Executive Chef Sujan Mukherjee’s memories of Holi comes from his days as a carefree little boy, when he used to play dol jatra, the Bengali version of Holi. “A day before the dol, we burned an effigy in our colony. After playing with the colours, we used to jump into a pool and stay there for hours, trying to get clean. I remember how red the water used to be, even after a few days,” the chef reminisces. However his most memorable Holi would be the time he spent at Shanthinikethan. “Students gathered to dance, sing, play with colours and be one with nature. Everyone dressed up in traditional Bengali clothes and played dol at the university. I still miss those days,” says the chef. Sujan personally prefers indulging in aloo tikki chaat and pakoras during Holi, but he recommends making the traditional shakkarpara as a part of the Holi treats. The shakkarpara are sugar-coated pieces of deep-fried flour, which can be store adding, “It is high
on sugar and easily digestible in the system. During Holi there is a lot of physical activity involved, so the sugar tends to burn out faster, too.”
Recipe for shakkarpara
Ingredients
Refined wheat flour: 1 kilo
Sugar: 200gm
Ghee: 100gm
Water 500 ml
Ghee (for frying): 3 litres
Method
Sieve the flour.
Mix sugar and water together until sugar dissolves.
Mix all the ingredients and knead into a firm dough.
Roll the dough till it is about a centimeter thick and cut into desired shapes.
Deep fry the shakkarpara in a slow heat until crisp and cooked.