4 must-try Diwali recipes for the festive season

Dubai - With Diwali just around the corner, here are some delectable recipes you must try your hand at, in the kitchen

WASABI ALOO TIKKI

Gluten-free, refined sugar-free, artificial colour-free

Serves: 4 people

INGREDIENTS

•4-5 medium sized potatoes, boiled and mashed

•2 tbsp. Japanese Rice boiled and mashed

•1 tbsp. grated ginger

•1 tbsp. Wasabi paste

•2-3 tbsp. hazel nuts coarsely powdered

•Cheddar cheese slices, cut into circles

•Salt to taste

•Oil for frying

For serving

•Yogurt

•Mint chutney

•Date chutney

•Sev

•Pomegranates

•Fresh Coriander

METHOD

•Mix mashed potatoes with boiled rice, ginger and wasabi paste.

•Add salt and mix well.

•Keep the mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes.

•Divide the cooled potato mixture equally and flatten with your palm.

•Insert cheddar cheese circle and seal gently.

•Coat this with hazel nut powder and keep aside.

•Heat pan and add oil, shallow fry the tikkis from both the sides.

For Serving:

•Arrange tikkis in the serving plate and top with yogurt, mint chutney and date chutneys.

•Garnish with pomegranate, coriander and sev.

MAKHANA BHEL CHAAT

Gluten-free and dairy-free

Serves: 4 people

INGREDIENTS

•100 gm lotus seeds

•1 cup sweet potatoes, boiled and cubed

•½ cup chopped tomatoes

•1 cup rice puffs roasted

•½ cup roasted peanuts

•½ cup Gujrati Gathiya

•¼ cup pomegranates

•¼ cup mint chutney

•¼ cup sweet date chutney

•2 tbsp. lime juice

•4 tbsp. oil

•1 tbsp. black pepper

•Salt to taste

•Fresh coriander, finely chopped and sev for garnish

METHOD

•Heat oil in the pan and add shallow-fried sweet potatoes.

•Stir fry till golden brown and remove from pan.

•Add lotus seeds and shallow fry till crispy.

•Add salt and black pepper and let it cool slightly.

•Take large mixing bowl and add roasted sweet potatoes, chopped tomatoes and roasted rice puffs, peanuts, Ghatiya.

•Add lotus seeds mint chutney, date chutney, lime juice and toss the mixture well.

•Serve in a bowl and garnish with pomegranate, fresh coriander and sev.

THANDAI MOUSSE

Gluten-free

Serves: 4-6 people

INGREDIENTS

•1.5 cups heavy cream

•4 cups milk

•¼ cup Icing sugar

•¼ cup readymade Thandai syrup

•9-10 threads of saffron (soaked in •1 tbsp. warm milk and extras for garnish)

Dry Powder

•2 tbsp. almond powder

•2 tbsp. cashew nuts

•1 tbsp. black Pepper

•1 tbsp. fennel seeds

•1 tbsp. cardamom powder

METHOD

•Grind all the ingredients in a grinder and keep aside.

•Boil milk and add dry powder. Keep stirring.

•Boil till it reduces to two-thirds.

•Add ½ cup cream and soaked saffron and remove from heat.

•Let it cool completely.

•Blend cooled milk in the blender with readymade Thandai syrup.

•Whip cream with sugar till it forms soft peaks.

•Fold cream with milk and set in the clay pots.

•Let it cool for almost 4-6 hours.

•Garnish with saffron threads and serve.

CHANDAN LADDOO

Artificial colour-free

Serves: 12-14 people

INGREDIENTS

•1 cup wheat flour

•¼ cup semolina

•¼ cup almond flour

•¼ cup almonds crushed

•1 tbsp. sandalwood powder

•2 tbsp. green cardamom powder

•¾ cup Ghee

•1 cup powdered sugar

•Sliver leaf optional.

•2 tbsp. extra sugar for rolling.

METHOD

•Heat ghee in a heavy- bottom pan and add semolina and wheat flour.

Roast it with ghee for 3-4 minutes.

•Add almonds to the mix and continue roasting.

•Add almond flour and stir. Roast till it turns golden brown and add cardamom powder and sandalwood powder.

•Remove the pan from heat and let it cool.

•Add powder sugar and make lime size laddoos with the help of your palms.

•Roll all the laddoos in the powder sugar and add silver leafs.

•Serve fresh or in a gift box.

• Dubai