India’s biggest and grandest festival, Diwali, took place on Wednesday, and the Redmond Ridge Diwali celebration will take place at 4 p.m. tomorrow at Rosa Parks Elementary School, 22845 N.E. Cedar Park Cres.
It feels similar to Christmas and family gatherings with mouthwatering sweets, extravagant feasts, tons of gifts and did I mention, gold? It is also a time to give back, to the less privileged, to communities in need. For years, firecrackers used to be a bold statement for families to show off. This has hit a down trend as many people are opting to go green and celebrate with clay lamps instead.
No matter how grand or humble, the festival always takes me back to childhood days in mom and dad’s home. Siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents and warm memories.
Diwali, or Dipawali, is symbolized by clay lamps, flower garlands, colorful rangolis (handmade art from flowers or colored powder) that adorn homes and businesses alike. Rows of lamps light up streets during the five days of festival. The lamps symbolize inner light that protects us from spiritual darkness.
North India commemorates the festival to celebrate the return of King Rama after defeating Ravana and rescuing his wife. South India celebrates in memory of Lord Krishna’s defeat of Narakasura. No matter the story behind it, the underlying interpretation is victory of good over evil. It is also believed that Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, wanders looking for a welcome home. People therefore, decorate their homes to invite her to come and stay.
If you want to taste some sweets and savories or buy beautiful clay maps, visit any Indian store during this time of the year. Amazon has its share of treats online, as well.
Below are some easy sweets you can try at home.
Milk and saffron pedas
What you need: Makes 20-24 pedas
Two cups/14oz/400gm can of condensed milk
Two cups of milk powder
One tablespoon of ghee or butter
A few strands of saffronTwo green cardamoms
Half cup of crushed nuts of your choice, pistachios, almonds, cashews
Peel the cardamom seeds and crush them don finely with a rolling pin. Set aside.Set aside 1/4 cup milk powder aside as a reserve to correct your final product. Grease the inside of a glass bowl with ghee. Add condensed milk, milk powder, and ghee together. Stir to a smooth paste.
Place it in the microwave on regular heat for two minutes, stopping every 20 seconds and stirring. Microwave times and heat will vary. Watch for changes from bubbling liquid to a slightly crumbly dough formation. Remove and add saffron strands and cardamom powder.
Once the mixture cools from hot to warm, dip your hands in some ghee, and roll little balls of uniform size.
Tip: Just make sure you work with warm dough. If your mixture is too runny, use the reserved milk powder to thicken into a dough. If the mixture is too crumbly, add a few teaspoons of hot milk and milk powder to knead it back to the right consistency.
Once you form little balls, indent the center with your thumb and press it down with crushed nuts. Stays fresh in an airtight container for up to a week. Enjoy!Variation: Soak a few saffron strands in three teaspoons of hot milk. Pour this over the dough and knead, to get yellow/saffron pedas.
Coconut burfi
You can make this sweet two ways — using sugar, or condensed milk. This version uses condensed milk.
What you need: Makes about 20 two-inch squares
Four cups sweetened coconut flakes
Half cup milkHalf cup sweetened condensed milk
A pinch of cardamom powder
Two tablespoons of ghee
Grease a plate or baking tray lightly with ghee and set aside. Blend the sweetened coconut flakes and milk together. You may grind it as course or smooth you like it to be. In a pan on medium heat, add the coconut paste and condensed milk. Cook on medium heat for about four to six minutes. Once they mixture starts to leave the sides of the pan and form a dough, pour it on the greased tray; spread it evenly.Chill it in the fridge for about an hour. Remove and cut into squares. Holds good for a few days at room temperature. If you refrigerate it, the burfi will hold good for up to a few weeks. Enjoy!
More Indian sweet recipes here: http://www.reshmaseetharam.com
Reshma Seetharam is a Redmond mother, wife, foodie and web developer. Other than watching her two sons play soccer, nothing excites her more than packing fun, healthy lunches, creating a new recipe or taking on a cake project. Her food blog has subscribers from around the globe. She attributes all her cooking skills to her mother. She creates easier versions of Indian classic dishes as well as fusion cuisine. Visit her website for recipes and kids lunch ideas. www.reshmaseetharam.com
