Humara Diwali Week Meal Plan Looks Like This!

Every house has its own Diwali special food and at the end of it, it doesn’t matter what I cook. Food brings us all together, Diwali for us is about being together and celebrating the traditions and creating memories with my kids. This week’s meal plan is a mix of everything nice. Enjoy the festivities & Happy Diwali to everyone.
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Abhyanga Snan on first day of Diwali – special herbal bath with ubtan or Utne, a mix herbal powder to have bath and scrub on the occasion of Diwali, selective focus

This is my favourite time of the year– Diwali! There is already a nip in the air, you can see different coloured lights twinkling in every window or balcony, the sound of kids bursting Pop-ups ( Delhi has to make do with that coz of the cracker ban), the dressing up and of course all the khana peena that is part of all Indian festivals. Don’t you all love it too? 

Now every house has its own Diwali special food and has various memories associated with it. I grew up in a Punjabi household and for us, Diwali is Maa Ki Dal, Gobi ki Sabzi & Kheer. And then I got married to someone from UP and in their family, Bedmi Aloo & Kachori is a must. Most years it’s a balancing act for me. Thankfully my kids are happy with both. While my kids are definitely Gen Z pizza-pasta lovers, they love all the traditional khana during this time.

In the end, it doesn’t matter what I cook. Diwali for us is about being together and celebrating the traditions and creating memories with my kids. 

This week’s meal plan is a mix of everything nice. Enjoy the festivities & Happy Diwali to everyone.

Recipe Of The Week

Moong Dal Payasam ( Gluten-free)

Image Source: https://www.cupcakeree.com/

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Split Yellow Moong Dal
  • 3 Cups Water, divided
  • Pinch Of Salt
  • 3/4 Cup Jaggery Powder
  • 1/2 Cup Thin Coconut Milk 
  • 1/2 Tsp Elaichi Powder 
  • 1/2 Tsp Dried Ginger Powder
  • 1/4 Tsp Roasted Cumin Powder 
  • 1/2 Cup Thick Coconut Milk 
  • 1 Tbsp Ghee, Divided
  • 1 Tbsp Cashew halves
  • 1 Tbsp Raisins
  • 1 Tbsp Dried Coconut Pieces 

Method

  • Dry roast the dal over medium-low heat stirring frequently until it turns fragrant and starts to change colour. Remove from heat. 
  • Rinse the roasted dal well and soak it in water for 30 minutes. 
  • In a pressure cooker, cook the dal with 2 1/2 cups of water, 2 tsp of ghee and a pinch of salt for 2-3 whistles or until the dal is soft. Turn off the heat and let the pressure release naturally. Mash the dal well and set it aside. 
  • In a small saucepan, combine the jaggery powder with 1/2 cup of water and bring it to a boil. Stir until the jaggery has completely dissolved. Strain the syrup to remove any impurities. 
  • Add the prepared jaggery syrup to the mashed dal along with the thin coconut milk. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-low heat. Cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring constantly (and scraping down the sides) until the mixture thickens. 
  • Stir in the powdered spices and thick coconut milk. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, then turn off the heat. 
  • Heat the remaining ghee in a small frying pan. Fry the cashews, raisins and coconut pieces until golden brown. Add to the payasam and serve warm. 

Your Grocery List

Did You Know

brazil nuts

Native to the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru,  Brazil nuts are energy dense, highly nutritious, and super high in selenium. Additionally, they have higher concentrations of magnesium, copper, and zinc than most other nuts. Actually, a seed, rather than a nut, Brazil nuts are known for their smooth texture and creamy nutty taste.

They are high in heart-healthy fats including Omega-3 fatty acids which help lower cholesterol, Packed with protein, the essential amino acids in Brazil nuts can help strengthen muscles. Magnesium, also found in Brazil nuts, can aid in preventing sore muscles, making them an ideal snack to consume with workouts.

By the way, the oil in Brazil nuts is also an amazing moisturizer. It can aid in healing dry and damaged skin, as well as help, treat psoriasis and eczema. For this reason, Brazil nut oil is often used in skin care products and anti-wrinkle treatments. The zinc in Brazil nuts can help treat acne, as well as reduce its appearance and also combat skin redness.

