A week before Diwali, most Indian homes look the same — floors scrubbed clean, old boxes pulled down, and families gathered on the floor, shaping dough, stirring jaggery, and swapping stories between recipes. These small rituals are what make the festival feel like home.
But somewhere along the way, a few of these festive dishes have started to disappear from our kitchens. Not because we’ve stopped loving them, but because our fast-paced lives rarely leave time to keep them alive.
So here’s a little trip down memory lane — a reminder of the sweets and snacks that once filled our homes with the smell of ghee and celebration. Maybe this Diwali, it’s time to bring them back.
1. Mawa Gujia
A North Indian staple, especially in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra, mawa gujia is a modak-like, crisp sweet filled with coconut and dry fruits, then deep-fried in ghee. Families make it ahead of time and savour it through the Diwali week.
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Quick recipe:
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Prepare the filling: Mix grated coconut, khoya(mawa), chopped nuts, and a pinch of cardamom.
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Make the dough:Knead all-purpose flour with ghee and a little water to form a soft dough.
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Shape and fill:Roll small discs of dough, place a spoonful of filling in the centre, and fold into a half-moon, sealing the edges.
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Fry:Deep-fry in ghee until golden brown. Cool slightly and enjoy!
2. Tirunelveli Special Ukkarai
A South Indian sweet made in many Tamil homes before Diwali, Ukkaraicombines chana dal (split Bengal gram), jaggery, and ghee, offering a delightful balance of flavours and textures.
Quick recipe:
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Roast and soak dal: Dry-roast chana dal until aromatic, then soak for two hours in hot water.
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Grind dal and coconut: Drain the dal and grind coarsely with grated coconut and a little water.
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Prepare jaggery syrup:Melt jaggery in hot water, strain, and boil until it reaches soft-ball consistency.
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Crumble the dal mixture:Heat sesame oil and ghee, then add the dal mixture and sauté until soft and crumbly.
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Combine and cook:Add the jaggery syrup and cardamom powder, mixing well until cohesive.
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Garnish:Add roasted cashews and stir through.
3. Suran ki Sabzi
Also called jimikandor elephant foot yam stir-fry, this North Indian Diwali side pairs boiled yam with yoghurt and spices. It sits well with roti or rice.
Quick recipe:
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Prepare the yam:Grease your hands and knife with oil to prevent irritation. Peel and cube the yam, then wash well.
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Boil: Pressure-cook with turmeric and water for three to four whistles. Drain excess water.
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Make spice mix: Combine red chilli flakes, coriander powder, mango powder, garam masala, and salt.
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Tempering: Heat mustard oil, add cumin seeds, carom seeds, asafoetida, and cloves; sauté until aromatic.
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Cook the yam:Add the boiled yam and stir gently.
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Add spices and yoghurt: Mix thoroughly and cook for five to seven minutes.
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Finish: Garnish with chopped coriander.
4. Anarsa
Crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, anarsais a much-loved Diwali delicacy in Maharashtra and Bihar. Made from rice and jaggery, it is coated in poppy seeds before being fried in ghee.
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Quick recipe:
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Soak rice for three days, changing the water daily.
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Drain and dry lightly, then grind into fine rice flour.
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Mix with jaggery to form a dough; add milk or banana if needed for binding.
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Rest the dough for at least a day in an airtight container
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Flatten small balls of dough on poppy seeds.
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Fry in ghee, poppy-seed side up, until golden and crisp.
5. Namakpare and Shakarpare
The names literally translate to ‘salty pieces’ and ‘sugary pieces’ respectively. These flaky snacks are famous across India and are made in almost every home ahead of Diwali. They can be stored for weeks and pair perfectly with tea or coffee.
Shakarpare
Quick recipe:
Ingredients:Whole wheat flour (two cups), ghee (two tbsp), water (half cup).
Mix ingredients to form a soft dough.
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Roll out thickly and cut into diamond shapes.
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Deep-fry until golden brown.
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Prepare a sugar syrup with one cup of sugar and half a cup of water. Simmer until sticky.
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Coat the fried pieces in syrup and cool.
Namakpare
Ingredients:Wholewheat flour (one cup), refined flour (one cup),ajwain(one teaspoon), salt to taste, baking soda (one-fourth teaspoon), ghee or oil (two tablespoons), water (half a cup or as needed).
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Mix ingredients to form a firm dough.
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Roll out to medium thickness and cut into diamonds or squares.
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Deep-fry until golden and crisp.
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Drain on paper towels.
Sources:
‘Gujia recipe’: by Meeta Arora, Published on 12 September 2023.
‘Ukkarai recipe’: by Vidya Srinivasan, Published on 2 November 2023.
‘ Namakpare and Shakarpare recipe’: by Ankit Agarwal, Published on 8 November 2023.
‘Suran ki Subzi recipe’: by Anjana Chaturvedi, Published on 20 August 2020.
‘Anarsa recipe’, by Poonam Bachhav , Published on 8 July 2015.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thebetterindia.com