Diwali is that time of the year when the whole country is dazzling with lamps, new clothes and festive events! Unlike many festivals of regional importance, this is one occasion when the whole country unites in celebration.
Can you imagine Diwali without sweets, savouries, new clothes, diyas and fireworks?! More than the menu on Diwali day, there is more focus on Diwali sweets and snacks (Diwali faral recipes) prepared that week, because friends and relatives love to exchange these along with small gifts as a token of their love. So, this is a brilliant occasion to show off your cooking skills too! It is perhaps the sweets and snacks that are most significant because they are shared with near and dear ones, symbolic of sharing your joy with them.
Karanji that are known as ghughra in Gujarati, Gujia in Hindi can be made with various stuffing and can either be fried or baked. It is one of the popular Deepavali sweets that has a delightful crunchy yet flaky mouthfeel. Other famous Diwali sweets recipes are Nuts Khoya Ladoo, Coconut Laddoo, Kaju Katli. If you are looking for Indian sweets recipes for Diwali recipes then our Traditional Indian Mithai section is surely going to amaze you with delights from across the country like the Mawa Kesar Roll, Motichoor Ke Ladoo, Rasgulla.
From sweet shakarpara and nankhatai to namkeen chaklis, air-tight containers filled with Diwali snacks like chivda, mathri, masala puri, nimki, sev is a traditional Diwali fare seen across all Indian households. My mother makes all these savoury delights which we relish without worrying about putting on extra kilos!
When deciding what Diwali snacks and sweets to prepare, take into consideration the time you have, level of experience, how many varieties and how much of sweets and savouries you would like to share with your friends and family, and what you would like to serve at home. Balance your choice in terms of taste and appearance.
Once you plan things well, you will find that the task of preparing the snacks is much more enjoyable and leisurely. Moreover, most of our recipes are made using readily available ingredients and quick methods, so you will find them convenient. These recipes on our website will surely make your Diwali special.
Try our other festival recipes.
1. 87 Ekadasi Recipes
2. 78 Navratri Vrat Recipe
3. 210 Holi Recipe
4. 22 Janmashtami Recipes
5. 89 Maha Shivaratri Recipe
6. 16 Paryushan Recipes
7. 91 Dassera Recipe
8. 183 Ganesh Chaturthi Recipe
Happy Cooking!
Holi Recipes, Holi Sweets, Holi snack, Holi dhuleti, drink recipes. Holi is around the corner, and we all know that there is more to this vibrant festival than colours! From a change in season, to getting together with family, and preparing delectable sweets and snacks, this festival has many dimensions to it. As winter bids adieu and summer begins to make its presence felt, this festival does its bit by warming our hearts and energizing our souls in preparation for the fun that lies ahead.
Add more cheer to this feisty occasion by preparing a vast spread of sweets to enjoy with your family and share with your friends. This article gives you a set of holi recipes, both traditional and innovative, which not only match the festive spirit but also the weather at this time of the year. Whether you like to have your Thandai the traditional way or as an innovative mousse, whether you wish to relish a traditional Kulfi or a refreshing smoothie, take your pick from this collection of mouth-watering recipes, and make this Holi all the more special.
Holi drinks
This fresh, homemade Thandai tastes absolutely heavenly, far superior to the readymade mixes available in the market. Milk, energised with almonds and spices, Thandai is the perfect drink to serve on special days and festive occasions like Holi and Diwali. The aroma of fennel, cardamom, pepper and saffron rise atop the dense flavour of fully boiled milk, to pamper the senses and rejuvenate the spirit. You can strain the mixture before serving if you want it smooth, but if you like the coarse mouth-feel of ground almonds and poppy seeds, you can enjoy the drink as it is without straining.
Holi desserts
Cold though it is, kulfi has a way of warming your heart, perhaps due to the spicy overtones of saffron and cardamom or the intense richness of freshly condensed milk. Kesar Malai Kulfi is one of the perfect desserts to serve at any gathering because it is unconditionally loved across generations!
Hot Malpua are irresistible, whether had plain or with a topping of cold rabdi. Try making this delightful treat at home itself, this time with a slight twist. In this version, we have avoided deep-frying the malpuas and cooked them with minimal ghee in a frying pan. They turn out as soft as ever.
Thandai Smoothie: The Thandai Smoothie is a fruit-less smoothie with a rich and festive feel. It is made by combining ice-cream and curds with a dash of traditional Thandai syrup. This creamy smoothie has strong spicy notes, which makes it more popular amongst adults than kids.
