Searching for some fun fall recipes to kick off the autumn season? Scroll to the bottom for a Pumpkin Spice Lassi and Cranberry Chutney recipe that will make you fall in love.
You know fall is near when your favorite cafes start carrying pumpkin spice lattes, and stores are filled with orange and yellow decor items. Weather over the United States this year has been much warmer than before; therefore, most people are anticipating the cooler, crisper, and fresher air autumn brings along. Along with the fluctuation in the weather, autumn brings along with it changes in the colors of leaves, cute sweaters, boots, scarves, and the first day of school! In a way, it is an opportunity for a fresh start before the new year.
The autumn season welcomes a lot of different things: from new holidays to certain fruits and recipes. For example, Onam is an annual Harvest festival that originated in the state of Kerala in India and falls around August–September. This year, Malayalis around the world celebrated from September 1st to September 13th, making it an almost “pre-fall” festival. Some of the tasty delicacies consumed during Onam include: upperi or banana chips, kaalan, pulissery, and naranga curry.
Additionally, Navratri, another Hindu festival observed for different reasons spans over nine nights every year in the fall. Navratri is also known as Ma Durga Puja and is a vital festival held in honor of the divine feminine. It chiefly celebrates the victory of good over evil wherein Devi Durga defeats and overpowers the buffalo demon in the form of Mahishasura. A few of the delicious foods eaten during Navratri include: sabudana khichdi, aloo ki kadhi, chawal ka dhokla, and singhare atte ka halwa. Interestingly enough, there are nine colors of Navratri to symbolize one color for each day, and they happen to concur with the shades of the autumn season: red, orange, yellow, purple, and blue.
Apart from religious holidays, fall also welcomes seasonal fruits like pumpkins, apricots, cranberries, and apples, along with new pastimes. Family friendly activities like drinking warm mugs of apple cider, apple picking, picking out the perfect pumpkin, leaf leaping, baking pies, and trying out new foods and recipes are the highlight of September through December. Nevertheless, allow us to introduce to you two new fall recipes that blend the autumn season with the desi culture!
Pumpkin spice latte who? Introducing the pumpkin spice lassi!
Ingredients:
• 2 cups peeled pumpkin pieces, chopped into 1” cubes
• 1 cup Whole Milk
• 1 cup Plain Yogurt
• ½ cup Sugar
• 1 cup Cold Water
• ¼ tsp Cinnamon
• Oil for frying
Instructions:
1. In a medium pan, heat oil, and add chopped pumpkin and whole milk. Cook until slightly soft.
2. Let the mixture simmer until thickened.
3. In a blender, add the pumpkin mixture, plain yogurt, white sugar, and cinnamon and blend for one minute.
4. Pour cold water slowly into the blended mixture and blend again until it reaches the desired consistency.
5. Ice is optional.
6. Enjoy!
A cranberry chutney you’ll love berry much!
Ingredients:
• 12 oz bag fresh whole cranberries
• 4 oz dried candied mango (small diced)
• Lemon zest (1 lemon)
• Orange zest (1 orange)
• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ⅓ cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 2 diced green chilies
• Pinch of salt
Instructions:
1. Mix all the ingredients except cranberries in large pot on medium heat. Bring to a boil.
2. Add cranberries to the boiling sauce, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until all cranberries burst.
3. Remove from heat and cool completely. Remove cinnamon stick and star anise.
4. The chutney is now ready!