A mix of spicy-tangy, festive and holiday recipes made their way to the Top 10 most-searched recipes in India, as Google unveiled Year in Search 2023, its annual report on trending searches of the year. The top slot was claimed by the humble mango pickle or ‘aam ka achaar’, which can transform any routine meal into a tangy and spicy affair while sex on the beach recipe bagged second place in the most-searched recipes list. As many as 7 festive recipes dominated the list with Panchamrit, Dhaniya Panjiri, Karanji, Thiruvathirai Kali, Ugadi Pachadi, Kolukattai, and Rava ladoo making it to the Top 10. (Also read | 5 low-fat halwa recipes to relish in winter)
Here’s a list of Top 10 most searched recipes in India
1. Mango pickle recipe
Mangoes are an obsession in India. From salads, smoothies, curries, pickles to murabba, the fruit makes its way in innumerable preparations. Even in off season when mangoes are nowhere to be seen, the humble aam ka achaar or mango pickle becomes a perfect companion for our parathas or teams up with piping hot dal-chawal. No wonder mango pickle recipe was most-searched in India in 2023.
2. Sex on the beach recipe
The popular drink finds favour among cocktail enthusiasts due to its visual appeal and sweet and tangy taste. A mix of vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice and cranberry juice, the drink was created in 1987 by a bartender at Confetti’s Bar in Florida who was challenged to sell most peach shnapps in the area. He created a fruity cocktail and named it as Sex on the beach, thinking that both the terms appealed to the holidayers, the target market for the drink. In the Google’s Year in Search 2023 list, the recipe has bagged No. 2 position.
3. Panchamrit recipe
Panchamrit is a holy drink in India made during auspicious occasions, mostly puja ceremonies. It is made of primarily five or panch ingredients including milk, curd, ghee, honey, and sugar. It is offered to deities first and then distributed as prasad. Panchamrit with its healthy mix of ingredients can keep you active and energetic during fasting and is considered good for immunity and overall health.
4. Hakusai recipe
The salted and pickled cabbage can be enjoyed with rice or relished as a side dish. It is made with Napa cabbage, carrots, kombu, dried japones, and kosher salt. Napa cabbage is a Chinese cabbage that originated near Beijing and is quite popular in East Asian cuisine. Napa cabbage is also used in making kimchi, a traditional Korean dish.
5. Dhaniya Panjiri recipe
A popular preparation and bhog items during festival and fasting, Dhaniya Panjiri can instantly energise you and also keep hunger pangs at bay. All the ingredients in the recipe are full of fibre, antioxidants and essential nutrients which can fuel the body while fasting. To make it, roasted coriander powder is mixed with makhana, grated coconut, sugar/jaggery and dry fruits.
6. Karanji recipe
Similar to gujiya, karanji is a sweet delight made during festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali and Holi. Made with all-purpose flour, semolina and ghee, karanji is stuffed with a sweet filling of roasted desiccated coconut, mawa, nuts and seeds, powdered sugar or jaggery. It is usually deep fried, but baked versions are also becoming popular nowadays.
7. Thiruvathirai Kali recipe
A delightful sweet and a popular bhog that is offered to God Thiruvathirai, it is made with coarsely grounded rice, moong dal, jaggery, cardamom, nuts and coconut.
8. Ugadi Pachadi recipe
A festival favourite, this dish is popular in the Southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka. Made during the auspicious occasion of Ugadi, it offers combination of six tastes – sweet, sour, salty, spicy, bitter, and astringent. The recipe is made with neem flowers, raw mango, jaggery, pepper powder, coconut and salt.
9. Kolukattai recipe
A popular sweet prepared during Vinayaka Chaturthi is South, Kozhukattai or Kolukattai is similar to how modak is made in Maharashtra. It is basically a steamed dumplings of rice flour dough stuffed with a sweet mixture of coconut and jaggery. You will popularly find this in kitchens of people from Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
10. Rava ladoo recipe
Made on festive and auspicious occasions, rava ladoo is a simple preparation made with semolina, suji or rava, ghee, sugar, and is flavoured with cardamom. The mixture is shaped into round laddoos and is ready to be enjoyed.
