Light Up Your Diwali with 5 Scrumptious Recipes

Diwali is easily the most awaited and most celebrated festival in India. Also known as the Festival of Lights, this festival lights up the homes as well as the lives of one and all. Homes, stores, streets everything is lit up and decorated extravagantly and indulgences are an integral part of this festival. 

The preparations and festivities commence days in advance where homes are cleaned, fancy new clothes are purchased, new lights and decorations are bought and so much more. Preparations for Diwali would be incomplete without the preparation of sinful sweets and other treats. The festival involves meeting and greeting all near and dear ones. 

Diwali parties are now a big part of the celebrations where all loved ones get together, indulge in delicious food preparations, play games together and make beautiful memories. 

This Diwali, if you plan on hosting a Diwali party, you know apart from sweets your menu also needs to have appealing delicacies that everyone will love. This does not need to manifest into stress! Have a look at this scrumptious menu curated especially for the perfect memorable Diwali party! 

Veg Galouti Kebab

Everyone knows about the legendary Galouti kebabs from Lucknow. Try this vegetarian-based take on the famous Galouti kebabs, which are delicious but without the meat. 

Total Time: 1 hour
Serves: 12 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups boiled rajma 
• ½ cup fried brown onions (barista) 
• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 2 tsp crushed ginger green chillies mix
• 2 tablespoons roasted besan 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander 
• 2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves
• ½ tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp jeera powder 
• ½ tsp red chilli powder 
• Salt to taste
• Oil for cooking

Preparation

• Transfer the boiled rajma into a mixing jar and blend roughly. Transfer the contents into a mixing bowl and add all other ingredients including the mint, coriander, ginger chilli paste, all the dry masalas, fried onions and salt. Using a fork or even your hands mix the contents well to get a nice and smooth consistency. Try to get as smooth a texture as possible.
• Now divide the mixture into 12 equal parts and using greased palms roll them to get round balls, now gently flatten them. Heat some oil in a frying pan and very gently shallow fry the kebabs.
• Sprinkle with chat masala once they turn golden brown. Serve hot with mint chutney or any other dip of choice.

Crispy Corn Chat

What is a party and games without some delicious munchies? This crispy corn chat is the perfect munching snack for a gathering like a Diwali party. It is crunchy, salty, sour spicy a total treat for your taste buds! It is also a great palate cleanser after all the sweets that guests eat at Diwali. 

Total Time: 30 mins
Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 bowl of sweet corn kernels
• ½ cup maida
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• Salt to taste 
• ½ tsp amchoor powder
• Oil to fry

For Chat

• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 1 small tomato finely chopped
•  4 tsp fresh coriander finely chopped
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 finely chopped green chilli 
• ½ cup aloo bhujia sev

Preparation 

• The first step is to get the corn ready. Keep the oil on low flame for frying. While the oil heats, prepare a batter mixing the maida, salt, red chilli powder, and amchoor add very little water and make a thick batter. Now add the sweet corn kernels into it and mix well. Make sure the batter is thick enough to coat the kernels evenly. 
• Now fry the sweet corn in hot oil, until they become golden and crunchy 
• Once the crispy corn is ready, quickly mix other ingredients to get that chat ready. 
• Take a big mixing bowl and add the onions, tomato, green chilli, salt and fresh coriander and mix well. Now add the sweet corn and give it a quick mix. Transfer to a serving bowl and top it with a generous quantity of aloo bhujia. Serve immediately and enjoy! 

Paneer Lababdar

Diwali parties are almost always synonymous with indulgences. So when preparing the main course, obviously a rich paneer gravy had to feature! This mildly spicy creamy gravy with pillowy paneer is perfect for a hearty Diwali meal! 

