Diwali 2022: In India, Diwali is one of the most awaited festivals of the year. Twinkling lights at every window, glowing homes, delicious sweets, and beautiful rangolis outside every door – what’s not to love about this festival?

Usually lasting for five days, Diwali signifies the triumph of light over darkness and also symbolizes new beginnings.

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Every year, Diwali sees friends and family coming together to celebrate, and the aroma of delicious food begins to waft out of every kitchen. This Diwali, we recommend you  few yummy dishes made from California walnut and all-vegetables that you can cook for your loved ones this year, with a touch of added nutrition, thanks to the presence of walnuts.

Filled with nutrients that support the heart, brain, and gut walnuts are a healthy food choice. They also bring in an element of festive cheer to all kinds of dishes. Just a handful of walnuts (28 grams) offer natural, wholesome, plant-based nutrition that includes 4 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, and 2.5 grams of omega-3 ALA.

So, go on and experiment with any (or all) of these recipes. Happy Diwali!

Akhrot Stuffed Shahi Tukda 

Ingredients

3-4 bread slices, corners removed

For the filling:

• 1 cup roasted California walnuts
• 2 tablespoons Ghee
• ½ cup khoya
• ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
• 2 teaspoons rose water
• Dried rose petals
• ¼ – ½ cup sugar (adjust according to taste)

For The Instant Rabri: 

• ½ tin condensed milk
• 1 cup milk
• Sugar
• ½ teaspoon elaichi powder
• A few saffron strands dissolved in water
• 2 teaspoons milk powder

For The Garnish:

• Dried rose petals
• California Walnuts
• Silver leaf

 

 

Preparation:

• To start with, grind the roasted walnuts coarsely. You can crush them too.
• Heat ghee in a pan and add the ground walnuts. Roast them lightly on medium flame with constant stirring.
• Crumble the mava and mix well with walnuts. Cook until the mixture turns crumbly.
• Add the cardamom powder and rose water and cook for another few minutes.
• Mix in the dried rose petals, remove from flame, and keep aside to cool.
• For the instant rabri, heat the condensed milk in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the milk and keep cooking and stirring on medium flame.
• Add the saffron water, cardamom powder, and milk powder. Cook for a few minutes and then remove from flame and keep aside.
• To make the rolls, flatten and roll out the bread slices using a rolling pin.
• Now, mix the sugar into the prepared filling and place the crumbly mixture onto the center of a slice.
• Apply some water onto the edges of the bread, roll them tightly, and seal them. Repeat with other slices.
• Mix the prepared rabri and place it on medium flame to warm it up.
• Meanwhile, heat ghee in a pan and slightly toast the rolls from all sides.
• Divide each toasted roll into 2.
• Now, pour some rabri onto a flat dish and place the rolls. Pour some more rabri over them.
• Garnish with walnuts, silver leaf, and dried rose petals.
• Serve immediately.

(Recipe by Chef Neha Deepak Shah)

 

Walnut and Amaranth Nankhatai 

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 3/4 cup amaranth flour
  
• 1/2 cup ground California walnuts
  
• 1/2 cup ghee
  
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar, depending on the sweetness required
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  
• Crushed California walnuts, to decorate
  
• 2 pinches of cinnamon powder
  
• Pinch of nutmeg
  

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 150°C.
  
• Sift flour, cinnamon powder, and nutmeg.
  
• Cream the ghee and sugar with a hand whisk till light and fluffy.
  
• Add in the dry ingredients and mix them till it comes together.
  
• Make small cookie-sized balls, flatten the tops, and line them on a parchment-lined baking tray.
  
• Add the crushed walnuts on top.
  
• Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. When you remove they will still be soft, let rest for 10-15 minutes before removing them on a cooling rack to cool completely.

