Loving the festive vibe this season? High five! Diwali is one of my most favourite times of the year, and why not? You get to meet your favourite people, party, eat to your heart’s content, get gifts, dress up in brand new clothes, decorate the house with all things pretty and did I mention eating?
You start a week prior to Diwali with a string of cards party with friends and family, and there’s no looking back till the last day, which is Bhai Dooj. The fifth and the last day of Diwali festivities culminate with Bhai Dooj, also called as Bhatra Dwitiya (or Bhathru Dwitiya), which celebrates the bond between siblings. This year Bhai Dooj falls on November 6.
The festival is referred to as Bhau Beej in Maharashtra, Yama Dwitiya in southern India and Bhai Phota in West Bengal. On this day, sisters apply tilak on their brother's forehead and pray for their good health, long-life and prosperity. In return, the brother promises to protect her from evil. While this is the essence of the occasion, it is celebrated with lots of food and feasting, after the exchange of gifts between the siblings. The grand feast involves a lavish lunch and a host of snacks. If you too are planning to cook something extravagant for your sibling, we’ve got some amazing ideas for snacks.
5 Snack Ideas To Try On Bhai Dooj:
1. Hara Bhara Kebabs
This one is a classic and never fails to impress anyone, even the picky eaters who may not like veggies. Spinach and peas rolled in together with bread crumbs before deep frying, lends a distinct flavour to kebabs that are best served with a tantalising mint -coriander chutney.
2. Idli Manchurian
While it is a great way to use leftover idlis, I personally love the fiery flavours with a hint of sweetness that this idli manchurian has. This Indo-Chinese fusion has a lot of lovers and can impress your sibling to no end.
3. Tortilla Bhel Cups
Tortilla bhel cups has a combination of puffed rice, green mung, and moth bean sprouts along with vegetables mixed with green chutney and sweet chutney. They are served together in tortilla cups making it a delightful snack to munch on.
4. Corn Chaat
While this is quite a common one but it never goes out of style. Boiled or steamed corns tossed in with an array of spices along with onion, tomatoes and green chilli is a mouth-watering treat for anyone with a thing for all things tangy and spicy, the dash of lemon juice on top is what I love the most.
5. Sesame Grilled Paneer
Move on from usual paneer tikkas and try this paneer snack with the goodness of sesame (til). This is a super quick and easy snack where you grill paneer chunks after coating them in a delicious batter of vegetable oil, lemon juice, oregano, dried basil, salt and red chilli flakes.
Happy Bhai Dooj.