Diwali is the festival of lights. According to me, it is the most celebrated Hindu festival. It is celebrated on the amawasya of Karthik month. Amawasya is no moon day. The darkness due to the absence of the moon is swapped with the brightness of diya, candles, and decorative lights. Each and every house shines bright and vibrant. People wear the best of their clothes. Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped on this day.
Food, is an important part of the smallest occasion that is celebrated. So it is for the grand festival of Diwali. A number of Diwali recipes are prepared. Diwali sweets are prepared for the family as well as gifts to the dear ones. Likewise, Diwali snacks are munched on and offered to guests. Nothing can beat the taste of homemade diwali sweets.
Diwali parties and Diwali dinner are also important events. People call over their friends and extended families for the Diwali party. They spend time eating good food, exchanging gifts, playing cards, etc. Likewise, for Diwali dinner, a number of dishes are prepared and feasted upon by the family.
I start off with the Diwali recipes for snacks preparation approximately 7-10 days before Diwali. This is because the snacks have a good shelf life and can easily stay good till Diwali, of course, if they last that long. Next, I make Diwali sweets, starting off with the ones with longer shelf life.
We often host a Diwali party on dhanteras, i.e. 2 days before Diwali. For the party, I prepare mini-meals or a meal comprising of a party starter, gravy preparation, side dish, salad, paratha/roti, dessert, etc.
On Diwali, I make no onion no garlic food which generally comprises poori, sabji and dessert/sweet.
We all love trying and making different Diwali Recipes. And therefore already on the blog, there are quite a number of Diwali recipes categorized as following:
So that’s a lot of cooking and therefore there are a lot of Diwali recipes. I have categorized the Diwali recipes into
Let’s begin with something sweet –
Besan Ladoo
Besan ladoo is a ball-shaped Indian sweet that is made with gram flour sugar and clarified butter. It has an awesome flavor of roasted gram flour combined with the rich flavor of ghee. To enhance these flavors some cardamom and nuts are added.
View the recipe here.
Nankhatai
1 bowl, 4 ingredients, 12 minutes and you have buttery, melt in the mouth, super delicious nankhatai recipe. This recipe uses all-purpose flour and very little gram flour.
View the recipe here.
Mohanthal
Absolutely delicious fudge made using gram flour (besan), ghee and sugar syrup which just melts in the mouth and keeps you craving for more and more is Mohanthal.
View the recipe here.
Churma Ladoo
Earthy and divine! Wheat balls crushed, sweetened and bathed with ghee! Churma Ladoo Recipe, a must preparation at my place on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, teej etc.
View the recipe here.
Chocolate Peda
Peda is a fudgy Indian sweet prepared with mawa/whole dried milk and sugar. Peda with chocolate flavor using cocoa powder is chocolate peda.
View the recipe here.
Mawa Gujiya
A deep-fried dumpling with a flaky crust and sweetened stuffing, a must preparation or a must-have in the Indian households on the festival of Holi, Diwali, etc.
View the recipe here.
Meethi Boondi
Meethi boondi is a deep-fried tiny ball made up of gram flour which is absolutely juicy and sweet. Meethi boondi is often distributed as prasad in temples etc.
View the recipe here.
Malai Ladoo
Malai ladoo is a mildly sweet Indian sweet that is very soft and “melts in the mouth” with the hints of kewra and cardamom. It is made up of cottage cheese (paneer) and condensed milk and is very quick and easy to make
View the recipe here.
Mawa Peda
Peda is a sweet dish recipe prepared using khoya. It is mildly flavored with cardamom, has a soft texture and simply melts in the mouth.
View the recipe here.
7 cup barfi
A soft burfi of besan having the divine flavor of coconut very simple to make. This is a very popular Indian sweet usually made on special occasions, but you could make it on weekends or for dessert or whenever you want.
View the recipe here.
Nariyal Pag
Nariyal pag/barfi recipe is a simple coconut barfi, prepared during navaratras and is used as fasting dessert. Its tempering taste gives you a perfect balance of sweetness and khoya(coconut) and some dry fruits and makhane to it for variations.
View the recipe here.
Rose Coconut Ladoo
Rose flavored coconut ladoo… coconut doesn’t need any additional flavoring. It’s a star in itself. At times you might want to break the monotony. At times you might want to do something festive.
View the recipe here.
Besan Churma
Choorma is a dessert that comes from the state of Rajasthan. Rajasthani choorma recipe involves coarsely grinding the whole wheat dumplings and adding clarified butter (ghee) and powdered sugar, which gives it the earthy flavors it has.
