26
FOOD
High days and Holi days
The Hindu festival Holi is known as a celebration of
colours and of love. It marks the arrival of spring and
the triumph of good over evil. Mandira's Kitchen
Every spring, people across
India and around the world
celebrate the Hindu festival
Holi, throwing coloured
water and powders on one another
in joyous celebration. On this one
day - the full-moon day of the
Hindu month of Phalguna - societal
rankings such as caste, gender,
age, and status are eschewed in the
spirit of making merry together, and
everyone is fair game to be doused
with colour.
Holi's traditions vary throughout
the country and have their roots
in Indian mythology. During Holi,
people come together to play with
colours, have fun, dance, and enjoy
delicious food. It is a vibrant and
joyous celebration that promotes
unity and happiness among all
people. In 2025 Holi takes place on
14 March. Do a local search to see if
there is a local celebration is taking
place near you.
Spice tour
A lot of the celebrating involves
equally colourful and joyous street
food. Here in the UK, Mandira Sarkar
runs an award-winning artisan
business specialising in fabulous
Indian food and experiences.
Simply called Mandira's Kitchen,
it is situated a beautiful location
overlooking Silent Pool in the heart
of the Surrey Hills. From here awardwinning food
is cooked and culinary
experiences are on offer, such as
cookery lessons, spice tours and
supper clubs. There's also a shop
on site which has the best Malabar
coffee, freshly brewed chai and the
crispest samosas in the county (and
possibly beyond).
This year she is hosting a
celebration of Holi, about which
she days, "Holi is a day when joy
is unrestrained, when the air is
thick with gulal (vibrant powdered
colours), laughter echoes through
the streets, and the scent of delicious
street food fills the air. Rooted in
Indian mythology, Holi marks the
arrival of spring and the triumph
of good over evil. It's a day when
differences are set aside, and
communities come together in a
joyous, uninhibited celebration. No
one is spared from the colourful
chaos! Whether you're here for the
food, the colours, or the camaraderie,
Holi at Mandira's Kitchen promises
an explosion of joy-so come hungry,
come ready to get messy, and most of
all, come ready to celebrate!"
Every dish created in the
Mandira's Kitchen comes with a
personal story - from Mandira's
mother's Kaju Chicken to the best
Kaali Dal from a little place in
Amritsar. Mandira's Kitchen food
carries with it the love, joy and happy
memories of meals with friends and
family complete with lively animated
conversations and laughter.
Because of our reliably
unpredictable weather, this year
a special Holi event is taking
place slightly later than the actual
festival date, in April in fact, but it
promises to be yummy, huge fun and
extremely colourful!
www.mandiraskitchen.com