Aroma of Diwali sweets in homes stirs up nostalgia

PUNE: Diwali is as much a celebration of food as it is a festival of lights with various Indian communities making special regional treats at home.
Traditional Maharashtrian sweet and savoury treats known as chakli, karanji and anarsa are also made by other Indian communities, with slight variations.
Vaidehi Suryawanshi, a caterer, said, "Karanji is made by several communities.It is called Pedakiya in some North Indian states, Ghughra in Gujarat, Somas in Tamil households and Karjikayalu in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka."
As chilly weather begins to set in around Diwali, a lot of emphasis is given to coconut-based items. Chana dal or besan is also used in huge quantities to make a variety of savoury dishes such as sev, andchakli. Anarsa, a Maharashtrian favourite is as a great pro-biotic, since it is made with fermented rice, she added.
Coconut and jaggery are essential for Diwali treats in West Bengal. Home chef Shubra Ghosh, said, "Bengalis celebrate Laxmi Puja with 'Narkel Nadu', which are balls of grated coconut and plam jaggery called 'nolen gur'. Muri-Murki, which is a mixture of rice puff and nolen-gur-coated khoi, is usually distributed as prasad. Kali Puja is a bigger celebration, where the bhog includes traditional bengali khichudi and a mutton curry cooked without onions and garlic."
Homemaker Lalita Kohli, said Sindhis and Punjabis too use a lot of coconut and jaggery, alongwith dry fruits. "Sindhis make chikki with puffed rice, dried fruits, coconut and jaggery called 'Varo'. Punjabis roll the coconut, jaggery and dried fruit into laddoos and call it 'Pinni'. Kheer-puri is another popular dish and is an auspicious meal," she added.
The murukku, a variation of the chakli, is common in Tamil homes said homemaker Vaishali Ramachandran. "In sweets, we make soft Mysore Pak and Badusha or Balushahi. Many Tamil homes also make a special mixture with boondi and sev, without poha, adding curry leaves,"Vaishali said.