View the recipe here.
Boondi Ladoo
Boondi Ladoo is a ball-shaped sweet popular in the Indian subcontinent. They are made of boondis, which is an Indian Rajasthani snack item made from sweetened, fried flour.
View the recipe here.
Chhena Murki
Chhena Murki is a Bengali dessert recipe that is prepared using cottage cheese and sugar syrup. It is very simple and easy to make. It is a very quick dessert recipe. Soft paneer coated with sugar along with the flavor of cardamom and rose water makes this dessert very flavourful.
View the recipe here.
Namakpare
Namak pare is a flaky savory deep-fried item that is very popular in Indian households. Every mom has her recipe for pare. these khasta pare are flavored with carom seeds and are the best accompaniment for tea
View the recipe here.
Ribbon Pakoda
Ribbon pakoda is a super crisp South Indian snack that has an interesting shape and texture and simple flavors. This ribbon pakoda recipe is prepared with rice flour and gram flour, flavored with asafetida, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, red chili powder, and turmeric powder.
View the recipe here.
Nimki
Nimki is an Indian snack recipe from the state of West Bengal. It is a deep-fried snack made with all-purpose flour. It has layers and is absolutely crispy.
View the recipe here.
Murmure Namkeen
Murmura is puffed rice and murmure namkeen is an Indian snack using puffed rice along with a few more ingredients such as garlic, peanuts, curry leaves and spices such as turmeric powder, red chili powder etc.
View the recipe here.
Roasted Masala Peanuts
Roasted masala peanuts are mildly spiced peanut roasted to make crackling and toothsome. It makes for a nice tea time snack or appetizer and is indispensable for dishes like dabeli and other chaats.
View the recipe here.
Wheat Flour Mathri
Whole wheat flour mathri is a deep-fried snack, mildly flavored with carom seeds (ajwain) and turmeric powder. Turmeric powder not only makes these look pretty but also adds a subtle flavor that works great for the recipe.
View the recipe here.
Roasted Poha Chivda
Crisp and crunchy poha (flattened rice) with the bite of roasted peanuts, almonds and cashews, a hint of cumin seeds, curry leaves, green chilies and few spices, a guilt-free snack for your tea time or munching sessions, is roasted poha namkeen.
View the recipe here.
Khasta Mathri
Khasta Mathri is flaky (as the name suggests) deep-fried snack made using all-purpose flour. Mathri is commonly made in Indian households.
View the recipe here.
Papdi for chaat
Papdi is a crispy and flaky deep-fried savory goodie made using all-purpose flour flavored. Papdi can be taken to another level by adding yogurt and chutneys and few more ingredients and converting to papdi chaat
View the recipe here.
Stuffed Mathri
Mathri is a savory, crispy and flaky deep-fried snack made using all-purpose flour (generally). Mathri has a very delightful stuffing of gram flour (besan) and spices. Mathris can be prepared and preserved and served with a cup of tea or to satisfy hunger pangs.
View the recipe here.
Paneer Tikka (on tawa)
Cubes of cottage cheese along with onions and bell peppers marinated in yogurt and spices and other ingredients, grilled to cook, given the tandoori flavor and charred effect without any tandoor, to make India’s most popular appetizer, paneer tikka
View the recipe here.
Hara Bhara Kabab
Hara bhara kebab is an absolutely flavoury yet wholesome snack or starter that can be prepared effortlessly. Hara bhara kebab is prepared with spinach, green peas, and potatoes and has the flavors of ginger, garlic, green chili.
View the recipe here.
Paneer Pakoda
Flavorful chunks of paneer dipped and coated with gram flour batter and deep-fried to make a paneer snack to be loved by one and all are paneer pakora.
View the recipe here.
Veg Seekh Kabab
Absolutely flavorsome and healthful snack prepared using vegetables and spices, with the kick of ginger, garlic, and chilies, is veg seekh kabab.
View the recipe here.
Tandoori Aloo
Tandoori Aloo is a grilled snack or starter made using baby potatoes. It is spicy and tangy with the flavors of ginger, garlic, mint and fenugreek leaves. It has a sharp flavor of mustard oil that makes it very delicious.
View the recipe here.
Masala Papad
Fried papad topped with chopped vegetables seasoned with chaat masala and lemon juice, this simple dish can give nice kick to any simple meal.
View the recipe here.
Stuffed Tomato
Crisp and juicy tomatoes, stuffed with flavorsome and spiced potato and paneer mixture, topped with grated cheese, baked till tender yet firm; are stuffed tomatoes recipe.
