Diwali is a festival of lights, laughter, and above all flavours that bring families and friends together. From age-old mithais to inventive fusion bites, the festive table is as much a celebration as the fireworks in the sky. This year, we bring you chefs who open their recipe books and hearts, sharing dishes that add sparkle to your celebrations. Whether you’re planning an elaborate spread or looking for quick festive fixes, these recipes promise to make your Diwali truly memorable.
CHEF MALVIKA HADA KUMAR
About Malvika: Malvika Hada Kumar is a recipe developer and food content manager with over eight years of experience in curating engaging culinary content. What began as a passion for cooking soon turned into The Spicy Story her platform dedicated to simple, creative, and approachable recipes. In just two years, she has built a vibrant community of over 1 million followers, inspiring food lovers with flavours, traditions, and stories from her kitchen.
About recipe – Mathe Wale Aloo
A rustic Rajasthani-style potato curry simmered in buttermilk, infusing it with an earthy aroma and a comforting taste. What makes it truly special for Diwali is its simplicity! After all the decadent sweets and heavy festive dishes, this simple curry with garma garam pooris feels like home on a plate.
Mathe Wale Aloo Recipe 👇🏻
Ingredients –
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp hing
1 tbsp ginger, finely chopped
2 green chillies, finely chopped
2 tbsp besan
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 cup water
2-3 boiled potatoes, slightly mashed
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
Salt, to taste
1 tsp dry mint
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1 tbsp coriander, finely chopped
Instructions: Heat oil. Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, hing, and cook for a few seconds. Add in ginger, green chillies, besan, and cook until the besan is roasted. Add all the spice powders, water, and cook until the masala leaves oil. Add mashed boiled potatoes and buttermilk, then cook for a few minutes. Add salt, dry mint, garam masala, and coriander. Mix and enjoy with hot Pooris.
Chef Shreya Agarwala
About Shreya: Shrey Agarwala, the face behind Oh, Cheat Day! loves to share recipes that let you indulge without guilt. Chef, food lover, and storyteller I love adding flavour to every festival.
About the recipe: Payasam
This payasam brings a distinctly South Indian flavour to the Diwali table rich with coconut milk, sweetened with jaggery, and finished with roasted cashews and cardamom. It’s my way of blending Southern tradition with the Northern sparkle of the Festival of Lights.
Payasam
Here’s to making your festive season a little more flavourful
1 Itr. Coconut Milk or Milk of choice
100 g Rice, soaked
150 g Jaggery
1 tsp Ghee
50 grams Cashews
50 grams Almonds
50 grams Raisins
1 tsp Green Cardamom
A generous pinch of Kesar
Method of preparation:
- Heat ghee in a vessel, add rice, and stir it until it becomes lovely and fragrant.
- Add milk, cook it until it becomes nice and thick.
- Add jaggery, saffron, and green cardamom, stir it, and allow the jaggery to melt completely.
- In another pan, heat ghee, add nuts, and stir them occasionally till they turn golden in colour.
- Transfer 3/4 quantity of the nuts to the payasam and stir it, and our Payasam is ready to serve.
6. Take the Payasam out in a serving bowl and garnish with the remaining chopped nuts.
Chef Pavitra Kaur
About Pavitra: Pavitra Kaur, widely known as The Classy Foodophile, is a food and lifestyle creator who brings India’s culinary heritage to life with a modern flair. A new mother and entrepreneur, Pavitra blends storytelling, authenticity, and elegance in every dish she creates.
About the recipe: Ingredients & Preparation
Ingredients (Serves 4–5)
- Yellow moong dal – ½ cup
- Jaggery (powdered) – 1 cup
- Thin coconut milk – 2 cups
- Thick coconut milk – 1 cup
- Ghee – 2 tbsp
- Cashews – 10–12
- Raisins – 8–10
- Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
Preparation
1️⃣ Roast moong dal in ghee until golden, then pressure cook with water until soft.
2️⃣ Mash dal gently, add thin coconut milk & simmer.
3️⃣ Melt jaggery with a splash of water, strain & add to dal.
4️⃣ Stir in thick coconut milk & cardamom, cook on low (don’t boil).
5️⃣ Fry cashews & raisins in ghee, pour over payasam.
