Diwali Recipes with Hrishikesh Desai

Tell us about what you have planned for Diwali at Farlam Hall.

“I feel celebrating Diwali at Farlam Hall this year is going to be an emotional event for me as a lot of childhood memories will come flowing down from the bank. This is our first year coming up with a Diwali package at Farlam Hall and I believe I have managed to cram in as much as possible, with all my favourite Diwali events that I have missed since last time I celebrated Diwali [professionally] in 2001.

1. “The Diya lighting ceremony is a big one for me as it’s a sign of bringing positivity to life. It is conquering darkness by lighting a simple light. Also, in India we believe that lighting a lamp for those passed away will show them the way towards heaven. I feel that when I say prayers to those who are departed, especially my cousin, Chef Michel Roux Snr, Albert Roux, Gary Rhodes and Andrew Fairlie, who judged me during the Roux Scholarship. Lighting the lamp will also be a way to thank them for all the opportunities they have given me so far.
2. “I am also wondering how the South Indian breakfast will go down with our guests. Dishes like idli, sambar, dosa and uttapam are planned along with authentic South Indian chutney.
3. “The Laxmi Pujan: This is the second day of Diwali and I cannot wait for the champagne reception with fireworks in the estate of Farlam Hall. This will be followed by an authentic ‘Street Food of India’ theme event in an erected Tippee. As a child I used to be very impatient for the spiritual ceremony of Goddess Laxmi to finish so that I could run in the courtyard and light fireworks before anyone in the neighbourhood. Needless to say, I was always the first and best dressed too, but now when I see those photos they do make me laugh!
4.  “The last day of our Diwali at Farlam will see us producing some of our favourite dishes we have created at Farlam Hall as well as my previous places of work, some which were highlighted by The MICHELIN Guide. This is also the day when we say goodbye to the event and wait for the next year.
   
   "We will be eating a lot:

• “A quirky afternoon tea which will feature paneer rajwadi samosas, kulfi and malai koftas, as well as a selection of gunpowder, 1st Flush Assam and Darjeeling tea.
• “During the night there will be a buffet highlighting some Indian classics like Amritsari macchi, Raan Maas, Nawabi Tarkari biryani, Shahi Tukra and the famous Mulligatawny soup.
• “The ‘Street Food of India’ event will bring the small plates of Bhel, panipuri and aloo tikki. In the tawa section will be street food favourite Paav Bhaji. The charcoal grill will bring Kathi kebabs to life followed by our ice cream trolley filled with Shahi falooda, vanilla ice cream with hot chocolate sauce.”
  

What’s your top tip for people preparing their own Diwali feasts at home?

• “Plan in advance.
• “Do what you feel is possible for you to achieve. Don't be scared of experimenting though.
• “One recipe a day for 12 days before Diwali will be enough to make 12 to 14 snacks that can be eaten during the festival and can be prepared in large quantities if necessary for entertaining guests.
• “Use the best quality ingredients. Like Christmas, Diwali also comes just once a year.”

Read on for Hrishikesh’s Diwali recipes.

Nankhatai

Ingredients

• 120g all-purpose flour (sieved) + some for dusting
• 1tsp baking powder
• 6 green cardamom pods (shelled, seeds ground to a fine powder using pestle & mortar)
• 80g caster sugar
• 75g soft unsalted butter or ghee
  

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to fan 180°C.
2. Take a medium-sized mixing bowl and add the flour, caster sugar, baking powder and cardamom. Mix thoroughly.
3. Make a well in the centre and add the soft unsalted butter or lukewarm ghee and start mixing with the flour to a breadcrumb consistency.
4. Once the breadcrumb consistency is obtained, knead for a minute further to obtain a stiff dough. This will resemble similar to a sweet pastry. Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes.
5. On a clean surface, sprinkle some flour and place the dough on top. Roll to approximately 1cm thick.
6. With the aid of a 5cm diameter cookie cutter, cut the cookies and place on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper.
7. Place the tray in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the cookies are golden brown in colour.
8. Allow to cool and then store in an airtight jar.
   

Kaju Katli

Ingredients

• 240g whole cashew nuts (the best quality you can find)
• 100g water
• 160g caster sugar
• 4 green cardamom pods (shelled, seeds ground to a fine powder using pestle & mortar)
• 20g lukewarm clarified butter (split into 15g & 5g)
• 1 pack of edible silver leaf (optional)
  

Method

1. Preheat the oven to fan 180°C. Spread the whole cashews over a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Place the tray in the oven and gently roast the cashews until a very light golden colour. This will help in removing any excess moisture. Allow to cool thoroughly.
2. Once the cashews are cold, they will be firm. Place them in a high-speed blender and ground to a fine powder. Do not overrun the blender or else the oil will split. Sieve the ground cashews to obtain a fine powder.
3. Place a pan on a medium heat with the caster sugar and water. Dissolve the sugar with the aid of a spoon, ensuring the sugar does not stick to the side of the pan. Turn the heat on high and bring the syrup to the boil.
4. Once the syrup is boiling, count for 30 seconds to obtain ‘one-string consistency’, then add the ground cashew nut powder and lower the heat.
5. Stir and mix well with a wooden spoon to avoid any lumps. Keep cooking on a medium heat, stirring until the mixture thickens.
6. Add the ground cardamom powder and 15g of the clarified butter. Keep cooking until the mixture thickens and is leaving the sides of the pan. As the mixture thickens and cooks you will also see that the mixture is moist and not dry.
7. Remove the pan from the heat. Place a wooden spoon full of mixture onto a cool surface. Grease your palms with a small amount of the remaining clarified butter and roll the mixture on the cool surface. If you get a fudge/marzipan-like consistency, then the mix is ready. If not, then place the mixture back on the heat and keep cooking until this texture is achieved.
8. Once the mixture achieves a fudge/marzipan-like consistency, then allow the mixture to go lukewarm. Do not let the mixture cool completely or else it will be difficult to roll.
9. Sprinkle some icing sugar on a clean, cool surface. Place the cooled mixture on top and roll to a thickness of 0.5cm. Apply silver leaf and then allow the mixture to cool completely. At this stage the mixture will start to become hard.
10. Once cooled, cut into diamond shapes, store in a cool place and enjoy!