Easy recipes for your next Diwali card party at home
- Featured Food & Beverage
Ruhi Gilder- 60 minutes read
Ruhi Gilder
Food is always a big part of our Diwali celebrations. This festive season, as you celebrate safely in the comfort of your homes, try these savoury and sweet recipes by renowned chefs from all over the country.
Sprout and Potato Chaat Cones
By Chef Shrikant Jogdankar, Sous Chef JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar
Ingredients:
100 gm boiled potato
50 gm sprouts
10 gm tomato
10 gm onion
2 gm salt
1 gm chilli powder
2 gm chaat masala
1 sprig coriander leaves
5 gm mint chutney
5 gm tamarind chutney
1 lemon
Pomegranate seeds
6 small waffle cones
Method:
Boil the potatoes, cut it into small cubes and deep fry. Toss potatoes with chopped onion, tomato, tamarind chutney, mint chutney, chaat masala, salt and chilli powder. Mix the sprouts in it with a squeeze of lemon. Stuff it in the waffle cones, serve at room temperature, and garnish with pomegranate seeds.
Matar Raj Kachori
By Chef Hussain Shahzad, Executive Chef, The Bombay Canteen( Hunger Inc Hospitality)
Ingredients:
½ cup toor
1 pinch of hing
1 pinch salt
Method:
Pressure cook the toor daal with hing and salt for two 2-3 whistles. Switch off the heat and allow it to cool down and keep aside.
Ragda
Ingredients:
¼ cup and 3 tbsp white watana or white peas
2 ½ tsp oil
1 stick cinnamon
2 pc green cardamon
2 pc cloves
2 pc bay leaf
2 pc red chili whole
2 tsp cumin
½ cup chopped tomato
½ cup chopped onions
3 tbsp ginger paste
1 ½ tbsp garlic paste
1 tsp green chilli paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
Salt to taste
Sugar- a sprinkle
Method:
Soak the peas overnight. Heat oil in a pressure cooker, and add the whole spices. Allow it to bloom. Strain the spices out and use only the oil for further cooking. Add cumin seeds to this oil and wait till it sizzles. Add chopped onion. Fry till translucent.
Add in the ginger, garlic and green chilli paste and cook. Add the powdered masalas and cook it till the raw smell of the powdered spices vanishes. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till mushy. Add water and peas and cook for 5-6 whistles in the pressure cooker or until they are mushy. Allow the pressure cooker to cool down completely and then open it. Puree the cooked ragda till smooth. Season with salt and sugar as per taste.
Raj Kachori
Ingredients:
1 cup (160 gm) fine rava
3 tbsp whole wheat flour
2 tbsp gram flour
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp red chilli powder
¼ tsp fennel powder
⅛ tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp oil
⅛ tsp or 2 to 3 pinches baking soda
7 to 8 tbsp water or add as required
Oil as required – for deep frying
Method:
For the Raj Kachori dough, take fine rava, whole wheat flour (atta) and gram flour (besan) in a mixing bowl. Add salt, red chili powder, fennel powder and black pepper powder. Also add baking soda or 2 to 3 pinches of it. Drizzle oil and with fingertips, mix everything well. Then add 7 to 8 tablespoons of water in parts and begin to knead the dough.
Add water as required and knead to a firm dough. The dough should not be soft. In case the dough looks wet initially, then no need to worry. Continue to knead and the rava will absorb the water eventually. Knead very well for about 10 minutes. If the dough looks dry, then add some more water.
Cover the dough with a moist kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, knead the dough again and make medium sized balls from the dough. Cover the dough balls with a moist kitchen napkin, so that they do not become dry.
Take the dough ball and gently roll it to a 4 to 5 inches diameter round disc. Do not make the kachoris too thin or thick and remember to roll them all out evenly. You can roll all the kachoris and keep them covered with a moist kitchen towel. Or you can simultaneously roll and fry together.
For frying, heat oil for deep frying kachori in a kadai. To test if the oil is hot, add a tiny piece of the dough into the oil. If it floats up gradually and steadily on top, the oil is at the right temperature to fry the kachoris.
