Photos: Chris Emeott
We honor Edina’s cultural diversity by sharing cherished traditional recipes.
March’s calendar is full of a vibrant mosaic of cultural and religious celebrations, each a unique thread in the rich tapestry of our community. What better way to honor these cherished festivities than by exploring the flavors that define them? Through the dishes prepared with love and tradition, we connect to the heart of these special days.
We spoke with citizens of Edina to learn what their holidays mean to them and the signature dishes that hold a special place in their hearts and at their tables. These stories and recipes invite you to savor the traditions that make Edina’s cultural fabric so beautifully diverse. The common thread of all the holidays of Eid al-Fitr, Holi, Purim and Ramadan is that they rally around community and togetherness. How fitting that we focus on what unites us—food.
Ramadan
February 28–March 29
Rukshi Tazeen is known for cooking every single dish at her house parties, which usually have upward of 50 people in attendance.
Keema Samosa
“Keema Samosa is a triangular shape and crispy texture with rich spiced flavorful meat filing. It has been one of the main Ramadan traditional snacks during iftar. The savory minced meat filling and crispy pastry helps satisfy the hunger after a long day fast. It can be prepared in advanced and frozen and fried when needed or if a sudden guest arrive or kids are hungry. Keema Samosas are served with sweet spicy tamarind and mint spicy chutney. Growing up in India, samosas with different fillings has been my favorite snack during different festivals, but Keema Samosa was traditionally made during Ramadan by my mom, and she made the best Keema Samosas I’ve ever had.” —Rukshi Tazeen
Keema Samosa
- 2 lbs. minced meat
- 2–3 Tbsp. oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2–3 green chilis, chopped
- 8–10 large garlic cloves, finely grated
- 2–3 inches ginger, finely grated or 2–3 Tbsp. ginger paste
- 2 tsp. cumin powder
- 4 tsp. coriander powder
- ½ tsp. turmeric powder
- 1 tsp. chili powder (can adjust to taste)
- salt to taste
- 1 handful, fresh chopped coriander
- ½ cup water
- spring roll sheets or puff pastry dough
In a pan, heat the oil and add the onions, garlic and ginger. Sauté on medium heat until they are translucent, reduced in size and slightly golden. (We don’t want to brown them much.) Add all the spices and roast for about one minute. Add the minced meat and water. Turn the heat down to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the meat is cooked. Uncover and dry out excess moisture remaining by turning the heat up to high. You may not need to do this if there isn’t any water left. It’s important to ensure there isn’t any excess water left in the filling, otherwise they can cause the pastry sheet to rip. Turn the heat off and stir in the chopped coriander. Your filling is now ready. Take one sheet and make a cone shape by wrapping from one corner to the other and glue it by using water and shape it like a triangle. Add a spoonful of the filling into the cone pocket and seal the top opening using water and close it by pressing. Fry until light brown and serve with sweet and spicy chutney.
Purim
March 13–14
Sheri Rosen is an active member of Edina’s Jewish community and is also a renowned home chef, known for her delicious challah and amazing school lunches she packs for her kids.
Hamantaschen
“On Purim … we exchange small gift baskets of food, called mishloach manot, with friends and family. These are often filled with candy, fruit, snacks and Hamantaschen. Hamantaschen are filled, three-sided cookies and are a traditional part of Purim celebrations. My favorite Hamantaschen recipe is from my great-auntie Na, with a few changes of my own. Hamantaschen are delicious, and they feel special every year because we only make them around Purim time. I love making Hamantaschen with my children and beginning our Purim celebration together in the kitchen.” —Sheri Rosen
Hamantaschen
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cups neutral-flavored oil (I like avocado.)
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 4 ⅓ cups flour
- 2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
- Any favorite jam that is not too runny (My favorite is apricot jam, seedless raspberry jam or chocolate spread.)
Mix the eggs until light and fluffy in a medium bowl. Add in sugar, juice, vanilla and mix well. Add in flour and baking powder and combine. The mixture should not be sticky and should stay together. Add more flour 1 Tbsp. at a time if needed. Wrap well in plastic wrap or wax paper and refrigerate overnight. Heat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into thirds. Roll out a portion of dough onto a floured surface until it’s between ¼–1/8 of an inch thick. You will need a round cookie cutter or drinking glass about 3 inches in diameter. Cut out rounds of dough and place 1 tsp. of filling in the center. Folding is a three-step process. First, take the left side of the circle and fold it towards the center to make a flap that covers the left third of the circle. Next, take the right side of the circle and fold it towards the center, overlapping the upper part of the left side fold, creating a tip at the top of the circle. A small triangle of filling should still be visible in the center. Finally, take the bottom part of the circle and fold it upward to complete the triangle. Tuck the left side of this new fold underneath the left side of the triangle and have the right side of this fold overlap the right side of the triangle. Each side of your triangle should have a left corner that folds under and a right corner that folds over. This helps to keep the cookies from opening while they bake. Pinch each corner gently and place on your baking sheet. Leave at least 1 inch of space between cookies. Bake for 15–18 minutes or until golden brown.
Holi
March 14
Sayali Amarapurkar and Kamal Aggarwal are active in the community and both are members of AshaUSA, a local charity that promotes mental health awareness in the South Asian diaspora.
