With holiday season quickly approaching, we’re diving into the pages of our books for festive cooking and baking inspiration! First up, we have the festival of Diwali, which begins this weekend.
Diwali (also known as Deepavali) is a five-day festival of lights observed by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and some Buddhists to mark new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. People celebrate the occasion by lighting diyas (oil lamps), setting off fireworks, exchanging gifts, and enjoying the best part of every holiday: desserts!
Instead of picking up a cookbook, look through your favorite titles this year for literary-themed treats! Here is a list of Diwali sweets found in some of our books to kick-start your cooking adventures:
The Serpent’s Secret & Game of Stars by Sayantani DasGupta
Desserts made by Kiran’s mom to serve to Kiran’s classmates and to trick-or-treaters on Halloween.
- Roshogolla: Cottage cheese dumplings cooked in syrup
- Sandesh: Soft fudge made with cheese, sugar, and molasses
- Chomchom: Fried sweet made with various types of cream
The Candle and the Flame by Nafiza Azad
Enjoyed by Fatima Ghazala and her friends at a Diwali celebration.
- Halwa puri: Semolina halwa/halva with fried flatbread
- Jilapi/jalebi: Deep-fried funnel-shaped sweets dipped in a sugar syrup
- Roshmalai/rasmalai: Sweet ricotta cheese dumplings in spiced cream
- Laddoo: Chickpea flour-based dessert balls
Mission Mumbai by Mahtab Narsimhan
Some of the sweets Dylan gets to try when visiting India with his friend Rohit.
- Golap Jam/Gulab Jamun: Caramelized sugar and milk sweets soaked in a rosewater syrup
- Barfi: A category of milk-based fudge
