Chefs from around the country share their favourite Diwali food memories – Firstpost

Diwali celebrations are incomplete without food especially sweets. Here we have some chefs talking about their food memories and their favourite recipes which you can try at home too.

Chef Sachin Malik, Executive Chef at Radisson Blu, Noida
During the festive season, I have always cherished Panjiri. It reminds me of the good old days when festivals were a time of celebration with close family and friends.
A traditional Punjabi recipe that you cannot ditch this festive season is Panjiri. This is a dry sweet in the form of powder. This is prepared by roasting whole wheat flour in desi ghee and adding jaggery once it’s done. Further, roasted dry fruits are added to boost flavour and texture.
Recipe: traditional panjiri with the twist of rose

Ingredients

Wheat flour 2.5 cup
Cashew 1 cup
Almond 1 cup
Pistachio 2/3 cup
Raisin 1 cup
Melon seed 1/2 cup
Fox nut (Puffed Lotus Seed) 2/3 cup
Dried rose petals 4 tbsp
Jaggery powder 1 cup
Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp
Ghee 2/3 cup
Rose Water : 2tbsp

Method
• Heat a pan first.
• Dry roast cashews, almonds, pistachios, melon seeds, fox nuts separately and keep in a plate.
• Next heat ghee in the pan and add in wheat flour.
• Fry till flour turns light brown in color and releases a nice aroma.
• Turn off heat and add the jaggery powder along with raisin and cardamom powder , Rose petals & water..
• Keeping 25% of each dry roasted ingredient aside makes a coarse powder of rest.
• Roughly chop those whole dry roasted ingredients and add to the wheat flour mixture along with the coarse powder.
• Mix everything very well and allow cooling down completely.
• Keep in an air tight container and serve as desired

Chef Ajay Chopra

During the festive season, my kitchen buzzes with excitement as I prepare my Milky Walnut Rose Bar. The rich aroma of melting white chocolate brings back memories of my grandmother’s holiday treats. I can still hear her laughter as we mixed sweet and aromatic spices together.

Recipe: Milky Walnut Rose Bar
Ingredients:
1 cup roughly chopped Chile Walnuts
2 cups white chocolate compound
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tsp fennel powder
1 tsp green cardamom powder
2 tsp dried rose petals

Method:
Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler until smooth and creamy.
Stir in fennel powder, cardamom powder, Chile Walnuts, and cranberries. Mix well.
Spread the mixture evenly over butter paper.
Sprinkle some dried rose petals on top for a beautiful finish.

Let it cool completely before breaking into pieces.

Chef Mohnish Kothare, Mazi, Coffee Bar & Kitchen

One of my fondest memories of Diwali is the fragrance of freshly made sweets filling the air, particularly the delicate mawa gujiya. These crescent-shaped, golden pastries filled with rich, sweetened khoya and nuts have always held a special place in my heart. Every bite brings back memories of childhood, sitting around with my family, shaping and filling the gujiyas, waiting eagerly for them to come out of the pan, crispy and golden. Even today, I can’t resist running to grab the first bite of mawa gujiya, savoring the nostalgia it brings with every mouthful. It’s these small traditions that make Diwali feel so special and connected to my roots.”

Recipe: Mawa Gujiya

Ingredients:
For the Dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour (maida)
4 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
Warm Milk, as needed

¼ tsp salt

2 tbsp Roasted Semolina

For the Filling:

1 cup khoya/mawa (dried milk solids)
¾ cup powdered sugar
¼ cup chopped nuts (almonds, pistachios, cashews)
1 tsp cardamom powder
1 tbsp saffron

3 tbsp Rice Flour

For Frying:

• Ghee or oil for deep frying

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Dough:

• In a large bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, Roasted semolina , salt and ghee.
  • Rub the ghee into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
  • Gradually add milk to form a firm but smooth dough. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside for 30 minutes.

3. Prepare the Filling:

• In a pan, lightly roast the khoya/mawa on low heat until it becomes soft and light golden brown. Let it cool.
  • In a bowl, combine the roasted khoya, powdered sugar, chopped nuts, cardamom powder and raisins(if using), Mix well.

4. Assemble the Gujiya:
   • Divide the dough into small balls and roll each ball into a thin circle (about 4-5 inches in diameter).
   • Place a spoonful of the mawa filling in the center of each circle.
   • Moisten the edges with water and fold the dough over the filling to form a semi-circle. Press the edges firmly together and crimp them with a fork or pinch them with your fingers to seal.
   • Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

5. Fry the Gujiya:
   • Heat ghee or oil in a deep pan over medium heat.
   • Fry the gujiyas in batches until they turn golden brown and crisp on both sides.
   • Remove and drain on paper towels.

6. Serve:
   • Let the gujiyas cool slightly before serving. Garnish it pistachios and saffron strands. You can store them in an airtight container for up to a week.