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Indian Thanksgiving | New Year Food Traditions

Editor's Desk
April 12, 2021

The Indian new years are just around the corner and it is time to celebrate the coming year with friends, family, and a table full of delicacies. April is the time to harvest the rabi crops and it marks a new beginning in the Indian agricultural calendar. There are various ways in which the Indian new year is celebrated across the country, however, what remains the same is the enthusiasm and the hopefulness for an agriculturally fruitful year ahead. Different parts of the country have unique traditions that they follow as well as unique delicacies that they indulge in.

Here are some of the Indian new year food traditions followed across the country.

Pohela Boishakh

The Bengali new year known as the Pohela Boishakh is celebrated on the 15th of April marking the first day of the month of Baishakh according to the lunisolar Bengali calendar. During this festival, the Bengalis greet each other saying “Shubho Noboborsho”, which translates to ‘Happy New Year’. This time of the year is celebrated with friends and family by buying new clothes and organizing get-togethers to celebrate over food and adda (chat). A large number of sweets and mouth-watering delicacies are prepared during the Pohela Boishakh such as dhoker dalna, ilish maach, and so on.

Dhokar Dalna – It is a dish made of fried chana dal cakes which are marinated with spices and served with rice.

Ilish maach – Ilish maach, also known as hilsa fish can be cooked in a variety of ways starting from the classic fish fry, to steaming it or even cooking it in a curry with mustard seeds.

Aloo Posto – Aloo Posto is a dish made with aloo – potatoes, and posto- poppy seeds. It has a thick sweet gravy with a creamy texture.

Daab chingri – Daab chingri is a dish made of prawns or shrimps which are cooked with a tender coconut in a curry of mustard and turmeric. Seafood lovers will love this and it is so creamy that it melts in your mouth like a dream. This is one of the most iconic dishes that one must indulge in!

Bhapa Doi – Bhapa doi is baked or steamed yogurt which is extremely delicious and a great way to end a meal.

Navreh

Navreh is the Kashmiri new year which is celebrated by Kashmiri Pandits. This festival is dedicated to the goddess Sharika and takes place in the month of Chaitra. This year it falls on the 2nd of April. During the Kashmiri new year, a large plate filled with rice and various other offerings such as flowers, almanac, curd, pen, walnuts, bread, cakes, and cooked rice is covered on the eve of Navreh. This ritual is known as Thal barun. During the new year, that thali is unveiled together by the family members of the house. Each member of the family throws a walnut into the river as a sign of thanksgiving. Kashmiri Pandits greet each other saying “Navreh Mubarak”. Various delicacies such as Tahar, Nadur palak, paneer, and dum aloo are prepared during Navreh.

Tahar – Tahar is yellow rice cooked in Kashmir which is made with turmeric powder and mustard oil/clarified butter.

Nadur Palak– Nadur Palak is a spinach and lotus stem curry. It is a dish that is prepared during religious ceremonies in Kashmir.

Dum aloo – It is a popular dish made of potatoes which is part of the traditional Kashmiri Pandit cuisine. The potatoes are deep fried and then cooked into a gravy made of yogurt and spices.

Tchaman kaliya – It is a dish with a yellow gravy made of paneer cooked with turmeric, milk, and various other spices.

Gudi Padwa

The Gudi Padwa is a festival that is celebrated in Maharashtra and Goa marking the beginning of the new year. Gudi Padwa stands for the arrival of the spring season and harvesting of the rabi crops. During Gudi Padwa, colorful rangolis are made in the front yard and a Kalash made of copper, bronze, or silver is covered with a red, saffron, or yellow cloth which is hoisted upside down at the entrance of the house. Gudi Padwa is a festival that is believed to ward off evil and bring good luck and prosperity into the house. This year the festival will be celebrated on April 2. Puran Poli, modak and rice chakli are some of the most important dishes prepared during Gudi Padwa.

Puran Poli – It is a dish that is cooked in Maharashtra during the occasions of Ganesh Chaturthi and Diwali. It is a bread that is stuffed with a sweet filling of a lentil mixture made of chana dal and gur (jaggery).

Shrikhand – Shrikhand is a sweet dish that is made of curd, saffron, and cardamom. It has a thick texture and is popular in the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Batata vada – It is a very popular Maharashtrian street food. It is a dish where the mashed potatoes are coated with a layer of flour and then deep-fried and served with a delicious chutney.

Modak – Modak is also very popular during the Ganesh Chaturthi in Maharashtra. These are made from rice flour dough. These are then moulded and steamed. Sometimes these modaks are fried as well which makes them crispy.

Rice chakli – This snack is known as murukku in South India. It is a deep-fried snack that is made from flour.

Ugadi

Ugadi is celebrated in the states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka. This festival marks the first day of the Hindu lunisolar calendar month of Chaitra. This year the festival will be celebrated on April 2. During this festival, people in villages clean their houses with cow dung paste, and colorful rangolis are made on the floors and doors of the house which are known as Muggulu and Torana respectively. People also visit the temples during Ugadi. Various dishes such as ugadi pachadi, badam halwa, tamarind rice, and lemon rice are prepared during Ugadi.

Ugadi pachadi – It is one of the most important dishes which is made during Ugadi. It is a culmination of different taste ingredients – sweet, spicy, salty, sour, astringent, and bitter, which marks the six different emotions that we go through in our everyday life. It is made of jaggery, neem flowers, unripe mangoes, tamarind, black pepper, and salt.

Badam halwa – It is a very delicious sweet halwa that is made with almonds, sugar, and ghee.

Rava Kesari – Rava Kesari is another sweet dish that is made of semolina, dry fruits, saffron, and ghee. It is also known as suji ka halwa and is one of the most delicious items on the menu.

Poornam boorelu – It is a traditional dish that is made of rice flour, gur, dal paste, and dry fruits. It is then deep-fried in oil for a crispy covering.

Lemon rice – Lemon rice is slightly sour in taste and is one of the most famous dishes of South India. It is made of delicious herbs, spices, fried nuts, and lemon juice.

Baisakhi

Baisakhi or Vaisakhi is celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs in Punjab. It is a festival that marks the beginning of the Hindu solar new year. It is a spring harvest festival that is celebrated on the 13th or 14th of April every year. People celebrate Baisakhi through the traditional dances of bhangra and music as well as through chanting hymns or reading from scriptures. Some of the dishes which are integral to the celebration of Baisakhi include firni, kadhi pakoda, and lassi.

Kadhi pakora – It is one of the most famous North Indian dishes which include pakora made of flour and kadhi made of curd, chilies, turmeric powder, asafoetida, and salt.

Firni – Firni is a delicious sweet dish that is made of grounded rice. People also add rose petals or saffron to add flavors and aroma to the dish.

Makki ki roti and Sarson ka saag – Makki ki roti is a flatbread that is made of cornmeal. It is paired and served with a delicious Sarson ka saag which is made of mustard greens and various spices.

Peele chawal – Peele chawal is a sweet rice dish made with dried fruits, rice, butter, sugar, and saffron.

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