Diwali Recipes

If you are like me and like the taste of besan in sweets, then you will love Besan Laddu. What is even better is that it is very easy to make and it keeps well for many days. Not that it will last that long.

This is a simple but delicious recipe for Kulfi (Indian Ice Cream) that I got from my sister-in-law. I have made this several times, and it always gets rave reviews - even the kids love it! For extra flavor, you could add a few drops of rose water or ground pistachios.

Malpua is an Indian pancake-like dessert fried in oodles of ghee and sugar syrup. The traditional sweet has been a festive staple since eons. For the longest time in Indian households, malpuas were associated with something celebratory. This is very popular in Northern and Eastern part of the country and the history goes back to the days of Aryans. This mouthwatering dish is prepared nowadays during Eid or Holi or during Diwali.

This is a very famous Hyderabadi dish and is a very simple, but rich dessert. It is great for a large dinner party as the recipe can be easily multiplied to make more. It is best eaten chilled. If available, you can add a few drops of Kewra essence to the milk mixture once it has cooled.

For a traditional Pakistani/Indian dish, simmer tender morsels of chicken in a creamy, spicy blend of onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin, tomatoes, yogurt, mint, cardamom and cinnamon. Finish by steaming with fragrant saffron rice and potatoes.

A healthier alternative to the deep-fried onion bhajis you find in Indian restaurants. These are baked and exceedingly tasty. They are sweet, tender and very Moorish. Serve hot as an appetizer or starter.

These are very yummy, and if any of you have ever had Japanese tempura coated veggies, you'll love this recipe. It's similar, yet it is unique in it's taste. Serve with a chili sauce, mint yogurt sauce, or sweet and sour sauce. Try other vegetables for dipping, such as sweet potatoes, broccoli and asparagus.

Ever go to an Indian restaurant and wonder how they make those lentils? I hated lentils before I discovered Indian food. Then I scoured the internet to figure out how they achieved them, and through mixing and matching recipes and methods on videos, I've arrived at this recipe, which I think is pretty close. This version is very rich, but you can leave out the cream to make it lighter. Kasuri methi (fenugreek leaves) is almost impossible to find in the U.S., even in NYC, but it gives this dish something very special.

All the things you love about pakoras but without the guilt by air frying instead of deep frying. Don't forget the yogurt dipping sauce!

This is a traditional Indian dessert. Spongy milky balls soaked in rose scented syrup. Delicious with fresh cream, Kulfi, ice cream etc. To make it even more fancy, sprinkle gold-leaf on top of each serving.

These stuffed savory pastries are a traditional Indian favorite. Lamb meat and spices are cooked together to create a mouthwatering filling for the easy to make dough. The recipe may seem complex, but it's actually fairly simple. Enjoy!

Tandoori chicken gets its name from the clay oven it is traditionally cooked in, the tandoor. The chicken is marinated in yogurt and an incredibly complex mix of spices, and then roasted in the extremely hot tandoor oven. Don't worry if you don't have a tandoor clay oven sitting in the backyard; a grill will work just fine.