly on low flame to golden yellow color.
Take them out with a sieve type ladle and drain the oil completely.

Aloo chat is easy to make and delicious to eat. Check out the recipe of Potato chaat.
Ingredients:
3 Potatoes, peeled
1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
1 tsp Roasted cumin powder
1 tsp Chaat masala
Tamarind chutney
Mint chutney
Chopped coriander leaves for garnish
Optional garnish - chopped onion, tomato julienne, fresh pomegranate seeds
Oil for frying

Method:
Dice potatoes into a fairly large dice - 3/4 to 1 inch cubes.
Heat oil in a wok and deep fry potatoes, till golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper.
In a bowl, place the fried potatoes and toss with red chilli powder, cumin powder, chaat masala
Add mint chutney, tamarind chutney according to taste and toss to coat evenly.
Serve, with toothpicks, in individual bowls, garnished with coriander leaves. You can also additionally garnish with chopped onion, tomato julienne or pomegranate

Onion bhajia is a spicy snack served on the festival of Holi. Check out the recipe of onion fritters.
Ingredients:
Chickpea Flour (Besan)
1 cup Oil
2 tbsp Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 teaspoon Chopped Green Chillies (Jalapeno) 1-2 each
Water1/2 cup
Sliced Onion 1 1/2 cup

Method:
Mix first set of ingredients well. Beat in a blender for 4-5 minutes to incorporate air (this will make the batter fluffier).
Let batter rest 1/2 hour in a warm place.
Dip onions in batter to coat.
Deep fry in oil that is heated to 375°.
Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.
Serve with cilantro or mint chutney.