View the recipe here.
Pickled Vegetables
Assorted crunchy vegetables soaked in flavorsome vinegar water are pickled vegetables. Crisp veggies turn slightly tangy, sweet and savory and make such a delightful salad.
View the recipe here.
Chana Cone Garam
It combines chana with boiled sweet corn to make a fusion dish and an interesting party appetizer. With Diwali around the corner, I have been experimenting with the recipes to create something new and innovative.
View the recipe here.
Soya Matar Kabab
Kebab is basically a dish made with the meat of mutton or lamb. But we talk vegetarian, so we will be making some veg kebabs having same flavors and texture. Crispy exterior, melt in mouth interior, just as kebabs should be!
View the recipe here.
Butter Paneer Masala
Butter paneer masala is one of the most popular main course recipes of North India. Cottage cheese i.e. paneer is cooked in scrumptious gravy which has the perfect balance of flavors. You might also like our collection of Paneer Gravies.
View the recipe here.
Kesar Poori
Kesar Poori is whole wheat deep fried bread which has an unexplored flavor of saffron and gorgeous color. You might like our collection of poori recipes.
View the recipe here.
Peshawari Chole
Absolutely flavorsome Punjabi chole cooked under the influence of Peshawari cuisine is Peshawari chole. Peshawari cuisine calls for the use of spices but ensures to maintain the original taste of the dish. You might like our collection of chole recipes.
View the recipe here.
Dum Aloo
No onion no garlic dum aloo preparation that bursts with the flavor of spices, ginger, green chili etc is dum aloo Banarasi. Although onion and garlic are not used in this recipe of dum aloo Banarasi, yet it is spicy and totally delish.
View the recipe here.
Methi Malai Matar
Methi malaimatar has the sharpness of methi and the sweetness of malai and matar. And there has got to be a balance between the two. I never found that balance with the earlier recipes.
View the recipe here.
Malai Kofta
Melt in mouth dumplings made of potato and paneer cooked in very smooth and flavourful gravy, which is so creamy and delish is malai kofta in white gravy.
View the recipe here.
Mix Veg
Assorted vegetables cooked to perfection, added in smooth and scrumptious gravy to make a wholesome mix veg curry. Currys made with Indian recipes are very flavorful. And mix veg recipe has a blend of so many veggies.
View the recipe here.
Rajasthani Gatte
Soft and melt in mouth gram flour dumplings with the hint of fenugreek leaves, cooked in a spicy, flavorsome and delectable gravy, is Dhaba Style Rajasthani Gatte. You might also like other Rajasthani recipes.
View the recipe here.
Mushroom Masala
Button mushroom cooked in rich and spicy gravy is mushroom masala. Mushrooms lovers can’t miss trying this particular recipe. A mushroom can be served with simple chapatis or parathas.
View the recipe here.
Dal Bukhara
Dal Bukhara has a tomato base with the flavours of ginger and garlic and lots and lots of butter and cream. Yes and you cannot compromise on that.
View the recipe here.
Raita Recipes
Raita is basically a mixture of well-whisked yogurt (dahi) and vegetables/fruits/spices. A very simple and basic meal can be elevated with good raita. Not many and special ingredients are required to make raita.
View the collection of Raita recipes here.
Dry Fruit Kheer
Kheer recipe is one of the easiest sweet recipes. Milk is simmered with the main and other flavoring agents and sweetened with sugar to make dry fruit kheer. This is one of the traditional dessert recipes. You might also like our collection of kheer recipes.
View the recipe here.
Pineapple Kesari
Indian recipe for a dessert which has a gorgeous kesari color and distinct fruity flavor, is pineapple kesari. It can be said to be a sooji halwa which is infused with the flavor of pineapple, with a hint of saffron.
View the recipe here.
Meethe Chawal
Delightful and sugary rice with flavors of saffron, coconut, cinnamon, cardamom etc is meethe chawal. It has a gorgeous yellow color. It is commonly prepared on the occasion of Basant Panchami.
View the recipe here.
Fruit Cream
Fruit Cream Recipe is a dessert that uses heavy cream and lots of fruits and some nuts. The addition of fruits makes it really attractive and colorful. You might like our collection of cold dessert recipes.
View the recipe here.
Meethi Seviyan
Vermicelli cooked in sugar syrup to make a dessert absolutely delicious. Meethi semiya is more about patience than ingredients and instructions.
View the recipe here.
