1500 kg fake paneer and mawa seized in Ghaziabad: 8 smart alternatives for popular dishes for the Holi celebration

With the festival of Holi around the corner, the Indian market is buzzing with news of fake mawa, paneer, and other popular ingredients. According to reports, in the last two days about 1500 kg of fake paneer and mawa have been seized in Ghaziabad. Keeping the festival of Holi in view, five teams have been formed by the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department to keep a regular check on adulteration during the festival season. While a lot is being done, it is best to avoid paneer and mawa during the festive season and one can use the following alternatives to make delicacies at home. (Image Courtesy: ETV Bharat and istock)

It is a rich source of protein and can be used to make tikka, curries, bhurjis and rolls. If you have been planning to make paneer delicacies for the Holi party, replace it with tofu and enjoy without any risk.

For dishes like gulab jamun or kalakand, one needs mawa. However, you can replace it with packaged multigrain bread or regular white bread to make such dishes. They might have preservatives, but will be free of dangerous chemcials which are reported to be added to mawa samples.

Soaked and boiled chickpeas can be used to make spreads and dips, and one can easily skip paneer for that creamy texture. Chickpeas are also rich in protein and can be used in many ways for snacks and main course dishes.

If you were planning to make mawa barfi, replace it with cashews and make barfis with the paste, seasoned with sugar, more nuts, and top them with silver varq.

Forget paneer cutlets and paneer kachoris, and use boiled potatoes in their place, which are way more organic and less harmful as compared to the adulterated paneer.

For dishes like gujiya, skip mawa and make the stuffing with sooji, sugar, ghee, and nuts and call it a healthier and safer version amidst adulteration.

For desserts like mawa barfi, one can also use packaged condensed milk along with nuts, coconut and cardamom to get the right taste and texture.

For thandai, replace regular milk with coconut milk and add aroma and taste with nuts, rose petals, and saffron.

Images Courtesy: istock