Every year people across the globe celebrate February 14 as Valentine’s Day or lovers day. Valentine’s Day is named after Saint Valentine. Saint Valentine was a Catholic clergyman who lived in Rome during the 3rd century BC. The day is followed by different names such as Saint Valentine’s Day or Feast of Saint Valentine.
Lovers across the globe celebrate the day with great enthusiasm. Not only Valentine’s Day but the entire week is also meant to glorify the emotion of love. The days are Rose Day, Propose Day, Chocolate Day, Teddy Day, Promise Day, Hug Day, Kiss Day, and Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Week is celebrated from February 7 to February 14. Valentine’s Week starts with Rose Day and ends with valentine’s Day. The week comprises of Rose Day, Propose Day, Chocolate Day, Teddy Day, Promise Day, Hug Day, Kiss Day and Valentine’s Day.
‘Given their similarities, it has been suggested that the holiday has origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, held in mid-February. The festival, which celebrated the coming of spring, included fertility rites and the pairing off of women with men by lottery. At the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius I forbade the celebration of Lupercalia and is sometimes attributed with replacing it with St. Valentine’s Day, but the true origin of the holiday is vague at best,’ says Britannica.
Rose Day is the first day of Valentine’s Week. Rose Day is celebrated across the globe on February 7. On this day everyone sends flowers to their loved ones to express their love for each other. The practice of gifting roses to loved ones was believed to be started by Victorians. Rose Day celebrates the expression of love by gifting each other roses.
Also Read: Valentine’s Week 2024: Know date, history, and significance of Rose Day
1. Rose Cookies
Ingredients:
Refined flour (maida) 1/2 kilogram
Coconut milk 1 cup
Rice flour optional 250 grams
Sugar 200 grams
Eggs beaten 6
Salt 1/2 teaspoon
Vanilla essence 1 teaspoon
Baking powder 1 teaspoon
Oil to deep fry
Method:
1. Combine maida, rice flour, coconut milk, sugar, eggs, salt, vanilla essence and baking powder. Mix well to form a smooth thick batter.
2. Heat sufficient oil in a non stick pan.
3. Dip the rose cookie mould in the hot oil and when hot enough, dip it half way into the batter and put it back immediately into the oil.
4. Deep fry the cookies till crisp and separate them from the mould by shaking them lightly.
5. Heat the mould again and repeat the process to make the remaining cookies.
6. Garnish and serve.
2. Rose Karachi Halwa
Ingredients:
3 cups rose syrup
A pinch of salt
¼ cup ghee
1 cup corn starch
1 ½ cups water
¼ cup ghee
¾ cups mixed nuts, blanched, chopped (almonds, cashew nut, pistachios)
Ghee, for greasing
For garnish
Pistachios, blanched, chopped
fresh Rose petals
Method:
1. In a large bowl, add rose syrup, a pinch of salt.
2. Add ghee, cornstarch, water and whisk it well.
3. Transfer this mixture into a large kadai and keep stirring constantly.
4. Cook on medium flame, add ghee and mix until it’s well absorbed completely.
5. Add mixed nuts and mix it well.
6. Make sure everything is well combined.
7. Transfer the halwa into the greased tray and level it up.
8. Rest for 30 minutes or until the halwa is set completely.
9. Finally, cut the rose halwa into pieces.
10. Garnish it with pistachios, rose petals and serve.
3. Rose Barfi
Ingredients:
1½ cups crumbled paneer (cottage cheese)
½ cup crumbled mava (khoya)
5 tbsp powdered sugar
A few drops of rose essence
4 to 5 drops of edible red colour
For the garnish
10 almonds (badam), cut into halves
Method:
1. Combine all the ingredients, except the red colour, in a deep bowl and mix well.2. Divide this mixture into 2 equal portions. Add red colour to one portion and mix well. Keep aside.
3. Spread the white mixture in an even layer in a 175 mm. (7”) diameter thali using a spoon.
4. Spread the pink mixture over the white mixture in an even layer using the spoon.
5. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and cut into 20 equal sized diamond pieces.
6. Garnish each piece with an almond halve and serve chilled.
4. Rose Kheer
Ingredients:
750 ml milk
1/4 cup rice
1/4 cup chopped nuts
2 tbsp. ghee
2 tbsp condensed milk
1/4 cup khoya/mawa.
Cardamom powder
Handful sugar
Few drops rose syrup
2 tbsp rose petal jam
Method:
1. Drain and transfer the soaked rice in a blender jar and grind coarsely.
2. Add the ground rice and cook for 8-10 minutes stirring continuously or till rice cooks.
3. Add rose syrup and mix well. Add sugar and mix well. Cook till sugar dissolves.
4. Add dried rose petals, almonds, green cardamom powder and mix well. Set aside to cool down.
5. Fill up the tart shells with prepared phirni. Garnish with pistachios, gulkand balls, almonds, gold varq and serve.
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