Diwali Delights Classic Foods With A Modern Twist

Carrot Halwa Puffs

Serves 6

Does your mouth water at the mention of carrot halwa? Give your favorite flavor a modern makeover and you get carrot halwa puffs, which are as delicious as the original!

INGREDIENTS

• readymade puff pastry sheets 4
• carrots (grated) 300g
• milk 2 cups
• cardamom (crushed) 1 tsp
• sugar cup (or more)
• ghee 3 tbsp for frying 1 tsp for brushing the pastry

METHOD

1. Heat 3 tbsp ghee in a frying pan.
2. Add the carrots and fry till the water evaporates.
3. Add the milk and let it cook. Stir occasionally until the milk gets completely absorbed by the carrots.
4. Add the sugar and mix well. Stir at intervals.
5. Add the cardamom, stir and turn off the flame.
6. Allow the carrot halwa to cool.
7. Preheat the oven to 200C.
8. Cut the puff pastry sheets, thawed to room temperature, into 3-inch squares.
9. Spoon in 1 tbsp carrot halwa.
10. Fold the pastry and seal the edges with a fork.
11. Brush the pastry with ghee. Bake till the pastry puffs up and turns golden brown.
12. Serve warm.

Lauki Sabudana Kheer

Serves 6

With its rich texture and taste, this creamy bottle gourd dessert is sure to win hearts.

INGREDIENTS

• lauki (grated) 100g
• ghee 3 tbsp
• milk 2 cups
• sago (sabudana) cup
• cardamom (crushed) 1 tsp
• condensed milk 1/4 cup (or to taste)
• sliced nuts (optional) 3 tbsp

METHOD

1. Soak the sago in water for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat ghee in a frying pan.
3. Add the lauki and fry till the water dries up.
4. Add cup milk and cook till the milk gets completely absorbed by the lauki.
5. Add the sago and stir for a minute.
6. Add 1 more cup of milk and stir till the sago turns translucent.
7. Add the condensed milk and the rest of the milk. Keep stirring for a few minutes.
8. Add the cardamom, stir and turn off the flame.
9. Set aside to cool.
10. Garnish with sliced nuts and serve.

Schezwan Bhel Puri

Serves 3

Try this Chinese-inspired spicy and sizzling bhel puri that will leave you asking for more. Its a perfect game-time snack, too!

INGREDIENTS

• bhel (puffed rice) 1 cup
• carrots (chopped) cup
• capsicum (chopped) cup
• sweet corn cup
• cabbage (chopped) cup
• spring onions (chopped) 2 tbsp

For The Sauce

• red chili or readymade schezwan paste 1 tbsp (or to taste)
• tomato sauce cup
• honey 2 tbsp
• vinegar 1 tbsp

METHOD

1. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl.
2. Whisk well and set aside.
3. Mix the bhel and veggies in another bowl.
4. Pour the sauce onto the veggie-bhel mixture. Toss well.
5. Serve immediately.

Pav Bhaji Quesadillas

Serves 6

If you want to serve a no-fuss yet wacky snack but cant decide between Indian snacks and Mexican ones, this pav bhaji quesadillas will seal the deal.

INGREDIENTS

FOR QUESADILLAS

• wheat flour 2 cups
• oil 4 tbsp (2 tbsp for kneading 2 tbsp for coating)
• salt 1 tsp
• water (as required for kneading)
• ghee (as required for brushing)

FOR BHAJI

• potatoes (chopped and boiled) 200g
• carrots, peas, beetroot, cabbage (chopped and boiled) 200g
• onions (chopped) cup
• tomatoes (chopped) cup
• capsicum (chopped) cup
• water cup
• oil 2 tbsp
• red chili powder 1 tbsp
• coriander powder 1 tbsp
• cumin powder 1 tbsp
• readymade pav bhaji masala 1 tbsp
• turmeric powder 1 tbsp
• ginger-garlic paste 1 tbsp
• coriander leaves (chopped) 4 tbsp
• grated cheese cup
• lemon slices (as required)

METHOD

FILLING

1. Heat the oil in a wok.
2. Fry the onions and ginger-garlic paste till the raw smell goes away.
3. Add the tomatoes and capsicum. Fry till soft.
4. Add the spice powders and fry till the raw smell goes away.
5. Add the remaining veggies and cup water. Mash well.
6. Cook till the water dries up,
7. Stir in the coriander leaves and set aside.

TORTILLAS

1. Combine the flour, 2 tbsp oil and salt in a flat bowl.
2. Rub the flour till it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Add water and knead tom a soft dough.
4. Coat the dough with 2 tbsp oil. Cover with a lid and set aside for at least 20 minutes.
5. Divide the dough into lemon-sized balls.
6. Roll them into small and thin chapatis to make the tortillas.
7. Roast the tortillas on a hot tawa.
8. Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside.

ASSEMBLE

1. Take a tortilla and spoon in the filling.
2. Garnish with grated cheese and fold. Brush both sides with ghee.
3. Grill the quesadilla in a sandwich maker till it turns crispy.
4. Serve quickly with lemon slices.

Chandni Ravi is a deputy director at Ernakulam Medical Centre, and mom to two kids. An avid foodie, she cooks and photographs food, besides painting and playing the piano. She also has a Facebook blog: https://www.facebook.com/craviblog.