The festival of lights and fireworks is synonymous with sweets. It is customary to exchange sweets and savouries with friends, family and neighbours. A joyful time, people gather and celebrate the triumph of good over evil. A satiating meal is like a cherry on the icing of any festival.
In India, a lot of importance is given to sweets during any celebration. For Deepavali, the most popular ones are — jalebis, gulab jamun, kheer, gajar ka halwa and suji halwa. And, of course, once you gorge on these remarkable sweets, you long for savouries, and sure enough, they are at hand. Take your pick from dahi-bhalle, pakora, ghathiya and aloo tikki.
Now, accompany us on the foodie express as we go across the country.
Mawa kachoris:
Rajasthanis gorge on this rich dry fruit and khoya - stuffed golden-fried kachoris. They are coated in sugar syrup to enhance the taste.
Bhakarwadi:
For the Gujaratis, the festival is not complete without this. These are made with gram flour, shaped into spirals and stuffed with a mixture of coconut, sesame seeds and poppy seeds.
Sev chivda:
An essential part of Maharashtrian cuisine, this is a crunchy mix of beaten rice, sev, nuts and dry fruits.
Kheel batasha:
Delhi and Batasha go hand in hand. Apart from the conventional drop-shaped batasha, these crystalline sweets also come in shapes of toys and animals during the festival.
Chakli:
Popular in Karnataka, this deep fried crispy snack is made of rice flour. It is spiral shaped and has a spiked surface. It is also known as murukku in South India.
Sheera:
Popularly known as halwa, this is a staple food in Uttar Pradesh at this time. This variation is sticky and is made with semolina rava, gram flour and nuts and is a side dish for pooris.
Chironji ki barfi:
Chironji is an almond-flavoured seed and is used as a spice. However, during Deepavali it is made into a barfi and this is popular in Madhya Pradesh.
Adhirasam:
This delicacy is most favoured in Tamil Nadu. Prepared with sugar, jaggery, cardamom and rice powder, you can’t stop with just one.
Choddo shaak:
Choddo shaak or 14 varieties of leafy greens is eaten a day before Kali Puja in West Bengal. This meal is packed with vitamins, minerals and nutrients, and is considered a stomach cleanser.
Bobbatlu:
This thin wheat flour roti has a yummy stuffing made of grated jaggery, coconut and toor dal and is a delicacy for the people in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Nimki:
A deep fried crunchy snack, this is a delight in every household in Bihar. Made with wheat flour, salt and black jeera, what makes it special is that it can be stored and relished over a period of time.
