Bursts of sparkle, startling bangs, vibrant rangolis, a game of cards, a roll of the dice, and the best of clothes — yes, Diwali is all that, but not just. Diwali is also about piping hot gulab jamun stuffed with saffron and pistachio, spicy mathri and crunchy sev, and mounds of motichoor waiting to be sculpted into those perfect orbs. In other words, the festival of lights can also be an exhilarating flavour fest. And the finest Diwali delicacies are usually made right at home. Here’s a tour of special delicacies from all over India.
East
In Bengal, Diwali coincides with Kali Puja, and the bhog offered to the goddess is a treat you can’t miss. Usually there is spicy and slightly runny khichuri (khichdi) or typical Bengali mishti pulao chockfull with cashew nuts and raisins, accompanied by a host of scrumptious fries and delicious curries, and rounded off with creamy paayesh (rice or semolina pudding). The ritual sacrifice of a goat during Kali Puja is still prevalent in Bengal and, interestingly, the meat is prepared without onion or garlic since they’re considered non-vegetarian. As a result, the dish has a curious name – niramish (vegetarian) mangsho (meat).
In Odisha, traditional cottage cheese-based sweets like chhena pora and rasabali are Diwali favourites. Equally indispensable to the feast is the buddha chakuli for which the batter is made with ground black gram, cottage cheese, coconut, rice flour and jaggery, spiced with cardamom and ginger, and then fried in ghee, like pancakes.
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West
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via Lonely Planet India
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