Holi Dinner at Foreign Return

Each year, the streets of certain Indian regions turn bright and colour-splashed as the country celebrates Holi, the Hindu festival commemorating the triumph of good over evil. 

Now, Surry Hills restaurant Foreign Return is celebrating the festival in Sydney's inner city with a four-course menu full of regional favourites with a modern twist. Plates are inspired by how Holi is celebrated in Mathura and Vrindavan, two holy cities with a long historical significance – and food culture. 

The first course of Bhalla papdi chaat, a crisp, battered snack served with chutney and yoghurt, takes inspiration from the childhood of Radha, a key religious figure. The second course of aloo tikki topped with banana flowers, marigold and lavender and draws from the fact that Holi is sometimes celebrated with colourful flowers instead of bright powders. The third course draws from various regional street foods, including spiced chickpea masalas, bottle gourd and lentil curries, dubki wale aloo, or spiced tomatoes and potatoes, and bhindi kadhi, or okra in spiced yoghurt. 

To finish, a selection of desserts will be on offer, the centrepiece of which is the makhan mishri, a traditional butter sweet offered at temples – it's said to be the favourite of Lord Krishna. At Foreign Return, it's been reimagined with pistachio buttercream and cotton candy.

Book tickets to the feast online. It's $99 per person.  

Want more? Check out our review of Foreign Return here.