Diwali Festival: Savoury Favourites

Diwali is an ancient Hindu festival that is held every year across all regions of India. It is a celebration of the victory of good over evil and of light over darkness, hence earning itself the nickname, the ‘festival of lights.’

Food plays a significant role in the five-day festival, in particular Indian sweets. During Diwali, it is customary for people to exchange sweets with their neighbours, friends and family. Generally speaking, the women of the household will spend days preparing food for the festival. Different foods will be eaten on different days with the third day of the festival, known as Diwali, typically involving the largest feast.

In addition to sweets, Diwali is also synonymous with an array of savoury snacks and dishes. The festival is mainly a vegetarian affair, with the snacks and dishes prepared making good use of ingredients such as spinach, chick peas, coconut, cabbage and potatoes, to name a few. These foods are typically prepared at home, and the way it is served and eaten will depend on the individual culture and traditions of that specific region.

Many of the savoury snacks prepared during Diwali require frying the ingredients. The act of heating up the oil is closely linked with the celebration of burning and lighting something for the festival.

One common preparation is Dahi Bhalle, which a simple snack comprising of lentil balls that are fried and served with an assortment of chutneys and yoghurt. Pakoras are another popular snack and are similar to Dahi Bhalle. They are deep-fried fritters that are made with vegetables (such as spinach and cauliflower), onions, spices and gram flour. They are commonly served with yoghurt, which cleanses and cools the palate.

Aloo tikka is another favourite snack served during Diwali. Originating in North India, Aloo Tikki is a prepared with boiled potatoes and a handful of spices. It is a similar shape to a patty or a croquette, and is commonly served with yoghurt, chick peas, and several different-flavoured chutneys. Another Diwali favourite is Gathiya, a deep-fried, yellow snack made from the dough of gram flour. The snack is prepared with an assortment of spices, including chili powder, turmeric and black pepper.

Mathiya, in particular, is popular with Gujarati households during Diwali. The snack is sweet, spicy and salty.To prepare it, lentil flour is mixed with a handful of spices,then water is added to the mix to enable kneading of the dough. This dough is then made into ball before being rolled out to flat discs, resembling the shape of puris. These ‘discs’ are then deep-fried until they turn golden brown.

For Indian people, preparing and eating flavour some food is a vital part of their celebrations. If you’ve got a reason to celebrate, or if you simply want to sample mouth-watering Indian fare, why not get yourself down to one of London’s fine dining Indian restaurants? In these establishments, the chefs use only the finest ingredients to create dishes that are unmatchable in taste and in flavour, providing guests with a culinary experience they won’t ever forget.