EASY INDIAN SNACKS FOR DIWALI

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Delights of Diwali
Diwali is the festival of lights, fireworks and especially, ethnic sweets! And like in any south Asian celebration; food plays a very important role - there is a custom of exchanging sweets with friends, family and neighbours on this special day, especially among the Hindu, Sikh and Jain cultures. 

Diwali is joyful time for people to gather and celebrate the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness and start of the Hindu calendar and food plays a very important role in the celebration.

Therefore, Diwali without sweets and savories cannot be imagined!


                              RAVA KHEER
An easy to make Indian dessert full of goodness - dry fruits, milk, semolina and aromatic cardamoms.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 liter full cream milk
  • 1/4 cup rava (semolina)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • dry fruits
  • 2-3 green cardamoms
DIRECTION

  1. Roast rava till slightly colored.
  2. Add milk and bring to a boil.
  3. Lower the heat and simmer foe 5 minutes stirring constantly to avoid limps.
  4. Add sugar followed by dry fruits, saffron and cardamom.
  5. Cook foe another 5 minutes.
  6.  Serve warm.

                                                     
        
            COCONUT TIL LADOO (LADDU)  



   

   
   


Coconut Til Ladoo is simple sweet made with only three ingredients - coconut, sesame seeds and dates. The recipe uses dates as an alternative to sugar, so you don't have to worry much about the calories.


INGREDIENTS
  • 2 cups white sesame seeds
  • 1 and 1/2 cup chopped dates
  • 1 cup dry grated coconut

DIRECTION

  1. Finely chop de-seeded dates.
  2. Dry roast sesame in a wok for around 1-2 minutes on medium flame until it light golden. Keep aside the sesame to cool.
  3. Once the sesame has cooled add coconut to the wok and mix well.
  4. Lightly grind the coconut and sesame mixture in a dry grinder - make sure you don't grind it to fine.
  5. Add chopped dates and mix well.
  6. Take small amount of mixture and roll it to form a ball a little smaller than a golf ball and roll in some grated and lightly grated coconut to add texture.



                            GULAB JAMUN

                                                                
                                   


Often referred to as Indian donuts, Gilab Jamun are deep fried dumplings that are soaked in a sugar syrup laced with rose water. Intensely sweet, just one small dumpling will be enough to satisfy your craving - unless, of course, you have a major sweet tooth.


INGREDIENTS:
For the gulab jamun

  • 1 cup milk powder
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  •  1 teaspoon oil or 1/2 teaspoon ghee
  • a pinch of salt (optional)
  • a pinch of baking soda
  • 1 to 2 tablespoon curd 
  • few blanched pistachio or almond slices for garnishing
For the sugar syrup:

  • 2 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 to 4 cardamom - husked and crushed or powdered
  • a pinch of saffron (optional)
  • 1 tsp rose water
DIRECTIONS
Making the sugar syrup

Mix water, sugar, cardamom and saffron in a pan and cook on low to medium heat to a thin syrup consistency - there should be no thread formation in the sugar solution. Stir in the rose water and set aside.

Making the gulab jamun

  1. Mix the milk powder, all purpose flour and baking soda in a bowl.
  2. Add oil or ghee and just 1 tbsp of cur - mix well.
  3. keep adding the curd a spoon at a time to get a soft sticky mixture - the dough should not be crumbly or dry (if it is then add some yogurt.)
  4. Form the dough in to small smooth balls.
  5. Heat the oil, reduce the flame to low add the dough stirring often to get even golden color.
  6. Remove from heat with a slotted spoon and add them to the sugar syrup.
  7. Let them soak in the sugar syrup for atleast 1-2 hours.


               ONION BHAJIS WITH CHUTNEY



For the bhajis

  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 75 g gram flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 large onion grated
  • oil for frying

For the chutney

  • 2 tsp coriander seeds
  •  2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 small onion grated
  • 250 ml white wine vinegar
  • 250 g brown sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 red chille pepper deseeded and finely chopped 
  • 2 mangoes peeled, stoned removed and cut into chunks.


DIRECTION
For the chutney:

  1. Lightly toast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds in a hot, dry pan for 30 seconds.
  2. Add the vinegar ans sugar in a small pan and heat until the sugar has dissolved then add the toasted coriander and cumin seeds, grated onion salt and chille and let bubble for 5 minutes then add the mango and cook very gently for 20 minutes, stirring from time to time or until very thick, then set aside.  


For the bhajis

  1. Lightly toast the coriander seeds and cumin seeds in a hot, dry pan.
  2. Sift the flour into a bowl and add the toasted seeds, baking powder, salt and grated onions.
  3. Add just enough water to make a very thick batter.
  4. Heat the oil in a deep pan, drop small balls of the batter into the hot oil in batches and deep fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.
  5. Drain on kitchen paper and serve with the mango chutney.

Cheers and happy eating!!!!




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