Here is a mousse with a desi dimension to it! Thandai Mousse would be appropriate for occasions like Holi and other Indian festivals or get-togethers. Rich ingredients like almonds, khus-khus and cardamom that are present in the Thandai syrup give a slightly spicy touch to this mousse. This recipe uses readymade Thandai syrup, but in Rajasthan, the spices are ground freshly using a mortar and pestle every time Thandai is made. Malai Kulfi : Being a frozen dairy dessert, kulfi is technically an ice-cream, but with the rich flavour and unique texture of condensed milk, it is a class apart, a genre in its own right! Of the many varieties of kulfi, this traditional Malai Kulfi stands out with an extra rich and intense flavour and creaminess, all thanks to the slow but rewarding process of condensing full-fat milk till it gets an irresistible texture and aroma. A sprinkling of cardamom accentuates the appeal of this dessert.
malai kulfi | malai kulfi with condensed milk | eggless Indian malai kulfi | homemade malai kulfi |
Chenna Malpua : Delicate and lacy malpuas made using fresh paneer which will melt in your mouth. This recipe is somewhat comparable to the famous malai malpuas of Pushkar near Ajmer. Serve them warm topped with raabdi or just garnished with chopped almonds and pistachios. You will find chenna malpuas only at a few cities in Rajasthan. Just grab the opportunity to make them as they are simply divine! These malpuas are a little tricky to make, so be patient. Sometime, they can just disintegrate in the ghee while frying. If that happens, add some more cornflour to bind the dough.
1. 87 Ekadasi Recipes
2. 78 Navratri Vrat Recipe
3. 22 Janmashtami Recipes
4. 89 Maha Shivaratri Recipe
5. 16 Paryushan Recipes
6. 268 Diwali Recipe
7. 91 Dassera Recipe
8. 183 Ganesh Chaturthi Recipe
Happy Cooking!
Makar Sankranti and Pongal Recipes
In India, festivals arrive one after the other to keep us zesty and active! Come January, it is time for Makar Sankaranti in the North and Pongal in South India. These are spring festivals, enjoyed with lots of outdoor activities that keep us close to Nature and remind us of how closely we are bonded with our environment.
Makar Sankaranti is a very popular festival in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra. It is a community event that is very popular in cities like Jaipur and Varanasi, just like Calcutta is known for its Durga Puja. During Makar Sankaranti, kids and adults flock to the terrace and other open spaces with colourful kites. The sky is dotted with bright kites and the atmosphere is abuzz with the festive spirit.
Chikkis and Makar Sankaranti
It is considered important to make sweets with peanuts, sesame seeds, coconut and jaggery during this festival, and usually chikki is the most popular sweet made with these ingredients. Varieties of chikkis are made in huge dabbas and shared with friends and relatives when they meet for the festival. Although chikki might be a blanket term that covers all of them, each tikki is unique in its flavour and texture. While Peanut Chikki has a crisp texture, the Dry Fruit Chikki combines the crunch of nuts with the chewiness of dried fruits. The Mixed Til Chikki has a unique mouth-feel and a classic flavour that has timeless appeal. The Kurmura Chikki with its puffy crispness is an all-time favourite with kids. The Til Laddu made with til and gud is a traditional recipe with an addictive flavour and aroma.
South India and Makar Sankaranti
In South India, Makar Sankaranti is celebrated in honour of the Sun, the life force that makes life possible on Earth. In Tamil Nadu, this festival is called Pongal, and farmers pay their obeisance to the Sun God, thank Him for a good harvest, and pray for the forthcoming agricultural cycle to be fruitful too. Freshly-harvested rice and vegetables are used to make traditional delicacies like Chakkra Pongal (Sweet Pongal), Ven Pongal (a savoury khichdi like dish) and Ezhukari Kootu (a spicy subzi with seven or more veggies and beans). The rice is usually cooked in new earthen pots. Huge, colourful rangolis are drawn on the courtyards, the earthen pot is placed in the centre of the rangoli on a wood-fired stove and the rice is cooked under the Sun. Although modern cooking methods are available, many households, especially in rural areas prefer to follow this traditional method till date. For lack of facilities, city-dwellers settle with cooking these delicacies on gas stoves and other appliances! We share with you time-tested authentic recipes for making these dishes, to make Makar Sankaranti all the more special.
Any festival is a time to celebrate with friends and family, and to keep traditions alive. Food being a part and parcel of our culture, it is also important to know how to cook and serve our traditional delicacies with love and care. We will always be by your side, helping you achieve the best outcome in the kitchen!