Gently slide the kachori into the medium hot oil. The kachori will come up on top in a couple of seconds as soon as you add it. Gently nudge the kachori with the slotted spoon, so that it puffs up.
The kachori should puff up well like a poori. Fry till the base is golden and then turn over the kachori with a slotted spoon and fry the other side.
Gently press the edges with the slotted spoon so that they also get fried well. You can turn the kachori a couple of times to get an even golden colour. Fry till the crust is crisp and golden. Then remove crispy fried kachoris with a slotted spoon and keep on kitchen paper towels for the extra oil to be absorbed. In this way, fry all raj kachoris on medium flame and keep aside.
Lime Pickle Dahi
Ingredients:
3 tbsp dahi
1 tbsp pickle paste
Salt to taste
Method:
Mix all ingredients together to make the Lime Pickle Dahi. Keep in a cool place till ready to use.
To serve:
Take the fried Raj Kachori pooris and make a medium-sized hole on the top. This should be big enough to allow you to fill the different components of the chaat that has been prepared. Add freshly diced onions, pomegranate seeds, sprinkle aloo bhujia and nylon sev, crushed poori, toor mixture. Add a drizzle of lime pickle dahi, and ragda. Serve immediately.
Meat Cutlet
By Chef Regi Mathew, Co-owner & Culinary Director, Kappa Chakka Kandhari (Bangalore & Chennai)
Ingredients:
2 ½ cups meat
1 cup boiled potato
½ cup chopped onion
1 tbsp chopped ginger
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp chopped green chilli
1 tsp pepper powder
1 tsp fennel powder
1 tbsp chopped curry leaves
¼ tsp garam masala powder
1 ½ tbsp coconut oil
Salt to taste
2 eggs
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
Method:
Clean the meat and cut into medium size chunks and marinate with turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and salt. Cook in a thick bottomed pot. Cool the meat and grind it roughly.
Heat coconut oil in a kadai, add ginger, garlic, onion, curry leaves. Sauté until the onion is soft, add turmeric, pepper, fennel and garam masala. Add the meat mix well with masala and mashed potato and allow to cool. Make small balls and shape it into small cutlets. Dip the cutlets into a well beaten egg and deep fried till golden brown. Serve hot.
Mushroom Kizhi
Steamed banana leaf pouches with mushroom and coconut masala flavoured with ‘kodampuli’.
By Chef Regi Mathew, Co-owner & Culinary Director, Kappa Chakka Kandhari (Bangalore & Chennai)
Photo by Vinayak Grover
Ingredients:
25 fresh mushrooms
100 gm sliced shallots
25 gm chopped ginger
20 gm chopped garlic
25 gm chopped green chili
2 strips curry leaves
25ml coconut oil
1 cup grated coconut
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tbs Kudampuli water (Malabar Kokum-soaked water)
Salt to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp freshly ground pepper powder
Method:
Mushroom Filling
Wash and clean the mushrooms well and pat dry. Cut mushrooms into thick slices and marinate with little turmeric powder, lemon juice, salt and set aside. Heat pan with coconut oil, add mustard seed till it crackles, add ginger garlic, green chilli and curry leaves and sauté until the onion turns soft and transparent. Then add chilli turmeric powder and pepper, sauté well, then add marinated mushrooms and cook till almost done, then add grated coconut and kokum water mix, check the seasoning, and set aside.
Kizhi
Take 8 medium size round cut banana leaves and blanch gently on the fire. Spread little coconut oil over each banana leaf and put 6 pieces of mushrooms with the masala. Hold the edges of the banana leaf together and tie the top of banana leaf with fibre from the banana stem to form bundles. Steam for 6-7 minutes and serve hot.
