Indian Foods Served During Diwali

Special sweet Indian foods are prepared at this time and shared with relatives and friends as Diwali gifts. Families also serve special dishes and invite people over for lunch or dinner to share love and joy. All these dishes exude wonderful aromas and flavors since Diwali is a special occasion that calls for feasts enjoyed by the young and the old. Most of the sweet dishes are enriched with ghee (clarified butter) and dry fruits, nuts and saffron.

Diwali sweets are numerous, but the most common sweet dishes include

• Gulab Jamun: Balls of dough served with sweet syrup
• Kheer: A rice-and-milk dish flavored with almonds, cashew and saffron
• Burfis: Sweets made from milk and sugar that are cut into shapes
• Laddus: Fried semolina balls

For those who love salt, Samosas and Pakoras are also served. Crisp, savory Papadums or Appalam appear at all festive lunches and dinners. Chutneys are prepared as wet or dry side dishes by crushing the fresh condiments and spices to accompany the main dish, which can include the vegetarian stew Sambar, Pulav (rice with vegetables) or a variety of curries. Most savory Diwali dishes will be vegetarian.

Diwali is an occasion to enjoy heavy, rich food in different varieties, but don't worry about overindulging. This is because cooks include condiments and spices that take care of digestion. In south India, a special sweet Deepavali medicine is prepared by families to protect anyone who ate too much!