CELEBRITY MASTER CHEF DR KAVIRAJ KHIALANI
Diwali is one of my most awaited and loved festivals since childhood. The memories down the lane always leave me cherished with the sound of crackers, the aromas of the sweets and namkeen made in-house by the elders and not to forget the get-together, shopping, new clothes and more!
With time of course we have realized the importance of going green and not to pollute the environment by opting for a noise free and smoke-free Diwali, which is a great thing to do, since it is a festival of lights, colors and food to add the cherry on the cake!
- With time of course we have realized the importance of going green and not to pollute the environment by opting for a noise free and smoke-free Diwali
I often indulged myself into all kinds of Diwali pre-preparations at home and much before we would start with the planning and organizing of the menu, its raw material, the schedule for making them closer to the date, the team work which made it all possible so beautifully with harmony and love and then finally the packing and distributing them among loved ones, family and friends, it was all such a pleasure by its own.
To me the special menus appealed a lot and each year we would try something new as well be it home kitchen or hotel kitchen, our guests too would love to relish the special concoctions we would plan and present them in the very festive manner with the best of the quality and value for money !
Here are some of my all time favourite festive Diwali recipes from starters to dessert for our readers!
Wishing all of you a very happy Diwali and a prosperous year ahead !
Celebrity Master Chef Kaviraj Khialani- Mumbai.
CHAKRI KA CHAKKAR
[A must try veg delight with the goodness of spinach laced with tadke wala paneer -aloo tikiya and a filling of nutty cheese, served hot as a snack/starter]
Ingredients
Spinach- 1 cup, puree- 1 bunch spinach to be blanched.
Potatoes-1 cup, boiled, peeled, mashed/grated.
Paneer- 100 gms, grated.
Ginger-garlic- green chili paste- 1 tbsp
Jeera- 1 tsp
Breadcrumbs- ½ cup for binding/coating
Maida/cornflour- ½ cup as needed for binding/coating.
Oil- 2 tbsp for cooking + for deep/shallow frying.
Salt to taste
Chaat masala- ½ tsp
Red chili pd- ½ tsp
Garam masala pd- ½ tsp
Mint leaves- 2 tbsp chopped
Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp chopped
Aamchur powder-1/2 tsp
For the filling
Chopped nuts of your choice- 2 – 3 tbsp – almonds/pista/cashews/raisins/pinenuts etc
Grated cheese- ½ cup
To serve hot with a dip /chutney/ketchup.
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients for the recipe and set it.
- Start with the oil, add in the jeera, ginger-garlic- chili paste, add in the boiled mashed potatoes, spinach,salt and all masalas.
- Mix well, cook on a low flame for 3 to 4 mins and remove from flame and transfer to a thali/mixing bowl.
- Now add in the binding agents, mint and coriander leaves and mix well, shape into a dough.
- Divide into 12 to 15 equal sized portions to make tikkis, lightly oil your hand and flatten each portion, place a little filling in the center with mixture of cheese and nuts.
- Close each tikki carefully from all sides, coat with dry maida/cornflour and deep or shallow fry. Or make a thick batter of maida and water, dip each tikki in it and then coat with dry breadcrumbs and deep fry until golden browned.
- Serve hot with green chutney/ mint and basil pesto dip/ tomato ketchup/ schezuan chutney etc.
PATAKA CHAAT
[The all time favourite, chaat is a must to have during festivities ! This one is with a fusion touch of elements to add in]
Ingredients
Potatoes- 4 to 5 medium sized, peeled and cut into cubes, deep fried until cooked and golden browned.
Papdi/ flat puries- 10 – 12 nos
Fried noodles/ nylon sev/ bhujiya sev- ½ cup
Soaked boondi- ½ cup
Toasted/slow roasted makhanas- ½ cup- optional
Tamarind chutney- ½ cup
Green chutney- ½ cup
Schezuan chutney- 2 to 3 tbsp
Beaten curd- ½ cup
Chaat masala- 1 tsp
Roasted crushed jeera- 1 tsp
Mint and coriander for garnish
Chopped onion/tomatoes/chilies as desired to add into the chaat.