Total Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4 people

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups of chopped tomatoes (preferably hybrid variety that are ripe and red)
• ½ cup cashews soaked in a little milk
• 1.5 tsp fresh ginger garlic paste
• 1 green cardamom
• 2 cloves 
• ½ cup butter 
• ½ cup finely chopped onions
• ½ tsp jeera powder
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• 1 green chilli
• ½ tsp sugar 
• ½ tsp garam masala 
• 1 tsp kasuri methi
• 200gms cubed paneer
• ½ cup grated paneer
• ½ cup fresh cream 
• 2 tsp Fresh coriander 

Preparations

• The first step is to prepare a paste using tomato and cashews. Take a kadhai add some oil and sauté the green cardamom, cloves and add the ginger garlic paste and tomatoes and cook it well. Now add the cashews add a little water and cook on low flame. Add some water if the mixture becomes too thick to handle. 
• Once the excess water dries up, allow the mixture to cool down transfer to a blending jar and make a smooth paste. 
• In the same kadhai add some butter and the finely chopped onions, and cook them until they turn golden brown. To the onions, add the tomato and cashew paste and mix them well. Now add the dry spices like red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Optionally add the slit green chilli as well. Cook them for a minute, then add water cover them with a lid and allow it to cook for a few minutes. You will see the butter released at the edges. 
• Now adjust the seasoning with salt and sugar. Add the fresh cream and whisk it well on low flame. Finally, add the paneer cubes and grated paneer and mix lightly. Allow the gravy to cook for a couple of minutes. Finally, sprinkle crushed kasuri methi and transfer to the serving bowl. Garnish with fresh coriander and leftover fresh cream. Serve hot with buttered parathas or naan. 

Panchmel Dal

This delicious and aromatic dal is an ideal companion with rice or roti or even on its own. It is a protein-rich dal made using 5 different lentils. It is rich dal and goes well with the festive menu. 

Total Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

• ¼ cup moong dal (yellow)
• ¼ cup toor dal
• ¼ cup chana dal
• ¼ cup masoor dal
• ¼ cup urad dal 
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp ghee
• 1 bay leaf

For Masala

• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 1 medium tomato finely chopped
• ¼ cup fresh ginger garlic paste
• ½ cup ghee 
• 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
• 1 pinch hing 
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• ¼ tsp jeera powder
• ¼ tsp coriander powder 
• 3 cloves
• 3 black pepper
• 1 black cardamom
• 1 bay leaf

For Tempering

• 2 tsp ghee
• 5-6 finely chopped garlic cloves
• ½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• ½ tsp whole cumin seeds 
• Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves

Preparations: 

• Soak all the lentils for at least 30 minutes prior. Wash and mix the lentils, add water and turmeric, ghee, salt and 1 bay leaf and cook in a pressure cooker for 5 whistles or until the dals are cooked perfectly. 
• Now prepare the main masala for the dal, take a kadhai and add the ghee into it. Once the ghee melts add the cumin seeds, cloves, black pepper, black cardamom and bay leaf, and allow them to sizzle for a bit. Now add the finely chopped onions and cook until they turn golden brown.
• Add the ginger garlic paste and tomatoes and add a little salt. Cook until the contents are soft and mushy. Now add the dry masalas like red chilli powder, cumin, coriander powder etc. Once everything is well cooked, add the boiled dal mix to it. Mix well and allow it to cook for a few minutes.
• Now transfer the dal to a serving bowl. Just before serving, add a fresh tempering to make the dal tempting and aromatic. 
• Take a tempering pan, add the ghee and fry the garlic pieces until they are golden, then add the cumin seeds, and red chilli powder and pour over the dal. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot with a delicious pulao of choice. 

Kashmiri Pulao

While the original pulao has meat in it, this vegetarian version is simple, and aromatic and goes perfectly with dal. 

Total Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup basmati rice (pre-soaked) 
• 1 piece cinnamon (1 inch)
• 1 tsp shahi jeera
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cloves
• 1 whole black cardamom
• ½ tsp dried ginger powder (saunth) 
• 1 tsp fennel seeds powder
• 8-10 strands of saffron
• ½ cup ghee
• Salt to taste
• 1 small onion thinly sliced
• 12-15 cashews 
• ¼ cup fresh pomegranate seeds 

Preparation

• Wash and strain the rice and keep aside. In a heavy bottom vessel, melt some ghee and add the whole spices to it, like cinnamon, cloves, black cardamom, shahi jeera, and bay leaf and allow them to sizzle on low flame.
• Now add the fennel seed powder and dried ginger powder. Mix well. Finally, add the soaked basmati rice and mix well. Add water measured about double the quantity of rice, adjust the salt seasoning cover and allow it to cook. 
• Once the rice is completely cooked and the water is dried out, transfer it to a serving plate. 
• In a small kadhai, add some ghee fry the cashews and keep aside. Garnish the rice with strands of saffron, fried cashews and fresh pomegranate seeds and serve hot.