Wednesday 26th October celebrates the day of Diwali. Once again my family will gather to a host an amazing traditional dinner consisting of Poori, Potato, aubergine, and chick pea curries, fried popadoms, samosas, bhajias and many, many sweets. Of course I will have to wait till tomorrow to see what is made by my mum, she cooks the best Diwali dinners! But I can share with you a sweet recipe and some of the festivities undertaken before the day.
3 days before Diwali, we start lighting Diyas (eco friendly of course) around the home which are placed in traditional creative thalis or in India floor Rangoli, this year I chose to make one using raw rice, lentils, turmeric and vermillion. If you like you can be extra Eco and make these gorgeous and clever Clementine Candles. Many people buy new sarees and Indian dresses especially for the day, that’s a much bigger tradition in India then in many western countries though.
Indian sweets are the big thing at this time. Known as mithai, these are passed on as gifts to family and friends. There are literally hundreds of types of sweets, amazing colours and flavours, traditional and contemporary but most common is Halva and Barfi. Both really delicious but usually made with Ghee which isn’t dairy free and lots of milk.
I made my own version using elements of both which is totally vegan with a little texture and so yummy. It’s made using vermicelli (I know! But it works!) combined with dried fruits, sultanas and nuts.
Ingredients
1 cup vermicelli
2 cups non dairy milk
2 tablespoons non dairy margarine
Approx 1 cup mixed dried nut and fruits keep the fruits separate
1/3 cup almond meal
1/3 cup fresh coconut grated
1 teaspoon red food coloring
1.5 tablespoons brown sugar or a dessert mix (I used Kesar Falooda mix; it’s made from saffron, sugar and basil seeds)
To Make:
- Dry roast the mixed nuts and coarsely blend in a food processor
- in a deep non stick pan heat and continually stir the vermicelli with the margarine until very golden brown
- Add the mixed nuts and fruits, almond meal and coconut to the pan and stir for 5 mins
- Add the milk and falooda mix and again stir for another 8 mins, add the food coloring
- The consistency should be like a thick paste but everything should be binded together
- Pour the mix into a deep square dish and with a spoon pat the mixture down
- After it has been left to cool a while, cut into squares and serve
As much as it is about good food, new clothes and gifts it’s about remembering the amazing story behind the celebrations.
The story of Diwali and the Sacredness of Animals
I’m sure you will have heard several stories about Diwali but for those of you who haven’t and are interested I will share with you. The story goes that Rama, a human form of the Gods born as son of King Dasharatha, was banished to live in the forests by his stepmother after his father died. Why? Rama was set to take over the throne but his stepmother wanted one of her own sons to be King. Without much argument and In search of a peaceful life along with his wife Sita and faithful brother Laxman, Rama set off, unknowingly into a world of trouble and heartache. A few years of living a simple life wife Sita was kidnapped by the most powerful of demons in Hindu mythology, Ravan, a known enemy of Rama. Ravan held her prisoner tied to a tree outside his kingdom. The bond between Rama and his wife was strong so you could imagine the distraught of Rama at the thought of losing her as well as the sorrow of Sita without her husband.
This part of the story is where the essence of the sacredness of animals in Hinduism comes from. Hanuman, known as one of the strongest monkeys that ever lived and a Hindu deity befriended Rama. He gave him Sita’s piece of jewelry he had found whilst wandering the forests. From that Rama and Hanuman tracked down the island Sita was held captive only to be met by a giant ocean in between. All the animals from the forest helped build a bridge which took days but built it was. Rama, Hanuman, Laxman and the animals walked across and fought an army of demons to rescue Sita and kill Ravan. This was when Rama decided to head back home. After 14 long years they returned to the city of Ayodhya. The townsmen and women rejoiced to have them back and their way of celebrating was to light up the city to welcome Rama and his family back to the light from all those years in darkness.
The moral of the story means something different to everyone; at the heart of the story is triumph over evil but I recognize that in human form the gods chose to experience challenges because as mere mortals we aren’t immune to obstacles in life. Everyone goes these but best way to overcome them is through passion, friendship, empathy and faith (whether religious or in yourself). I’ll be looking ahead to a new year, taking all the positive aspects with me and leaving all the negative energy behind.
On that note I wish you all a Happy Diwali and a very healthy and Prosperous New Year.