Quick Gun Murg Hen
By Sumit Choudhary, Executive Chef, Monkey Bar
Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts (cut into 7pcs)
20 ml white rum
1 tsp synthetic vinegar
2 tsp caramel
½ tsp white pepper powder
1 tsp chopped ginger
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp coriander powder
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp turmeric
½ tsp galangal
1 tsp green curry paste
½ tsp broth powder
½ tsp chili paste
½ tsp mustard oil
½ tsp coconut vinegar
1 tsp barbeque sauce
2 wooden skewers (soaked overnight)
Basil Mayo – Accompaniment
Method:
Cut the chicken breasts into seven pieces. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl to prepare the marinade. Add the chicken pieces, coating each piece thoroughly with the marinade. Put the pieces onto wooden skewers. Allow the chicken to marinate for minimum 3-4 hours, ideally overnight. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan and sear the chicken for 3 minutes on each side. Lightly baste it with barbeque sauce. Once done, serve hot on a plate with Basil Mayo.
Shanghai Shrimp Dumpling
By Executive Chef Thomas Catley, Tori
200 gm prawns (cleaned and chopped)
20 gm spring onion (chopped)
10 gm oyster sauce
7 gm corn starch
5 gm soy sauce
3 gm baking powder
5 gm sugar
2 gm hondashi (powdered dashi)
Method:
Mix all the ingredients together to make a filling. Wrap with wonton sheets. And poach / steam until cooked.
For sauce:
600 gm chicken stock
5 ml vinegar
25 ml sweet soy
Method:
Mix all the ingredients for the sauce together. Serve dumplings with sauce.
Gianduja Truffle
By Saloni Dabbas, Head Chocolatier, XOCO57 by Foodhall
For the Hazelnut Ganache
Ingredients:
135 gm milk chocolate
60 gm cream
10 gm honey
17 gm hazelnut paste
10 gm butter, softened
15 gm hazelnuts, roasted and roughly chopped
Method:
Heat the cream and pour it over finely chopped chocolate. Let it rest for a minute and then stir to combine. Mix in the honey, hazelnut paste, and chopped roasted hazelnuts.
Mix in the soft butter and chill till crystallised. Once crystallised, portion out 10g and make a small smooth ball. Freeze the tiny ganache truffles. Prepare the truffle coating.
Roll the truffles in the coating and let set. Once the truffles are set and ready, dab lightly in edible gold dust for a festive touch (optional).
For the Truffle Coating
Ingredients:
125 gm hazelnuts, roasted and finely chopped
25 gm cocoa butter
500 gm Callebaut 823 Milk Chocolate
Method:
Melt the chocolate to 40-45°C. Melt the cocoa butter and mix with the chocolate. Temper the melted chocolate and cocoa butter mix. Add in the finely chopped roasted hazelnuts.
Chocolate Pot De Crème with Salted Caramel Popcorn
By Sumit Choudhary, Executive Chef, Monkey Bar
Ingredients:
250 gm cream
125 gm milk
75 gm sugar
4 egg yolks
1 tsp salt
180 gm dark chocolate, chopped
Olive oil- to drizzle
Method:
In a pot add cream, milk, sugar, egg yolk and salt and place it over the fire. On low heat cook the mixture slowly until it reaches a temperature of 81*C (just when the mixture starts to simmer).
In a separate bowl chop chocolate finely and keep aside. When the above mixture comes to 81*C pour it over the chocolate and gently mix it.
Once the mixture is homogeneous, strain it through a fine sieve. Then pour the strained mixture into desired moulds and allow it to set in the fridge overnight.
For Caramel Popcorn
Ingredients:
1 packet microwave butter popcorn
180 gm sugar
150 gm butter
Method:
Make popcorn as per manufacturer’s instructions. In a thick bottom pan add sugar and place it over the fire. Gently mix it until its amber in colour. Once it reaches this colour take off the flame, add in the butter and mix until the butter is well emulsified. Pour the caramel onto the popcorn and mix it until each popcorn is coated with the caramel.
To Serve:
Take the pot du crème glasses out from the fridge and top it up with the caramel popcorn and drizzle some olive oil and serve chilled.
Nut Island
A sugarless treat with Mamra almonds, dry roasted nuts, organic seeds, infused with honey.
By Chef Paul Kinny, Director of Culinary, The St. Regis Mumbai
Ingredients:
600 gm almond powder
350 gm sugar
5 gm cardamom powder
60 gm water
0.2 gm saffron
For Stuffing:
250 gm almonds
250 gm cashew
100 gm pistachio
200 gm honey
100 gm white sesame seeds
For Garnish:
1gm saffron
Method:
Step 1 (Almond saffron sheet)
In a heavy bottomed 15-inch cast iron kadai combine sugar and water. Melt them together without discolouring, when the syrup reaches 112°C add almond powder and saffron to the water and stir continuously.
