Baisakhi 2026: Follow these three easy recipes to make delicious dishes

Baisakhi is being observed on April 14 across India. Photo Courtesy: Special Arrangement

As Baisakhi arrives, there's a certain warmth that naturally fills the air with new beginnings, shared laughter, and meals that bring everyone a little closer.

It's one of those festivals where food isn't just about indulgence, but about memories of family kitchens, festive gatherings, and recipes passed down or rediscovered.

Adding to that spirit, Chef Roopa Nabar, in collaboration with TTK Prestige, brings together a set of three recipes that feel both rooted and refreshingly easy to recreate.

Amritsari Chole

Ingredients:
1 cup dried chickpeas soaked in 4 cups water for 8 hours

For cooking chickpeas:
1 inch cinnamon
2 black cardamoms
3 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon crushed ginger
1/2 teaspoon black salt
1 teaspoon tea powder tied in muslin cloth

For masala:
3 tablespoons oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup tomato puree
1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
1 teaspoon dhania jeera powder
1 teaspoon fennel powder
1 teaspoon amchur powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
2 green chillies, slit
1 inch ginger juliennes
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander for garnishing

Method:
1. Rinse chickpeas and cook in a Prestige Svachh pressure cooker along with cinnamon, black cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, crushed ginger, black salt, tea powder potli, and 3 cups water. Cook under pressure for 8 minutes.
2. Strain chickpeas, discard the tea powder potli, and reserve the stock.
3. Heat oil in a ceraglide duo kadai, add finely chopped onion and sauté till brown.
4. Add tomato puree and cook till oil separates.
5. Add all the powdered masalas, sauté for 2 minutes on medium flame. Add cooked chickpeas, cook further for 4 minutes, then add salt, green chillies, and 2 cups stock. Cover and cook for 10 minutes on low flame.
6. Adjust the consistency as desired by adding more stock.
7. Garnish with ginger juliennes and chopped coriander.

Zarda Pulao

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup basmati rice, soaked
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup ghee
2-3 cloves
1/2 teaspoon green cardamom powder
1 tablespoon saffron, soaked in warm milk
1 tablespoon almond slivers
1 tablespoon dry coconut chips
1 tablespoon pistachios
1 tablespoon raisins

Method:
1. Dissolve sugar in half a cup of water and keep aside. Add lemon juice to it.
2. Reserve 1 tablespoon ghee and heat the remaining ghee in a ceraglide duo kadai. Add cloves and rice, sauté for 2 minutes over medium heat. Add 2 cups hot water, mix well, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add sugar syrup and stir well.
3. Add cardamom powder and saffron milk. Mix well, cover, and cook till dry.
4. In a ceraglide duo kadai, add remaining ghee and fry the dry fruits and coconut chips till golden brown. Set aside.
5. Mix the dry fruits into the rice, cover, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
6. Serve hot.

Paneer Hariyali Tikka

Ingredients:
250 grams cottage cheese (paneer)
1/2 bunch fresh coriander leaves
1/4 bunch fresh mint leaves
1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
2 tablespoons oil + for grilling
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 green capsicum
1 medium tomato
1 medium onion
3 green chillies
10-12 cashewnuts
1 1/2 teaspoons gram flour (besan)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 cup yogurt
Salt to taste
3/4 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
2 tablespoons mustard oil
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
3 tablespoons fresh cream
Chaat masala for sprinkling

Method:
1. Dry roast fenugreek leaves in a ceraglide duo pan for a minute. Transfer into a Prestige Matcho mixer grinder jar and grind into a coarse powder. Set aside.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a ceraglide duo kadai. Add cumin seeds and sauté for a minute.
3. Roughly chop green chillies and add to the pan along with cashew nuts. Sauté for a minute.
4. Add gram flour, mix well, and sauté.
5. Roughly chop coriander and mint leaves and add to the pan. Mix well and add turmeric powder. Cook for a minute. Transfer into a mixer grinder jar. Add yogurt and grind into a fine paste.
6. Transfer the green paste into a bowl. Add salt, carom seeds, ginger garlic paste, mustard oil, ground fenugreek leaves, and garam masala powder. Whisk well. Add cream and whisk again.
7. Cut paneer into cubes and add to the marinade. Mix gently.
8. Deseed capsicum and tomato and cut into cubes. Quarter onion and separate layers. Add to the mixture.
9. Thread onto skewers in this order: paneer, onion, tomato, capsicum. Repeat and end with paneer.
10. Heat oil in a non-stick omega grill pan. Place skewers and apply leftover marinade on top. Grill till evenly cooked on all sides.
11. Transfer to a serving plate, sprinkle chaat masala, and serve hot.

Whether it's the comfort of chole, the sweetness of zarda pulao, or the freshness of hariyali tikka, each dish adds its own note to the celebration. And in the end, that's what festivals like Baisakhi are really about good food, easy conversations, and moments you'll want to come back to year after year.