Fried cashews/ raisins to add as a garnish.
Lime juice- 1 tbsp
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients for the chaat and keep aside.
- Just before serving, start assembling the chaat on a serving platter/plate and add the toppings on the potatoes and papdis.
- Serve the chaat immediately, ideally all ingredients for the topping should be chilled.
- For variations- use mini chana dal vadas, veg manchurian balls, schezuan paneer, cauliflower pakodas, mini veg kachories as well for a variety of chaat options.
SUBZI BEMISAAL
[A rich gravy, colorful veggies, mild flavors and richness of cream and cashew, a perfect dish for a festive mood]
Ingredients
Carrots- ½ cup cubes.
French beans- 6 to 8 nos, cut into pieces.
Cauliflower- ½ cup florets
Paneer- ½ cup cubes.
Potatoes-1/2 cup cubes
Makhana-1/2 cup
Green peas- ½ cup
Pineapple- ½ cup cubes
Capsicum- ½ cup cubes
Cashews- 10 – 12 nos
Raisins- 10 to 12 nos
Fried onions- ½ cup for garnish
Oil- 2 tbsp
Ghee- 1 tbsp
Ginger-garlic paste- 1 tsp
Onion paste- 2 cups- can be boiled/puree and used also
Bayleaf- 1 no
Peppercorns- 4 to 5 nos
Curd- 1 cup, beaten
Cashew paste- 1 tbsp
Fresh cream- 2 to 3 tbsp
Kasuri methi- 1 tsp
Garam masala pd- 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Water as needed.
Rose water -1 tsp
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients for the recipe.
- Deep fry all the major ingredients ideally from carrots to potatoes to makhana and capsicums as well for 2 to 3 mins.
- Heat oil and ghee in a pan, add in the whole spices, add in the boiled/puree of onions and cook it for 4 to 7 mins on medium flame, add water as needed, add in the ginger garlic paste and cook for 2 mins.
- Add in the curd, cashew, cream mixture and blend it well, add salt and garam masala pd and kasuri methi and few drops of rose water as well.
- As the gravy cooks on medium flame add water as needed and also add in the fried veggies and simmer for 4 to 5 mins.
- Serve hot garnished with fried nuts, onions and serve hot with phulkas, rotis, naans, missi rotis etc.
KHUSH MIJAAZ KOFTA CURRY
[A center of attraction on any dinner table, mini veg koftas stuffed with a festive saffron mixture, steeped into a light and pungent gravy]
Ingredients
For the koftas
Boiled grated potatoes- 1 cup
Carrots-2 tbsp grated
Paneer- 2 tbsp grated
Salt to taste
Shahi jeera- 1 tsp
Garam masala powder- ½ tsp
Chaat masala pd- ½ tsp
Breadcrumbs-1/4 cup for binding
Maida/cornflour for binding and coating for frying.
Oil to deep fry
For the stuffing of the koftas
Saffron- ½ gm
Mava/khoya- 100 gms grated
Chopped raisins and cashews- 2 tbsp
Chopped coriander- 2 tbsp
Mix and stuff the koftas and deep fry till golden brown.
For the kofta gravy
Ghee- 2 tbsp
Oil- 1 tbsp
In a saucepan,boil together the following ingredients and puree them
Onions- 3 to 4 nos
Tomatoes- 3 to 4 nos
Ginger- 1 tbsp chopped
Garlic- 1 tsp chopped
Green chilies- 2 tsp chopped
Red chili- 2 nos
Use little water and boil all the above for 15 to 20 mins, cool down and puree the same.
For the gravy
Bayleaf- 2 nos
Cinnamon stick -2 nos
Green and black elaichi- 2 each
Salt to taste
Kasuri methi- 1 tsp
Kashmiri red chili pd- 1 tsp
Garam masala pd- 1 tsp
Curd- 1 cup beaten, add 2 tsp cashew paste and 2 tbsp fresh cream.
Method
- Prepare the koftas, fry and keep them aside.
- Boil the ingredients for the gravy and start the recipe from there onwards.