(Recipe by Shumaila Chauhan)

 

Vegetarian Empanadas

Ingredients

Directions

 

Walnut Keema Stuffed Pav  

Ingredients

• 4 hard-boiled eggs, halved
  
• 400g minced mutton or chicken keema
  
• 2 teaspoons coriander powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  
• 2 onions, finely chopped
  
• 4 green chilies, finely chopped
  
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
  
• 4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
  
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
  
• A handful of fresh coriander, chopped
  
• 1/2 cup California walnuts, coarsely chopped
  
• 1 tablespoon ghee
  
• Salt to taste

For the pav buns:

• 8 pav buns
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 1-2 teaspoons milk
  
• A pinch of salt and pepper
  

Preparation

• In a pan, heat the ghee. Cook the meat with coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, and 2-3 teaspoons of water until water evaporates and keema is cooked.
• Set aside.
  
• In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil, and sauté the onions till translucent.
• Add the green chilies, garlic, and ginger paste and fry till fragrant.
  
• Add the minced meat, garam masala, coriander, and walnuts. Adjust seasoning.
• Stir till the masala is dry. Remove from flame.
  
• Using a knife, make a round or square cut on the bottom side of the pavs. Keep the cut piece.
  
• Remove some crumbs from the inner section without breaking the bun. Repeat with the remaining buns.
  
• Stuff each bun with 1 – 1 ½ tablespoons of keema masala (depending on the size of the pav, adjust the filling). 
• Place an egg half on top of the filling. Top with 1-2 tablespoons of keema masala. Cover with the reserved cut-out. Press gently.
  
• Repeat for the other buns. Make sure the buns are correctly filled but take care that you do not break the buns while filling.
  
• (Note: In case a part of the bun breaks, use the crumbs that were removed to patch up the open part. Once you coat it with egg and cook, the crumb will also cook and the breaks will be fixed.)
  
• Beat the eggs with 2 teaspoons of milk and a tiny pinch of salt and pepper.
  
• Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee/butter over medium heat. Dip the bun in the beaten egg covering all sides with the egg batter. Place the bun’s bottom side first in the pan. This will help seal the bottom part. Cook for 1 – 2 minutes per side.
• Serve warm.

(Recipe by Shumaila Chauhan)

 

Chocolate Fudge

(Recipe by Sarita Sharma)

 

Pistachio and Rabdi Saffron Entremet

Ingredients

Pistachio Sponge:-    

• Butter: 70 gm
• Icing Sugar:  115 gm
• Almond Powder: 50 gm
• Honey: 10 gm
• Pistachio Paste: 30 gm
• Egg White: 115 gm
• Flour: 50 gm
• Baking Powder: 2 gm      

Saffron Mousse:-        

• Milk: 150gm
• Saffron: 0.5 gm
• Whipping Cream: 120 gm
• Vanilla Essence: 10 gm
• Egg Yolk: 120 gm
• Sugar: 90 gm
• Gelatin: 5 gm
• Italian Meringue: 120 gm
• Cold Water: 44 gm
• Whipping Cream: 135 gm

Rabri Insert:-

• Rabri: 215 gm
• Gelatin: 4 gm
• Cold Water: 16 gm

White Glaze:-

• Water: 75 gm
• Sugar: 150 gm
• Glucose: 150 gm
• Condensed Milk: 100 gm
• Gelatin: 12 gm
• White Chocolate: 150 gm
• White Color

Method

For Sponge

• Take a mixing bowl, Cream butter, and icing sugar until smooth.
• Add egg whites in parts.
• Add honey and mix well.
• Add almond powder, flour, and baking powder.
• Add pistachio paste and mix it well.
• Pour the batter into a tray or Flexi pan and bake at 170 degrees Celsius for 12 min.

 

For Saffron Vanilla Mouse

• Bloom the gelatin and keep it aside.
• Bring 120 grams of cream and saffron to a boil. Mix egg yolks and sugar in a separate bowl.
• Pour the cream over the egg yolk mixture slowly and mix well.
• Over a Baine Marie, bring the above mixture to 85 C.
• Add melted gelatin and whisk nicely.
• Keep the above mixture aside and let it cool down.
• Once cooled down, soften the mixture with a spatula.
• Fold in Italian meringue.
• Lastly, fold in the whipped cream.