6️⃣ Serve warm or chilled in a traditional brass bowl.
Chef Prachi Agarkar
About Prachi: Chef Prachi Agarkar, known as TheZanzanitChef, made her mark on MasterChef India Season 8. A proud Maharashtrian, she is taking regional cuisine to a global stage. Her love for experimenting with simple recipes soon turned into a full-time career.
With over 613k followers, she has built a vibrant food community online. Prachi continues to inspire with her authentic flavours and culinary creativity.
Why it’s unique
- Fusion at its core – It marries Rasmalai (an Indian mithai) with the global favourite Tres Leches Cake, turning a traditional dessert into something modern and fun.
- Easy to make – Unlike elaborate Indian sweets, this one is approachable: sponge + cream + rasmalai + garnish, yet the result feels gourmet.
Recipe: Rasmalai Trifle Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium vanilla sponge cake (store-bought, eggless works best)
- 10–12 rasmalai pieces (with the milk they come in)
- 1 cup whipping cream (or fresh cream + 2 tbsp powdered sugar)
- ½ tsp cardamom powder
- A few saffron strands (optional)
- Chopped pistachios, almonds, rose petals for garnish
Method
Step 1: Prep the sponge
- Cut the sponge cake into slices or cubes (depending on the dish you’re using – trifle bowl or glass jars).
- Keep aside.
Step 2: Flavour the cream
- Whip the cream with powdered sugar until soft peaks form.
- Add cardamom powder (and saffron, if using) and fold gently.
Step 3: Assemble layers
- Place a layer of sponge cake at the base of your serving dish.
- Spoon over rasmalai milk generously to soak the cake (like Tres leches).
- Add a layer of cardamom whipped cream.
- Place a few pieces of rasmalai on top (you can cut them in half for even distribution).
- Repeat the layers until your dish is whole.
Step 4: Final touch
- Finish with a smooth layer of cream.
- Garnish with rasmalai balls, chopped pistachios, almonds, and rose petals.
• Chill for 2–3 hours before serving so the flavours meld.
CHEF NATASHA GANDHI
Dish Name & Description (Diwali Special): Gulab Jamun (with Sweet Potato, Oat & Watermelon Seeds) – A festive favourite reimagined: soft Gulab jamuns made with sweet potato, oat flour, and watermelon seed powder, stuffed with pecans, and soaked in a monk fruit–sweetened syrup. All the indulgence, none of the guilt.
About Natasha: Natasha Gandhi is a celebrated chef, a Top 5 finalist on MasterChef India Season 6, and the founder of House of Millets, a gluten-free, millet-based dessert brand. Known for reimagining traditional Indian dishes with healthier, modern twists, she brings creativity, nostalgia, and wellness together on the plate.
Ingredients & Preparation
Dough
- 200 g watermelon seed powder
- 200 g oat flour
- 200 g boiled sweet potatoes, mashed
- 1 ½ tbsp cardamom powder
Syrup
- 1 cup monk fruit sweetener
- 5 cups water
- A few cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- A few saffron strands
- Dried rose petals (optional)
Filling
- 1–2 pecans per jamun
For Frying
- Oil, for deep frying (or air fry for a lighter version)
Method
- In a bowl, combine watermelon seed powder, oat flour, mashed sweet potatoes, and cardamom powder. Knead into a soft dough. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, add monk fruit sweetener, water, cardamom pods, saffron, and rose petals. Bring to a boil, then simmer until slightly thickened. Keep warm.
- Take a small portion of dough, flatten it slightly, and place 1–2 pecans in the centre. Seal the edges. Roll into smooth balls.
- Fry in paniyaram moulds or air fry the balls on medium heat until golden brown.
- Transfer fried jamuns into the warm syrup. Let soak until soft and syrupy. Serve warm.
Natasha’s Notes
- Air fry at 180°C for 12–15 minutes, brushing lightly with ghee for that fried taste.
- Swap pecans with almonds, pistachios, or even dark chocolate chips for a fun filling.
- For extra richness, add a spoonful of ghee to the dough while kneading.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer; jamuns need space to cook evenly.
- These jamuns taste even better the next day after soaking overnight in syrup.
