Holi is more than just throwing coloured powder at fellow festivalgoers. It’s about new beginnings, as it marks the end of winter and the beginning of the Indian spring season. Officially celebrated on 25th March this year, Holi is also celebrated as thanksgiving for good harvest and is rung in with a lot of colour, music and dance.
Channelling the spirit of the festival is the limited-time, specially curated Wondrous Flavours of Holi menu ($132++ per guest) by award-winning chef de cuisine Kuldeep Negi of Tiffin Room, Raffles Hotel Singapore,
From Mar 18 to 31, indulge in a menu with a selection of popular North Indian favourites. An alcohol beverage pairing option is available too (two glasses at $58++ per guest/four glasses at $98++ per guest).
The menu kicks off with a welcome treat of Dahi Gujia, a creative reinterpretation of a Holi festive favourite, featuring stuffed yellow lentil dumplings stuffed in a blend of sweet yogurt, tamarind and spicy mint chutney on a bed of crunchy chaat’ street food.
It’s the perfect nostalgic beginning.
The dish is best paired with smooth Tanqueray Rangpur Lime Gin with Premium Indian Tonic for a refreshing start to the meal, as well as a chilled glass of almond and milk-based Thandai.
Achari Murgh Tikka Kathi Roll stars as the appetiser, for succulent, spicy tandoori-grilled pickled chicken wrap accompanied by a beetroot, radish and onion salad. Likewise, a spicy, pickled cottage cheese wrap, Achari Paneer, is the vegetarian counterpart (vegetarian menu is priced at $122++ per guest).
A fruity, Heggies Vineyard Estate Chardonnay with its bright zesty notes perfectly complements both the chicken and the cottage cheese.
Tiffin Room’s classic tiffins open up to mains brimming with Tawa Masala Fish, for pan-seared black cod with special blended spices; Murgh Madras, for juicy boneless chicken leg in a creamy curry leaf and fresh coconut curry tempered with mustard seeds; and a lamb curry of Pahadi Gosht.
Tenuta di Sesta Brunello Di Montalcino Sangiovese, a bold and intense Italian red, is the tipple of choice to complement spices and flavours .
The complementing vegetarian options for mains feature pan-seared eggplant with fresh fenugreek leaves and morel mushroom in Tawa Baingan Methi Masala; Aloo Permal Subzi, a simple, hearty combination of pointed gourd and baby potato; and Pahadi Paneer, for Himalayan-style Indian cottage cheese curry.
Both menus are served with Shahi Dal, a moreish yellow lentil curry infused with a blend of black and red kidney beans, along with quintessential Basmati rice served as Tomato Mint Pulao; and a selection of Butter Naan and flaky Laccha Parantha, perfect for soaking up the curries.
Conclude the festive menu with Makai Halwa, a sweet-corn iteration of the classic semolina-based sweet; traditional Gujia, for dumplings stuffed with coconut and dried fruits; and – my favourite – deep-fried Gur Para coated with jaggery syrup, another childhood nostalgic treat. Dessert is best downed with a glass of the single-malt Amrut with an orange peel twist.
Tiffin Room is at Raffles Hotel Singapore, 1 Beach Road, Singapore 189673. For reservations, call 6337 1886 or visit here.
