Festivities, food, family and lighting fireworks sum up Diwali for me. The festival of lights is upon us and with a stream of diyas lit in Indian homes (including mine!) we welcome happiness, joy, health & good fortune. Meeting up with loved ones, sharing a feast of Indian food, lighting sparklers and fire crackers are my memories of a lovely Diwali at home in India. Not forgetting all the gifts I would look forward to!
Watching my mother rustle up a decadent banquet of spiced Indian dishes and helping with cooking in every way that I could made me feel part of the excitement. Even today cooking these dishes is all about recreating the flavors and aromas in my home. Celebrating and reveling in the cooking process takes me back to my childhood years of how I spent Diwali in India.
In the run up the celebrations I share my family recipe for Kolhapuri Lamb Rassa (curry) in the November issue of Delicious Magazine. It’s one of my favorites dishes, cooked with cloves, dried chillies and coconut. Rustic, flavorsome and a rich gravy to mop with chapattis or rotis. The magazine is available nationwide now, so pick up your copy and make sure to try it out.