Diwali 2024: The last stretch of Diwali preparation is here before your Diwali parties begin. Be sure to give your guests a gastronomic delight, be it with the evening snacks or the dinner. However, if you still want to fit in a couple more dishes, then worry not as some quick, last-minute festive dishes won’t create any fuss for you. These recipes will leave your guests gushing and reaching out for more.

Here are some easy to make last-minute Diwali appetizers, main courses, and dessert recipes:

Snacks

1. Murukku

(Recipe by Hebbars)

Ingredients

• 3 cup rice flour
• ¾ cup urad dal flour
• 2 tbsp sesame
• Pinch of Hing
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp butter
• Oil

Method

1. Take a large bowl and add 3 cup rice flour, ¾ cup urad dal flour, 2 tbsp sesame, pinch hing and 1 tsp salt. Then combine and mix everything well.

2. Now, to the mixture, add 3 tbsp butter and again mix well. To the mixture, slowly add water to knead the dough. Use water however needed.

3. Now stuff the dough into the chakli maker. Make sure to grease the chakli maker beforehand to prevent the dough sticking to the mould.

4. Make spirals with the help of the chakli maker as you push the dough out.

5. Press the chaklis into hot oil and let it fry on medium flame until it turns golden-brown.

2. Aloo chaat

(Recipe by Swasthi)

Ingredients

• 2 large potatoes cubed
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp ginger or garlic chopped
• 1 green chilli chopped
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ½ tsp chaat masala powder
• ¼ to ½ tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tbsp coriander leaves
• 2 to 4 tablespoons nylon sev
• 2 tbsp pomegranate
• ½ to ¾ tsp lemon juice
• 1-2 tbsp green chutney
• ¼ to ½ cup coriander leaves
• 4 to 6 mint leaves
• 1 garlic clove
• ⅛ inch ginger
• ¼ teaspoon salt or as needed

Method

1. Wash potatoes, and peel them. Cut them into cubes. Then boil the potatoes.

2. Then to a heated pan, add oil, ginger and garlic.

3. Next add the boiled, cubed potatoes. Saute till they become golden brown.

4. To make the aloo chat, to the fried potatoes, add red chilli powder, chaat masala powder, salt, and cumin powder. Mix well till the masala is evenly spread.

5. Serve with green chutney and tamarind chutney. Use lemon juice or coriander for garnish.

Main course

1.Malai Kofta recipe

(Recipe by Hebbars)

Ingredients

• 3 potato
• ¾ cup paneer
• 1 chilli
• 2 tbsp coriander
• ¼ tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp raisins
• 2 tbsp cashew
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• Oil
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 onion
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 2 tomato
• 2 tbsp cashew
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 cardamom
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 2 clove
• 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ¾ tsp coriander powder
• ¼ tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ cup cream
• ½ cup water
• 1 tsp kasuri methi, crushed
• ¼ tsp garam masala

Method

For Kofta:

1. In a bowl, add 3 cubed potatoes, ¾ cup paneer, coriander, and cumin powder. To get a crunchy bite, add raisins and cashews to the mixture as well. Mix everything well.

2. Now add a little bit of maida to knead the mixture into a dough.

3. Grease your hands with oil and start to make small balls from the dough.

4. Deep fry these balls until they turn golden-brown and crispy.

For curry

1. Now to make the curry in a pan, add oil. Let it heat, then add chopped onions. Saute the onions well. Then add ginger garlic paste. Sauce until the onions turn golden. To it add tomatoes, and cashews and continue to sauce until the tomatoes become mushy. Take them off the heat to cool the mixture. Put it in a blender and grind to a smooth paste. Then get rid of the skin and seeds.

2. In a kadai, add butter oil, cumin, cardamon, bay leaf, cinnamon, clove. Saute for some time until the ingredients start to give off a nice aroma.

3. Next to the kadai, add chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder and cumin powder.

4. After mixing it well, add the tomato-onion paste prepared earlier. Add cream and salt as per taste and mix everything well again.

5. As the sauce begins to cook, add water to maintain the consistency of the gravy.

6. After the gravy reaches a boiling point, season with garam masala and kasuri methi. Then add the kofta balls.

2. Navratan Korma Curry

(Recipe by Swasthi)

Ingredients

• 1 cup onions
• 12 to 14 cashew nuts
• 1 to 2 green chilli
• ½ cup peas
• ½ cup carrots (diced to ½ to ¾ inch pieces)
• ¾ cup cauliflower (¾ inch florets)
• ¾ cup potato (diced to ½ to ¾ inch pieces)
• ½ cup beans (chopped to ½ inch pieces)
• 2 tablespoons oil or butter
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 inch cinnamon piece
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 green cardamoms
• ½ to ¾ teaspoon ginger paste
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 pinch turmeric
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon garam masala
• ¾ teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup paneer
• 6 cashew nuts
• 6 Almonds
• ¼ cup pomegranate arils for garnish
• 1 tablespoon raisins
• ¼ cup cream
• ½ teaspoon kewra water or 1 teaspoon rose water

Method

1. Boil 3 cups of water, add onions and cashews, and cook for 3 minutes. Remove, cool, and blend with green chili into a smooth paste.

2. Blanch cauliflower in the same water for 1 minute, then set aside.

3. In a pan, heat 1 tsp oil or butter, and fry cashews and almonds until golden. Add raisins, remove when they swell, and set aside.

4. Lightly fry paneer in the same pan for 2 minutes, ensuring it stays soft.

5. Heat oil or butter in a pan over low flame. Add cinnamon, cumin, bay leaf, cardamom, and cloves. Once they sizzle, add ginger-garlic paste and fry.

6. Stir in the onion-cashew paste and cook until thick and leaving the pan. Add chili powder, garam masala, turmeric, coriander powder, and salt. Sauté until oil separates.

7. Pour in ¾ to 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thick. Adjust salt as needed.Add the steamed veggies and cover. Cook for 2 minutes, then stir in cream.

8. Add fried paneer and nuts. Turn off the heat and add kewra or rose water, if using. Garnish with coriander, pomegranate arils, and raisins.

Dessert

Kalakand

For dessert, make the simple Kalakand recipe. It is a very quick dessert recipe. For ingredients, you will need 1 can condensed milk, paneer, ½ tsp cardamom powder, chopped nuts, and rose water or kewra water. The last ingredient is optional.

Method

1. Grease a small tray and align a parchment paper in it. Set aside.

2. In a heavy-bottomed non-stick pan,add condensed milk and paneer. Mix well and combine everything well. On medium heat, stirring continuously.

3. The mixture in the pan will develop a thin consistency soon. But keep stirring until the consistency thickens.

4. Turn down the heat and keep stirring until it has become thick. Keep stirring for about 8-9 minute.

5. Be mindful to not overcook; the mixture need to be moist and juicy, not completely dry.

6. As the mixture begins to leave the sides of the pan but is still juicy, pour it to the greased tray onto the parchment paper.

7. Sprinkle nuts and with the help of a spatula make the mixture even across the tray.

8. Refrigerate the kalakand for at least 2 hours until it sets into a soft, crumbly cake. Cut into your desired shapes. Make sure to remove the kalakand at least 30-60 minutes before serving.

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