Deepavali / The Magical Night Of Festivity And Merriment

The magical sparkle of thousand lamps that shines like tiny star against the dark sky. The colorful and intricately designed rangolis adorning the doorsteps, courtyards and temple entrances. The scent of bright yellow and orange marigold adorning the toran on entrance way,  the joyous moments of family get together, cheerful friendliness with merriment abound.

The sound of bursting crackers, the infectious smile and frivolity in every happy faces, new clothes that glitters as much as the sparklers. Hand picked gifts for the loved ones,  scent of sandalwood incense, sometimes jasmine that fills the air with its redolence, the sublime aura, retelling of legendary stories of Rama and Krishna (Narak Chaturdeshi). The ultimate victory of good over evil, revisiting the folklores of Lakshmi and submitting oneself to the divine mother Ma Kali to seek her blessings. To strengthen and resurrect our faith in the goodness, in the justice that prevails at the end, no matter what may comes.

Shubh Deepawali

 

And in India no festival is complete without sweet dishes, to spread love and sweetness around you, to dissolve the boundaries of all sorts…rejoice and celebrate life. Peace be upon us.

Traditional Diwali sweet platter

(an exhaustive 40 + list of Indian Sweets For Diwali) that is rooted deep in our culture, traditions and heritage-

1) Kheer / Payasam –

If there is any dish that is as ancient as the human civilization itself, it is the paramanna or payesh or payasam or kheer as we commonly know it. Rice and milk boiled together and sweetened with sugar cane was the food that has been the traditional offering to the gods for thousands of years. The first food that child eats in Indian culture and here birthday celebrations and festivals remain incomplete without this.

Kheer / Bengali payesh

Kaju barfi malai / cashew fudge rabdi

Orange basundi

Sago pudding / tapioca pearl pudding Thai style

Sheer Khurma / Meethi Seviyan / Semiya Payasam

Phool Makhane Ki Kheer / Fox nut Seed Kheer

Mango Phirni

2) My All Time Favourite Bengali Sweets For Diwali

Rasgulla / Roshogolla

Rasmalai

Malai Chamcham

Malai Chop

Baked Malai Sandesh

Mango Sandesh

Baked Rasgulla

Khirer / Khoya Sandesh

Bengali Chanar / Chenna Payesh

 

3) Barfi / Fudge, Peda & Laddoos –

from beetroot, bottle gourd to apple, coconut, milk, paneer we Indians exactly know how to turn everything into fudgy fudge, or better still roll them into tiny spherical sweet bombs called laddoos, the melt in mouth kind ghee laden barfi & laddoo.

Amaranth almond fudge / barfi

Carrot coconut barfi

Orange milk fudge / mawe ki barfi

Kalakand / milk fudge

Malai Peda

Fig and chocolate fudge / anjeer halwa

Narkel naru / coconut jaggery laddoo

Angoori petha / white pmpkin candy

Til badam ki chikki / sesame almond brittle

Jowar /Sorghum Almond Ladoo

4) The sweet mix platter without which Diwali looks pale –

Rajashthani Mawe ki kachori / fried pastry

Sweet Boondi / Meethi Boondi

Bengali chhena / paneer jalebi

Malpua & rabdi

Baked gujiya with chocolate flavour

 

5) Diwali Fusion Desserts

From the not so traditional sweet platter, best of west meet desi style fusion sweet dishes that diffuse the boundaries and sweeten the heart.

No bake chocolate tart

Carrot halwa tart

Thandai spiced pannacotta

Whole wheat nut and seed slice

No Bake Mango Kalakand Tart

Granola Tart With Sitaphal Rabdi

Chocolate Truffles

 

And last but not least, the omnipresent gulab jamun without which no celebration in India is complete. But let’s make it little healthy, not the maida jamuns, nor the bread jamuns but made with superfood “Sweet Potatoes” or shakarkandi as called in Hindi.

Sweet potato jamuns

 

From the Diwali Snacks savory platter –

Peas kachori

Cornish pasties (you can use veg / paneer filling as well)

Cheesy tomato hearts

Bhaja pithe / coconut stuffed lentil shells

Sweet potato tikki

Beetroot chop / cutlet

Papad / spice crusted paneer tikka in green chutney

Bengali Ghugni / yellow pea curry (no onion no garlic)

Sabudana Vada

Bengali Gobhi Samosa

 

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Sukanya