Hack Of Week

One of the tricks I use regularly in my own life is cleaning greasy and burnt-on messes with a potato. Potatoes contain oxalic acid, which is effective in breaking up rust and other difficult stains.

What I do is pour vinegar into the pan and swish it around and then sprinkle salt on it. 

Next, I cut a raw potato in half and start scrubbing with the cut side face down. 

You will see a brownish-grey liquid appear – the potato is working its magic. Slice off a thin layer of the potato to decrease the grease and scrub again a little. Use your dishwashing soap to clean and voila you’ll have a shiny pan again!

Meal Plan This Diwali Week

Recipes To Help You Through The Diwali Week

Yummy Oats Idli

oats idli

Image Source: https://www.beatoapp.com

Ingredients:

  • ½ Cup Oats (grind to fine powder in a grinder)
  • ½ Cup Fine Rice Flour
  • ¼ Cup Fresh Or Sour Curd
  • 1 Cup Water or add as required
  • ½ Tsp Baking Soda
  • ¼ Cup Grated Carrot
  • 2-3 Sprigs Chopped Coriander Leaves
  • Salt as required

For Tempering:

  • ½ Tsp Olive Oil
  • ¼ Tsp Mustard Seeds (rai)
  • ¼ Tsp Cumin Seeds (jeera)
  • ½ Tsp Chana Dal
  • ½ Tsp Urad Dal
  • A Pinch of Asafoetida (hing)
  • ½ Tsp Crushed Black Pepper
  • 1 Tsp Curry Leaves Finely Chopped
  • ½ Inch Ginger Chopped
  • 8 To 10 Cashews Chopped
  • 1 – 2 Tbsp Grated Coconut optional

Method:

  • Heat oil in a pan on a low flame & add the mustard seeds, chana dal, and urad dal. Saute the mustard seeds till they crackle and the dals become golden.
  • Add ginger, cashews, curry leaves, and a pinch of asafoetida and saute for a minute.
  • Mix in the oats flour and rice flour. Keep stirring to prevent it from burning. Roast for about 5 minutes, Remove from heat and let it cool down completely.
  • Add the grated chopped coriander and carrots, you can also add steamed peas or finely chopped french beans or skip the veggies altogether.
  • Stir in the curd – you can add either fresh or sour curd.
  • Add water to form a batter that has a medium consistency. Cover and allow the batter to sit for 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, grease the idli moulds with ghee or oil & heat water in the idli steamer or a pressure cooker.
  • Now add salt and baking soda and mix the whole batter well.
  • Pour the batter in the moulds that are greased. Try to use all the batter in one go.
  • Place the moulds in the steamer/electric cooker/pressure cooker. Cover and steam the idlis for 10 to 15 minutes. Insert a toothpick in the idlis to see if the idlis are done, the toothpick should come out clean.
  • Allow the steamed idlis to stand for some time. Remove them with a spoon carefully.
  • Serve these healthy oats idli with coconut chutney or sambar.

Gluten-free Pinni

  • 35 gm/ 3 Tbsp Amaranth Flour
  • 35 gm/ 3 Tbsp Buckwheat Flour  
  •  30 gm/ 2.5 Tbsp Water Chestnut Flour
  • 3 Tbsp Milk
  • 50 gm/ 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
  • 4 Tbsp Ghee
  • 6 – 7 Cashews
  • 6-7 Almonds
  • 8-10 Raisins

Method:

  • Heat ghee in a pan. Add all the flours & roast well on medium-low flame for 6-8 minutes or until you can smell the delicious aroma of ghee. Roasting the flour is very important. So make sure you roast them properly until the raw smell goes away.
  • Add milk slowly & keep stirring, at no point leave the mixture unattended as it can burn.
  • Take the mixture off the flame and let it cool down for a few minutes. Stir in sugar and mix until well incorporated.
  • After dry nuts and sugar are added, the mixture will come together like a ball of dough.
  • You can also add unsalted pistachio & unsalted pumpkin seed if you wish to make it more healthy.
  • Now mix everything together &; shape it like a round ball/ladoo. Repeat the process with the rest of the mixture and form the pinnis.

