Paneer Pineapple in Pistachio Gravy — the freshest, most aromatic festive sabzi to impress with! Nutty from the pistachios, refreshing from the mint and cilantro, and slightly sweet from the pineapple, this is a show-stopping Diwali dish with such incredible flavors!
Rajasthani Papad Platter — the easiest Diwali party appetizer that is bound to be a hit! With kachri ki chutney, garlic chutney, onion sesame achaar, and more, everyone will love assembling their own perfect bites! WATCH HOW TO MAKE RAJASTHANI PAPAD PLATTER: We’ll start by making our Kachri ki Chutney. Kachri is a type of wild melon that is sour. In Delhi, they even make a chaat out of this! For the chutney, we’ve blended the kachri with soaked Kashmiri chillies which gives this lovely red color. And just like when making garlic chutney, we’ve cooked it down with some water and basic spices until you start to see oil on top. Presentation is key here since the rest of the dish is just assembling. On my board, I’m keeping onion sesame achaar, our kachri ki chtuney, garlic chutney, green chutney, and other toppings like cucumbers, tomatoes, pomegranate, smoked mirchi, and of course bhujiya! Pair this with all your favorite papads and crunchy snacks! I’ve used different kinds of papads and khichiyas. Enjoy! If you …
Orange Dahi Vada Layer Chaat – with layers of creamy orange yogurt, beetroot aloo, mini vadas, and masala chana, this appetizer is as pretty as it is delicious! Chaat is a classic for entertaining, but let’s level it up with this new twist that combines the bright, refreshing notes of orange with all the classic chatpata goodness!
Nawabi Corn Kebabs — crisp and smoky, this is the perfect finger food for your Diwali Taash parties! With fresh corn and shredded coconut, these kebabs are so flavorful, especially when paired with a special mustard raisin chutney!
Water Chestnut Wonton Cups — with a chatpata water chestnut (panifal/singhada) filling, vibrant mint yogurt, and colorful pomegranate seed, this is a dish that truly captures the warmth of entertaining and hosting during the festive season! Make it ahead of your party for a hassle-free serving experience and your Diwali parties are going to be a hit!
Stuffed Chili Mushrooms — with a decadent, cheesy filling and tossed in a spicy, Asian-inspired sauce, this is the ultimate Diwali appetizer! Serve in a large platter or as individual bites, and your Diwali appetizers are sorted!
Sushi Board — colorful and easy to share, this is the ultimate Diwali showstopper to make this festive season! With Hot Chili Tofu, Paneer Tikka, crispy rice squares, and a variety of sauces and toppings, it’s the perfect dish to impress your guests with!
Jodhpuri Kabuli — a royal layered rice dish from Rajasthan, this Kabuli which is like a biryani features layers of basmati rice, vegetables in a tangy yogurt gravy, fried bread, sliced tomatoes, and saffron milk!
Amritsari Paneer Bhurji — with a fresh herby twist, this is the ultimate way to enjoy paneer inspired by my travels in Punjab! With fresh herbs like mint, minimal spices, and super light with no cream, this is a must try! WATCH HOW TO MAKE AMRITSARI PANEER BHURJI: I tried this when I was in Amritsar earlier and they had blanched some spinach and then shocked it in ice water for a super vibrant color. I blended this with some fresh cilantro and mint for a lovely herby flavor. In a pan, heat mustard oil and add cumin seeds and hing. Add some besan and let this toast this for a few minutes. Now we’ll go in with our onions and aromatics. Sauté this for a few minutes and add in tomato paste and all of our spices. Let this come together and then we’ll go in with some yogurt for that creaminess and a little tanginess. Add some water and let this cook covered for a few minutes. Add in grated paneer and give …
Makhmali Malai Kofta — with a satisfying pistachio cranberry filling, velvety tomato gravy, and drizzled with a floral saffron honey, this is the most stunning malai kofta! The secret to the best malai kofta is that subtle sweetness that just adds an extra level of richness! The cranberries and saffron honey here truly make all the difference! WATCH HOW TO MAKE MAKHMALI MALAI KOFTA: Start by sautéing your whole spices with shallots, aromatics, cashews, tomatoes, and a little tomato paste. Add in some water and let this simmer. Finish with mint, cilantro, and milk powder before blending this until smooth. Transfer this to a pan with a red chili powder tadka and now we’ll go in with all our spices, some dry mint. Let it simmer while all the flavors develop. Finish with some garam masala, a dash of cream, and trust me on this one – some saffron honey! For our koftas, we’ll knead together potatoes, paneer, cornstarch, and breadcrumbs until they form a smooth dough. For the filling, add in pistachios, dried cranberries, …
