It’s Diwali, and India is in the mood for celebration and festivities. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Gujarat to Assam and all other states and territories of India, Diwali is a festival celebrated with much fun and frolic. As auspicious a time as Diwali is, it also calls for a great feast.
When we talk of Diwali feasting, many dishes come to mind. Each community, region, and household have unique dishes traditionally cooked and eaten during Diwali week.
Deepawali Marundu
As we explore the culinary traditions of Deepawali, Deepawali Marundu, or Legyam needs a special mention. The concept of preparing a legyam during Diwali was born out of this dish's medicinal value. As the Diwali feast calls for a lot of sweets, snacks, and culinary extravaganza, in Tamil Nadu, this medicinal dish called Legyam is prepared. It is prepared out of soaked and grounded spices like coriander, long pepper, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, cardamom, cloves, black pepper and dry ginger, slowly cooked with an equal amount of Jaggery and ghee. The resulting sweet and spicy ghee-laden dish aids digestion and prepares the gut for the onslaught it is about to receive. This herbal dish is worth trying this Diwali to keep you ready and prepared for many other delicious sweets and snacks the festival of Diwali will offer.
Choddo Shaak
In India, traditional meals are often a thoughtful preparation; the culinary practice of cooking ‘Choddo Shaak’ (14 Green leafy Vegetables) in West Bengal smells of traditions and good health. Diwali in Bengal coincides with Kali Pujo, and a day before that is the day of ‘Bhoot Chaturdashi’. As the monsoon gets over and we enter into a new season, fresh and green leafy vegetables are cooked in most Bengali households, providing immunity and preparing us for the cold winters. Some of the common green leafy vegetables cooked in ‘Choddo Shaak’ are Spinach (Palong Shaak), Mustard Leaves (Shorsho Saag), Fenugreek Leaves (Methi Shaak), Malabar Spinach (Pui Shaak), Water Spinach (Kolimi Shaak), Red Amaranth (Lal Shaak), Pumpkin Leaves (Kumro Shaak), Neem leaves, Bengal Gram Leaves (Chola Shaak) etc.
The tradition of Cooking ‘Choddo Shaak’ complies with the ayurvedic principle of eating fresh seasonal produce; thus, whichever state or city you are in, it is the right time to prepare leafy vegetables at home. Let’s make this Diwali healthy and colourful!
Kadha Prashad
On the day of Diwali, Sikhs worldwide celebrate the ‘Bandi Chorh Diwas’, commemorating the day when Guru Hargobind Singh Ji reached Amritsar upon his release from imprisonment by Mughals at the Gwalior fort. ‘Bandi Chorh Diwas’ is thus celebrated as a mark of freedom and liberty. Also, being Diwali, this day is even more auspicious for Sikhs; thus, sweets and Prashad (Langar) are distributed to all.
Preparing the delicious ‘Kadha Prashad’, A Halwa made of an equal quantity of coarsely ground wheat, sugar, and ghee, would be auspicious. Anyone who has ever visited a Gurudwara has tasted the ‘Kadha Prashad’, the taste of which is unforgettable for any food lover. Using desi ghee and coarsely ground wheat gives the Halwa (Prashad) its unique texture. Many believe the continuous chanting and the true heart by which it is prepared in the gurudwara lend it its magical flavour. Satnam Waheguru!
Traditional Sweets
Diwali is celebrated on the day Lord Ram returned to Ayodhya with His wife Sita and His Brother Laxman after defeating Ravan and spending 14 years in exile. Such an auspicious day demands sweets to be consumed, and what better than the traditional sweet dish of Lord Ram’s home state, Uttar Pradesh. ‘Balushahis’, ‘Ladoos’, ‘Gujiyas’, ‘Barfis’, ‘Longlatta’, ‘Malpua’, and ‘Kalakand’ would be some of the delicious sweet dishes to choose from.
Lassi or Thandai
One day before Diwali, Naraka Chaturdashi is celebrated. It was the day when Lord Krishna killed Narakasur (Demon) and freed 16000 women from his captivity. ‘Kesari Lassi’ or ‘Thandai’, both famous beverages from Lord Krishna’s birthplace, Mathura, would be ideal to enjoy on this day. ‘Rabri’, ‘Peda’, and ‘Nariyal Ladoos’ would be some delicious additions to the feast.
Shashkuli
It is believed, as per scriptures, that Lord Ram loved a spiralled dish called ‘Shashkuli’. Many believe it to be an ancestor of modern-day Jalebi; Thus, consuming ’Jalebis’ during festivals is considered auspicious. Although a dish as delicious as ‘Jalebi’ is always on the Wishlist of food lovers, eating it during the happy Diwali festival will bring joy and satisfaction.
Another derivative of ‘Shashkuli’ (Spiral Dish) is a snack called ‘Chakli’ or ‘Murukku’, made of rice flour and urad dal. Chakli is thus another popular food item consumed during Diwali.
Diwali is the time for festivities and feasting; everyone wishes to be happy and bring happiness to others. People gift sweets to each other and invite friends for elaborate feasts; this is a time when everyone is in a happy mood and wishes to eat their favourite foods. So, choose your favourite sweet dishes, be it a ‘Jalebi’ or ‘Ladoo’, snacks or beverages, have a gala time, and enjoy the festivities!
I wish you all a very happy and prosperous Diwali!
Sidharth Bhan Gupta, Founder of 361 Degrees Hospitality, is a Hospitality / Food and Beverage / Restaurant Consultant.