Makhana – Poha Granola

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups Phool Makhana/Water Lily Seeds
  • 1 ½ Cups Mixed Nuts (Almonds, Walnuts Or Any Other)
  • ½ Cup  Rolled Oats
  • ½ Cup  Thin Poha 
  • 1 ½ Tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1 Fat Pinch Nutmeg
  • 3 Tbsp Powdered Jaggery
  • 1 Tbsp Flaxseed Powder
  • 1 Ripe Banana
  • ¼ Cup melted Coconut Oil
  • 1/3 Cup  Jaggery Syrup/ Maple Syrup/ Honey

Method

  • Chops nuts into small bits.
  • Preheat the oven to 150° C. Line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside.
  • Add coconut oil and jaggery syrup in a pan and turn on the heat on low. Mix well to combine.
  • Mash a ripe banana with a fork and stir in the flax meal into a bowl. Add this to the warm liquid.
  • Add all the dry ingredients into the bowl and mix well to coat them with the liquid evenly.
  • Transfer this to the preheated oven and reduce the temperature to 130° C and bake for 60 minutes.
  • Stir the granola around the halfway mark for even baking.
  • Crank up the oven to 150° C for the last 10 minutes of your bake to get a nice caramel flavour and colour.
  • Let this cool and store in an airtight container until use.

Tips:

  • It’s important to bake this granola on low heat to avoid the makhana from burning.
  • Do not hesitate to bake the granola for longer if the moisture still remains 
  • Resist the temptation to increase the temperature to bake.
  • The granola will turn crispy on cooling.
  • Serve them in paper cones for a fun presentation or you can put them into the beautiful mason jars we have selected for you at the end of the post.

Masoor  Almond  Namkeen Biscuits

Ingredients 

  • ½ Cup Roasted Masoor Dal Flour
  • ¼ Cup Almond Flour
  • 60g Butter softened
  • 10 Curry Leaves chopped up
  • 1 Tsp Jeera 
  • 2 Tsp Raw Sugar or Coconut Sugar ground
  • ½ Tsp Salt
  • 1 Tsp Green Chili Paste
  • Red Chilli Flakes as needed
  • ¾ Tbsp Arrowroot Starch or Cornstarch

Method

  • In a pan,  roast masoor dal on low heat stirring often until it turns aromatic and the colour starts to change a little.
  • Blend the masoor dal to a flour once it has cooled down.
  • Grind the almonds in a blender into flour. Do not over blend as this will release the oils. 
  • In a bowl, cream the butter with sugar until fluffy. Add the chilli paste and mix well.
  • Now add all the mixed up dry ingredients and combine using a spatula.
  • Put the dough onto a working surface and roll it into a log. Wrap it with baking paper and freeze it until used.
  • Let it defrost for a couple of minutes and slice into roundels with a sharp knife to 1/4cm thickness and place them on a lined baking tray.
  • Bake at 170° C for 12-14 minutes. 
  • Let cool completely and enjoy this melt-in-your-mouth biscuits or store in an airtight container until needed.

Carrot & Beetroot Detox Juice

Ingredients

  • 1 Medium Beetroot (rinsed, peeled & chopped)
  • 1 Medium Apple (peeled, cored and quartered)
  • 1 in Fresh Ginger (skin removed)
  • 1 Carrot –peeled
  • Squeeze of lemon

Method

  • Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth with a dash of lemon juice.
  • Add some water if you don’t have a juicer and need your blender to start moving.
  • Take a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl and pour the juice over it. Using a spoon o press the pulp down and squeeze all of the juice out.
  • Discard the pulp and pour your juice into a serving glass. Drink immediately or chill for a bit.

Honey Sesame Almonds

honey sesame almonds

Ingredients

  • 300 gms Almonds
  • 2 Tbsp Honey
  • 1.5 tsp Coconut oil
  • 2 tbsp Sesame seeds
  • Pinch of Sea salt

Method

  • Preheat your oven to 170C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  • Place the almonds, sesame seeds and salt in a bowl.
  • In a small saucepan, gently heat honey and coconut oil. Pour over the almond mixture. Mix well and spread evenly on the prepared tray.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring them around a couple times. Let the almonds cool completely. Store in an airtight jar. Enjoy!

Buckwheat Pancakes

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