 

For Insert

• Bloom the gelatin and mix it in the rabri.
• Pour it into a 6-inch circle and keep it in the freezer to set.
• Once the insert is set, Pipe Saffron Vanilla Mouse in an eclipse mould until the mould is half full. Use a spoon to cover the sides as well.
• Put the insert inside the mould and then pipe more mouse on top.
• Cut the pistachio sponge as per the size of the mould and place it on top of the mouse.
• Put the mould in the freezer until completely set.

 

For Glaze

• Bring sugar, water, and glucose to a boil.
• Pour the above mixture over white chocolate and condensed milk. Mix well.
• Add in bloomed gelatin and white color.
• Blend until you get a smooth consistency.
• Demould the entremet and pour the glaze on top of it.
• Decorate as desired.

 

Kaju Anjeer Rolls

Ingredients

• Cashew nut powder: 200gms
• Sugar: 100gm
• Anjeer: 50gm
• Ghee: 100 gm
• Pistachio: 10 gm

Method

For Anjeer Stuffing

• Soak anjeer with ½ cup water for ½ an hour.
• Bring to boil for 4-5 min. until tender.
• Drain extra water. Make a smooth paste out of it.
• Now heat ghee in a pan.
• Sauté fig paste for min.
• Add 1 tbsp sugar.
• Cook for 2-3 min until thickened.
• Allow cooling.

 

For Kaju Roll Paste

• Dissolve the remaining sugar with 50ml water in another pan.
• Bring to boil for 5 min. to make 1-1/2 string syrup.
• Add cashew nut powder with syrup.
•  Stir very well.
• Now mix ghee into the mixture.
• Place the Kaju mixture on a flat tray.
• Roll thick 4 inches, and cut into half.
• Now put 1 tbsp fig paste in a horizontal line in the middle of the half Kaju roti.
• Make a rolling seal on both sides with edges.
• Cut the roll into 2 inches pieces.
• Garnished with chopped pistachio. Serve fresh.

(Recipe by  Manoj Kumar, Executive Sous Chef – Vivanta New Delhi)

 

Coconut & Jaggery Burfi / Ladoo

Ingredients

• Grated coconut: 250 gm
• Jaggery: 100gm
• Desi Ghee: 4 tbsp
• Khoya: 50 gm
• Cardamom Powder: 10gm

Method

• In a mixer, jar takes 4 cups of coconut and blend to a coarse paste. Keep aside.
• In a large pan heat 2 tbsp. ghee and add ground coconut.
• Sauté for 2 minutes or until the coconut turns aromatic. Make sure not to brown the coconut.
• Add Jaggery and mix well.
• Keep cooking until the Jaggery melts and combines well.
• Add Khoya to a pan and mix well.
• Cook till the mixture starts to hold the shape.
• Now add ½ tsp cardamom powder and 1 tsp ghee.
• Mix well making sure everything is well combined.
• Transfer the mixture to the tray.
• Press and level up and rest for 2 hours or sets completely.
• Unmould the burfi and cut it into pieces.

(Recipe by Chef Aman Khanna, Culinary Experience Manager – The Connaught)

 

Pecan Nut Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

• Flour: 228 gm
• Sugar: 72 gm
• Butter: 190 gm
• Egg Yolks: 30
• Vanilla Essence: 10 ml
• Pecan Nuts: 100 gm

Method

• Take a mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until white.
• Add in flour and mix until fine.
• Slowly add vanilla essence and egg yolks and mix just to combine.
• Add chopped pecan nuts.
• Refrigerate the dough minimum for 1 hr. or overnight.
• Sheet the dough at 9mm.
• Cut it with a round cutter and dock it.
• Bake at 170 degrees Celsius for 13-14 min.
• Once baked and cooled down, pour liquid fondant and decorate as desired.

(Recipe by Rahul Chahar, Executive Pastry Chef – Taj City Centre)