EAT: Deepavali delights

2009/10/10

ANUSHA K

ANUSHA K. shares recipes for the coming festive season.

DEEPAVALI, also known as the Festival of Lights, is celebrated throughout the world by Hindus.
During this auspicious time, the house is cleaned thoroughly and festive meals are prepared.
The celebration for me usually starts weeks before, preparing sweet delicacies like biscuits, to savories like murukku.
On Deepavali day, a scrumptious lunch is prepared by Mum, with appetisers like tosai to mouth-watering chicken kurma and fragrant saffron rice. It’s something I look forward to each year.
Foodiesnfriends recently organised a cooking class show casing a variety of Indian dishes for the festive season.
The Indian culinary expert is none other than Manju Saigal, who has many years’ experience conducting such classes.
Students were taught to make an appetiser, a dessert, side dishes and the mains, the Bengali Royal Rice.
Besides providing tips and short-cuts to save time during an open house, Manju also taught simple things like rolling out the dough accurately.
After the demonstration, we were allowed to sample some of the dishes.
The cuisine for the day was North Indian fare and the first appetiser was Papri Chaat, which are small crackers deep-fried until golden brown.

Papri Chaat garnished with boiled chickpeas and tamarind chutney.

With boiled chickpeas and chutney as a garnish, it was a delightful crunchy appetiser.
My favourite, however, was the Bengali Royal Rice. The buttery grains are sauteed with ghee and a variety of nuts, and the result is simply something to die for.
For a different twist to briyani rice, Manju added paneer (cottage cheese) to the rice to give it a North Indian flavour. Eat it with a little tamarind chutney for a sweet-sour finish.
Ending the meal on a sweet note is the Kalakand (milk sweet). Sinfully sweet and delicious, this milky dessert literally melts in your mouth.
It’s garnished with a sprinkling of pistachio nuts.
Below are the recipes of some of the dishes learnt during the class.
For more information on gourmet tours or cookery classes, visit www.foodiesnfriends.com.my.
Here’s wishing you a blessed Deepavali!

Healthy and delicious Semolina Cake.