Maharashtrian Puran Poli
“Puran Poli is a festive delicacy that brings warmth, sweetness and joy to any occasion. It’s especially cherished during the spring festival of Holi (Festival of Colors). Growing up and even now in my native state of Maharashtra, India, as spring gets near, people chant, ‘Holi re Holi, Purnachi Poli (Here comes the festival of Holi and brings us the sweet treat of Puran Poli)!’ It is a traditional Maharashtrian sweet flatbread, especially popular during festivals like Holi and Diwali. It’s made with a stuffing of chana dal (split chickpeas also known as Bengal gram), jaggery and aromatic spices, encased in a soft, thin dough. The combination of the sweet, spiced filling and the crispy, golden-brown outer crust is simply irresistible!” —Sayali Amarapurkar
Maharashtrian Puran Poli
- 1 cup chana dal (split chickpeas/Bengal gram)
- 1 cup jaggery (grated or in block form)
- 1 tsp. cardamom powder
- ¼ tsp. nutmeg powder (optional)
- 2–3 saffron strands (optional)
- 1 Tbsp. ghee (clarified butter)
- 1 pinch turmeric powder (optional for color)
- For the dough:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. turmeric powder (optional, for color)
- 3 Tbsp. ghee or oil, divided
- water, as needed (to knead the dough)
For the puran (filling):
Rinse the chana dal thoroughly. In a pressure cooker or pot, cook the dal with enough water until it becomes soft and fully cooked (about 4–5 whistles in the pressure cooker). Drain excess water and set the dal aside to cool. Once the dal cools down, mash it lightly with a spoon or potato masher. You want a smooth, thick consistency, but some texture is okay. In a pan, add the mashed chana dal, grated jaggery, cardamom powder, nutmeg powder and saffron. Cook on low heat, stirring continuously, until the jaggery melts and the mixture thickens to a dough-like consistency. This should take about 10–12 minutes. The filling should be firm and not runny. Once done, take it off the heat and let it cool down to room temperature.
For the dough:
In a large bowl, combine whole wheat flour, salt and turmeric powder (if using). Add 1 Tbsp. ghee or oil and mix well. Gradually add water and knead into a soft, smooth dough. Let the dough rest for at least 15–20 minutes covered with a damp cloth.
Assembly:
Divide the dough into small balls (about the size of a lemon) and the puran filling into equal-sized portions (a little smaller than the dough balls). Take one dough ball, flatten it into a small disc with your fingers and place the puran filling in the center. Gently fold the edges of the dough around the filling, sealing it tightly. Roll it between your palms to form a ball again, ensuring the filling doesn’t spill out. Roll out each stuffed dough ball into a thin, round disc (about 6–8 inches in diameter). You can use a little flour to prevent sticking while rolling. Heat a griddle or a flat non-stick pan on medium heat. Place the rolled puran poli onto the hot griddle and cook until small bubbles form on the surface. Flip it over. Apply ghee or oil on both sides and cook until golden brown spots appear on both sides. Press gently with a spatula to ensure even cooking. Repeat with the rest of the dough and puran filling. Serve the warm puran polis with a little ghee drizzled on top. They can be enjoyed as a sweet treat on their own or with a side of ghee or milk.
Tips:
- The puran filling can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Be gentle while rolling out the puran polis to avoid the filling leaking out.
- If you don’t like the texture of chana dal, you can blend the cooked dal into a smooth paste before mixing with jaggery.
- You can also add a bit of dried ginger powder or cinnamon for extra warmth in the filling.
Sweet Lassi
“Lassi is the popular and traditional yogurt-based drink from North India that is the centerpiece of Holi celebrations. During Holi, we enjoyed playing with a variety of colors and drink Lassi and eating loads of bhujiya, pakoras and sweet malpuas. No Holi celebration is complete without them.” —Kamal Aggarwal
Sweet Lassi
- 2 cups plain yogurt
- ¾ cup water
- sugar
- cardamom powder
- pistachios or almonds (for garnish)
- ice cubes
Soak the pistachios or almonds in water for 20 minutes. Remove the skin and chop finely. Set aside. Place yogurt in a mixing bowl; add water, sugar and cardamom. Use an electric mixer to blend the ingredients together. You will know it’s ready when the yogurt becomes smooth and frothy. Check the taste, and add sugar to your preference. Pour the Lassi into a glass, and garnish with a pinch of cardamom powder and chopped nuts. Add ice cubes to serve it chilled. If using a blender, you can include the ice cubes when blending and serve chilled.
Eid al-Fitr
March 29–30
Rukshi Tazeen provides us with her favorite Eid recipe, Sheer Khurma.
Sheer Khurma
“Sheer Khurma is a sweet dish. We have to eat something sweet. Every Muslim family will make it on Eid. That’s what we eat before we go to the mosque for prayer.” —Rukshi Tazeen
Sheer Khurma
- 12 oz. evaporated milk
- 12 oz. condensed milk
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 tsp. cardamom powder
- 1 cup thin wheat flour vermicelli (roasted), broken into small pieces
- 3 Tbsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. saffron
- 1 cup nuts (cashews, almonds and golden raisins if desired)
- 1 Tbsp. ghee (clarified butter)
Heat the ghee in a pot or pan. Toast the nuts in the ghee until they become a fragrant brown, stirring continuously to avoid burning, about 3–5 minutes. Remove using a slotted spoon and set aside. In the remaining ghee, add the vermicelli. Toast this on medium heat, stirring continuously until the vermicelli becomes golden in color, which should take about 5 minutes. Add the ingredients except for the nuts into the vermicelli. Cook this on a low to medium heat, stirring continuously for 10–15 minutes until the milk thickens. Once thickened to your liking, turn the heat off and stir in the nuts. Serve warm or chilled.
