Diwali, the festival of lights, is upon us, and you know what that means—an explosion of flavours and a riot of colours on your plate. But why stick to the same old recipes when you can add a dash of mischief and a dollop of delight? Welcome to the world of Diwali fusion recipes, where tradition gets a sassy makeover, and your taste buds are in for a wild ride!
Diwali feasting is a delicate balance between beloved classics like gulab jamun and samosas and the urge to break free and explore new culinary frontiers. Enter, our trusty chefs, who have concocted a collection of fusion recipes with a twist, breathing new life into time-honoured traditions.
From pistachio rice crispies to samosa-style puffs, let’s explore five Diwali fusion recipes with a twist.
Saffron Pistachio Rice Krispie Treats by Chef Amandeep Singh, Executive Sous Chef, The Westin Mumbai Garden City
Ingredients
- 4 cups Rice Krispies Cereal
- 3 cups Mini Marshmallows
- 3 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- A pinch of Saffron (about 10-12 strands)
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Pistachios, crushed
- Ghee or Butter for greasing
Method
- In a small bowl, steep the saffron strands in 1-2 tablespoons of warm milk for about 15 minutes. This will infuse the saffron flavour into the milk.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the mini marshmallows and stir continuously until they are completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Pour in the saffron-infused milk and mix well. The saffron will give a beautiful yellow colour and a subtle aroma to the mixture.
- Remove the saucepan from heat and add the Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until the cereal is evenly coated with the saffron marshmallow mixture.
- Quickly fold in the crushed pistachios.
- Grease a square or rectangular baking dish with ghee or butter. Press the mixture into the dish evenly using a spatula or your hands.
- Let it cool and set for about 30 minutes.
- Once set, cut the saffron pistachio Rice Krispie treats into squares or your desired Diwali-themed shapes.
- Serve and enjoy your unique Diwali treat!
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Samosa-Stuffed Puffs by Chef Amandeep Singh, Executive Sous Chef, The Westin Mumbai Garden City
Ingredients
- Mini Puff Pastry squares (store-bought or homemade)
- Samosa Filling (potatoes, peas, spices, and herbs, prepared in the traditional samosa style)
- Beaten Egg (for egg wash)
- Sesame Seeds or Poppy Seeds (for garnish, optional)
Method
- Prepare the samosa filling in the traditional way, consisting of spiced mashed potatoes and peas. Let it cool to room temperature.
- Preheat your oven according to the instructions on the puff pastry package (usually around 375°F or 190°C).
- Roll out the mini puff pastry squares slightly to make them a bit larger and thinner.
- Place a spoonful of the samosa filling in the centre of each puff pastry square.
- Fold the pastry over the filling to create a triangle or rectangle shape, depending on the shape of your pastry squares. Press the edges to seal the filling inside.
- Place the stuffed puffs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Brush the tops of the puffs with beaten egg for a golden finish. You can sprinkle sesame seeds or poppy seeds on top for added texture and flavour.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the puffs are golden brown and puffed up, usually for about 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes.
- Serve the samosa-stuffed puffs as a unique and delicious Diwali snack.
Vegan Jaggery Chana Kheer by Chef Ganesh Amkar, Executive Sous Chef, Courtyard By Marriott Mumbai International Airport
Ingredients
- Chana Dal
- Coconut Oil
- Grated Coconut
- Coconut Milk
- Jaggery
- Cardamom Powder
- Almond Flakes
Method
- Heat some oil in a pressure cooker and sauté the chana dal until it’s golden brown.
- Add two cups of water and cover the pressure cooker with a lid. Wait for two whistles, then turn off the heat.
- Once the pressure cooker has cooled down, drain any excess water from the cooked chana dal.
- Add jaggery and coconut milk to the cooked chana dal and simmer it over a low flame until it thickens.
- Mix in grated coconut and cardamom powder.
- Garnish the dish with almond flakes.
Organic Sabja Tea Cake by Rashmi Tole, Demi Chef de Partie, Bakery at Taj Holiday Village Resort & Spa, Goa
Ingredients
- 280 gm Castor Sugar
- 720 ml Oil
- 640 gm Orange Zest
- 960 ml Orange Juice
- 720 gm Semolina
- 280 gm Desiccated Coconut
- 360 gm Refined Flour
- 120 gm Almond
- 40 gm Baking Powder
- 20 gm Basil Seeds
Method
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together oil and sugar until the sugar completely dissolves.
- In a separate bowl, sieve together semolina, desiccated coconut, refined flour, almond flour, and baking powder.
- In a separate bowl, soak basil seeds in water for an hour.
- Gently fold the dry mixture (from step 2) into the sugar and oil mixture (from step 1) to create a uniform batter.
- Add orange zest and the soaked basil seeds to the batter, mixing them in gently.
- Pour the batter into baking containers.
- Preheat your oven to 180°C and bake the tea cake for 30-35 minutes or until it’s fully cooked and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
- Once baked, while the tea cake is still warm, soak it with warm orange juice.
Chef’s Hack: “Soak the basil seeds for at least 15 minutes to ensure they complement the texture of the tea cake and enhance its nutritional value. Serve the tea cake at room temperature for a mouth-melting texture. This tea cake is vegan and organic, catering to today’s health-conscious Gen-Z.”
Cranberry Amaranth Biscotti by Rashmi Tole, Demi Chef de Partie, Bakery at Taj Holiday Village Resort & Spa, Goa
Ingredients
- 640 gm Flour
- 20 gm Baking Powder
- 4 gm Salt
- 400 gm Sugar
- 5 Eggs
- 5 Egg Whites
- 360 gm Pistachio
- 240 gm Cranberry
- 4 Orange Zest
- 60 ml Orange Juice
- 15 gm Vanilla Extract
- 50 gm Amaranth seeds
Method
- Begin by roughly chopping the cranberries and pistachios. Then, combine them with the amaranth seeds in a mixing bowl.
- Mix all the ingredients together by hand until they form a stiff dough.
- Shape the dough into a cylindrical shape and place it in the deep freezer overnight.
- The next day, remove the dough from the deep freezer and coat the outside with castor sugar.
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
- Bake the sugared dough for 35-40 minutes or until it’s baked through and has a golden brown colour.
- After baking, allow the dough to cool in the deep freezer until it’s firm enough to be sliced.
- Using a knife, slice the biscottis from the dough with a thickness of 5-6mm.
- Place the sliced biscottis back in the oven and dry them until they become crisp.
Chef’s Hack: “These biscottis are twice-baked, giving them a longer shelf life and making them great for gifting. They also offer versatile flavours that will delight your taste buds.”
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