Cook the mixture on a low flame till it’s combined into a dough-like consistency and add cardamom powder. Immediately remove onto a clean work surface, allow it to cool. Once cooled, handle lightly and knead to get a smooth texture.
Step 2 (Stuffing mixture)
In a heavy bottomed kadai, individually roast each nut which has been roughly chopped prior to roasting. Roast sesame seeds and add all the nuts to it stirring continuously.
Add honey, cardamom powder and saffron to the mixture and combine well. Cool the mixture and store aside.
Step 3 (Shaping the final product)
With the help of a rolling pin, flatten the almond saffron sheet to about 3 mm thickness.
Quick Tip: Roll It between 2 greaseproof papers to get a smooth finish.
With the help of an expandable dough cutter measure 2 Inches and cut the almond saffron sheet to get a perfect 2-inch square. Take the 2-inch square sheets and with the help of a palette knife make diagonal insertions. Place filling in the centre of the square and fold each diagonal flap to make it look like a lotus.
Quick Tip: Use the back of your palette knife to give shape to each sweet.
Garnish with saffron strands.
Arsa
It is a traditional sweet dish famous in the Garhwal and Kumaon Region of Uttarakhand, and is an integral part of “Kaleo” – a return gift on any auspicious ceremony in any household of this region.
By Executive Chef Satya, Taj Rishikesh Resort & Spa, Uttarakhand
Ingredients:
400 gm rice
300 gm cane sugar
600 ml mustard oil
Water as required
Method:
Absorb the rice with water for minimum 6 hours. Drain the water slowly for 4 hours and strain the rice on a muslin cloth.Tie rice in the material. Hold up till the rice starch drips away. Take a mixer or food blender and crush rice to frame a smooth powder. Take a skillet, keep it on medium fire, add water and unadulterated sweetener to the container and heat to boiling point. Cook till it has a string like consistency.
Then combine rice with the cane sugar syrup and prepare dough. From the dough, make small balls and roll them out in the shape of doughnuts. Take an iron kadhai, heat oil in it keeping it on medium flame and deep fry the rolls in it one by one. Wait till they turn golden brown. Transfer on to a plate and serve hot or at room temperature.
Makai ki Galvani
Galvani is a Diwali specialty sweet dish from Ghoda Ghati and Haldi Ghati near Nathdwara in Rajsamand district of Rajasthan. This gluten-free sweet dish is popular amongst the Gujjar and Meena communities of the area and is often served as prasad.
By Executive Chef Anup Gupta, Taj Aravali Resort & Spa, Udaipur
Ingredients:
100 ml ghee
200 gm makki flour
300 gm jaggery
2 litres water
5 gm cardamom powder
Method:
Mix water and jaggery in a vessel and boil it. When the jaggery dissolves completely, filter it and keep it aside. Heat the ghee in a kadhai and add makki flour to it and take another on low flame until it becomes golden.
After the flour is roasted, add jaggery water to it. Keep stirring it so that there are no lumps. Post boiling, cook for two more minutes. Then add cardamom powder mix well and serve hot.
Nutty Chocolate Rocks
By Executive Chef Rajesh Wadhwa, Taj Palace, New Delhi
Ingredients:
250 grams chocolate (dark / milk / white)
Nuts of your choice (cashews / almonds / pistachios / walnuts)
Method:
In a pan, dry roast the nuts over medium flame, until nice and toasted. Be careful not to burn. Allow them to cool.Break the chocolate (each type individually) and microwave for 10 to 15 seconds until melted.
Combine the nuts with the chocolate. Cashews, almonds and walnuts work best with dark or milk. Pistachios pair well with white chocolate. Line a tray with foil. Scoop out spoonfuls of the mixture on the foil-lined tray. Refrigerate until set, and then serve.
Also read:
This World Vegan Day head to these healthy cafés in Mumbai