- Heat oil and ghee, add in the whole spices, add in the puree gravy mix and cook for 2 to 3 mins.
- Add in the salt, kasuri methi, little water if needed, add in the curd, cashew, cream mixture and simmer the gravy for 5 to 7 mins let the oil leave the sides.
- Just before serving add in the koftas into the prepared gravy and immediately serve hot with fresh coriander leaves, a touch of cream/fried onions/ nuts etc, ideal to have with hot laccha parathas, stuffed mint and cheese kulchas etc.
NAZAKAT BHARA SUBZ PULAO
[Steamed basmati rice with the delicate flavor of kewra and touch of nuts and fruits followed by dum, makes it all the more inviting]
Ingredients
Basmati rice- 2 cups, cooked 3/4th by draining method and cooled.
Oil- 2 tsp
Ghee- 2 tbsp
Cinnamon stick – 1 inch piece
Cloves- 3 to 4 nos
Green cardamom- 4 to 5 nos
Mace- 1 piece- javitri
Sliced onions- 1 cup
Pineapple- ½ cup cubes
Apple-1/2 cup cubes
Raisins-2 -3 tbsp lightly fried
Cashews/almonds/walnuts- 3 to 4 tbsp lightly fried/roasted
Kewra essence/water-1 tsp
Saffron soaked in little warm milk- 2 tbsp
Shahi jeera- 1 tsp
Method
- Prepare the rice and keep aside, pre-prepare all other ingredients as well.
- Heat oil and ghee in a heavy bottomed pan, add in the whole spices, add in the shahi jeera and sliced onions and lightly saute until browned
- Place a tava at the base of this container and lower the flame.
- Add in the fruits and layer with rice and sprinkle kewra, saffron in milk on top and finally the nuts.
- Cover this container with a tight fitting lid and give dum for 10 to 15 mins, until a nice steam flows out.
- Lightly mix the pulao and serve hot with a bowl of raita, fried or roasted papad.
MEETHI MUSKAAN
[Nothing more enticing than this one when it comes to the concluding phase of a nice festive meal,add your touch of creativity in this all-time hit dessert]
Ingredients
Sliced bread- 5- 6 sliced, crusts removed, deep fried in oil/ghee.
Saffron flavored Sugar syrup to lightly soak up the fried bread pieces.
Rabdi- 2 cups-ideally home-made with the richness of malai and elaichi.
Grated mava- 2 tbsp
Assorted nuts- 2 to 3 tbsp,as desired
Gulkhand- 2 – 3 tbsp
For additional toppings
Choco- chips/ chocolate sauce/ mango pulp/ saffron flavored shrikhand/ strawberry crush/ peach apricot crush.
Method
- Prepare the bread pieces, fry them ,soak them lightly in the sugar syrup and keep them aside.
- All other ingredients for this dessert to be chilled as well.
- To start assembling this sweet in a dish or a platter, at the base spread some chilled rabdi, drizzle a little gulkhand on it and place the bread pieces, and top with more rabdi.
- Sprinkle mava, nuts and other toppings as per your guest’s choice as well. I personally love doing this as a live counter for each of my guest, it really brings a lot of excitement and amusement to the whole party, and as the name says a meethi muskaan !
- Serve the sweet chilled, we can also pre-assemble it and keep it ready incase of large numbers/house parties etc, also in place of bread I sometimes use chocolate brownie as well lightly crumble them and use it the same way, it is yummy !
Celebrity Master Chef Dr Kaviraj Khialani is a Mumbai-based hotel-restaurant and food consultant. He is specialised in over 33 international cuisines and has quality experience with hotels and airlines as a part of his long journey of over two decades in his chosen field. Chef Kaviraj is a renowned author, academician, food designer, writer and has also been awarded several national awards and global recognitions for his talent & outstanding achievements. Besides having been featured on several food shows on ColorsTV and Star Plus he is a mentor, coach and guide to aspiring to be future chefs and hoteliers of tomorrow.
He can be contacted at twitter: @kaviraj_chef, Mobile: 91 9820939336.
