Diwali Feasting

Today is Diwali, the  Hindu festival of lights, starts today. It's a time of celebrating but also feasting on delicious savory and sweet dishes They are easy to make , not just for this holiday but for  an every day treat as well. Usher in  the harvest with them or just have them star in a dinner.

Diwali is praying to the goddess Laksmhi, the goddess of prosperity and fertility. Families dress up in their best clothes, visit each other and exchange gifts.it's a five day affair with families honoring each other on the different days. Food  plays an important part and various  New York Times Food writers gives us some excellent savory and sweet ones. Try David Tanis' Chana Dal Sundal,  Southern India  street fare that reminds one of popcorn.It is the perfect party food, especially if there are a lot of kids in attendance . It's simply cooking cold water soaked chickpeas in abundant lightly salted water and then afterwards placing them on a cookie sheet to dry. They're then tossed with curry leaves cooked with curry leaves, red chiles and mustard seeds. A pinch of asafetida gives it a mild leek taste. An eggplant curry would be a great main dish . Again, most of the ingredients from the Chana Dal Sundal are used along with tamarind paste and unsweetened coconut. The eggplants are sliced and  slashed . Spices are then pressed into them and cooked over a high heat for six minutes.  A heartier dish is lamb curry , from David Tanis. It is rich with coriander, turmeric and cumin. The Indian clarified butter, ghee is used to cook the meat and sliced onions. A raita or sauce made from Greek yogurt, cumin and mustard seeds is also made to pour over the lamb.

Diwali is really a holiday of sweets, with sugary treats given to children.Kids will adore the chocolate burfi  - a kind of fudge given on holidays,birthdays and special occasions.  Like fudge it's super easy to make, using ghee, cocoa powder, and both condensed milk and powdered milk. A few drops of rose water  along with sugar gives the treet its' rich sweetness.The treat is made in layers, from the buttery ghee bottom to the chocolate top. Adults may choose shrikhand or sweet strained yogurt recipe from famed Indian food writer, Teja Rao.. This  is made by straining Greek yogurt for twenty-four hours in the  fridge and then gently adding in pistachios, confectioners sugar, saffron,  and cardamon. Once everything is thoroughly mixed , place into serving dishes and decorate with more pistachio and saffron threads.. A European take , again from Dave Tanis, is the coconut cardamom panna cotta. The spice's pods are added as well as unsweetened coconut milk. It's decorated with candied grated ginger along with peaches, nectarines, blackberries or raspberries. Sip some of Melissa Clark' mango rose waters Lassi, a refreshing mix of  mango, yogurt, milk and rose water. This can also be frozen intoa frozen yogurt for dessert.

Diwali is a time of lights and celebrating. It's also a time of feasting. Make savory and sweet treats to enjoy with family and friends.

An Exotic Turn On Rice

Rice is one of those easy summer dishes,It can be used as a hot dish with sauteed zucchini or as a salad with chopped onions and pepper strips. However, for a real twist use the Indian basmati rice. This is a perfect side and ingredient to any summer meal.

Dave Tanis praised it in his weekly column A City Kitchen in yesterday;s New York Times Dining section. Basmati rice has a sweet flavor and a delicate texture , different from the ordinary boiled in a minute kind.It is also a staple of Indian cooking and offsets the fiery flavors of that cuisine. Basmati rice also goes well with summer corn, which is  popular on the subcontinent.It can grace a pilaf or a puleo, giving it more sweetness and color.Mr. Tanis decided to combine the two into an interesting pilaf.

He makes this as a vegan recipe.It has the saffron and turmeric for color along with coriander and cumin for bite and heat. Since this is meatless , he adds cashews for crunch and protein as well as raisins for sweetness and chewiness.. He serves this withthe side dish  raita.This is a fiery mix of jalapeno and yogurt along with mustard seeds. Vegetable oil and mint are used to give the dip its' smoothness and coolness. As Mr. Tanis did, the two dishes can be served with a plate of fresh from the farm tomatoes. You could add some grilled chicken or even shrimp to the rice if you want it to be more substantial.

Basmati rice is a nice sub for the regular one. Add some farm fresh corn to it for added sweetness along withthe usual  fiery Indian spices.It's an easy summer dish with the taste of the exotic