Diwali Snacks – Sweet And Savory Festival Of Tastes

Have you ever heard of something called the Festival of Lights? Well, it’s one of India’s most cherished and beloved holidays, commonly known as Diwali. Diwali is the time when families gather around to say simply, there is happiness and love in the air.

Not surprisingly, every celebration and festival comes with delicious and unique snacks, and Diwali is no exception either. Our cherished memories are often connected to food and snacks. 

So, if you are looking for some delicious Diwali snacks, or if you are just curious about them, you are reading the right article. Let’s explore all about the delicious snacks of the Festival of Lights.

Diwali Snack Names

1. Ladoo
2. Barfi
3. Pedas
4. Gulab Jamun
5. Thattai
6. Aloo Tikki
7. Samosa
8. Onion Pakora

What is the “Festival Of Light”?

Diwali, sometimes referred to as the “Festival of Lights,” is recognized as the largest celebration in India and lasts for five days. The celebration takes place in the autumn. Depending on the moon, it frequently takes place in either October or November. Although Diwali was initially a Hindu holiday, it has evolved to become a national celebration.

Depending on the area of India, the origin narrative differs, but the overarching message is a tribute to the victory of good over evil. Throughout the event, those who celebrate Diwali engage in a variety of customs and rituals with symbolic significance.

According to its name, there is a strong focus on a light over darkness, so houses and streets are decorated with lamps, lanterns, and other dazzling lights to symbolize the gods’ triumph.

Outside of Hindu communities, different religions have given the day significance over the years. The origins of Diwali can be found in ancient Sanskrit writings. The occasion is celebrated as a celebration of good triumphing over evil.

Diwali is a 5-day holiday. However, depending on the location of India, it may last up to 6 days. On each of the five days, different customs and rituals are observed. The first day of the event is Dhanteras, and the last day is Bhai Dooj.

Day 1 celebrates Lord Dhanvantri’s birth (the medicine god). In order to bring good fortune, devotees usually clean their houses and buy new things, especially gold and cutlery.

On the second day, Naraka Chaturdasi commemorates the moment when Lord Krishna and his wife Satyabhama arrived on Earth to bring relief to people who had been afflicted by the demon Narakasura. Early celebrations involve adherents applying fragrant oils to their bodies to absolve them of their sins. They also utilize clay lamps, popularly known as “diyas,” to adorn their dwellings.

The third and major day of the Diwali celebration often referred to as the Lakshmi Puja, is day three. It celebrates the occasion of Lord Rama’s triumphant return from exile. Followers light up their houses with candles, lights, and pyrotechnics to mark the occasion. Additionally, Goddess Lakshmi, the feminine deity of riches, is also venerated on this day via devotion. This day is often celebrated with a big feast.

The fourth day, known as Govardhan pooja, is dedicated to Lord Krishna, who raised the Govardhan Mountain to protect the populace from Lord Indra’s fury. In order to commemorate it, devotees build a miniature version of the mountain (typically out of cow dung) and embellish it with flowers before offering it adoration.

Bhai Dooj, the fifth and last day of the Diwali celebration, is recognized for its emphasis on brotherly love, which symbolizes the brother-sister relationship between Lord Yama and his sister, Yami. Brothers usually visit their sisters to celebrate and are greeted with a sumptuous supper.

Mouthwatering Diwali Snacks

The cuisines of India are diverse. As a matter of fact, each region of this culture has a special snack to offer. Every state on the Indian subcontinent has its own well-known and beloved Diwali snacks that are painstakingly made during this specific holiday.

Let’s explore various Diwali snacks from Maharashtra, Faral, and even some from Bengal. Regardless of your taste, you can find something fascinating since the list includes both savory and sweet Diwali snacks.

1. Ladoo

The generic name for a variety of sphere-shaped candies with regional variations is ladoo. One of the most famous Asian candies today is the Boondi ladoo, which originated in north India. This snack is made of tiny, deep-fried balls of gram flour that are wrapped with seeds, nuts, and spices before being soaked in a sweet syrup. 

An equally well-known treat is besan ladoo, which is produced by first toasting gram flour in ghee (clarified butter) until it releases a soft nutty scent, and then combining it with sugar, pistachios, ghee, and other ingredients to form delectable sweet spheres.

According to a widely accepted genesis theory, ladoo dates to between 300 and 500 BCE. A legend says that Sushruta, an ancient Indian doctor, used the treatment to give his patients ayurvedic medications. The delicious balls made it simpler for the patient to take and assisted him in controlling the dose.

2. Barfi

The term “barfi” is employed to describe a variety of identical sweets that are among the greatest Diwali snacks and in general, among the most delicious Asian snacks. It is a milk-based dessert that is flavored with cardamom, rosewater, and nuts like cashews, pistachios, and peanuts. In order to enhance the taste, fruits like mango are often included. 

These are typically chopped into squares, diamonds, or rounds. Variations of those sweets are found with a thin coating of silver leaf on top (vark). Typically, those are created for festive occasions. You are most likely to find pista barfi (a pistachio sweet) and kaju katli (a cashew slice) in Indian sweet shops. Of course, you could also provide a modern take on coconut barfi, which often reminds candy lovers of Coconut Grove Candy Bar.

3. Pedas

Pedas are delicate Diwali snacks that melt in your mouth. Those sweets have spread far throughout India since they were first made in Uttar Pradesh, a state in the north. Typically, khoya, sugar, almonds, and flavorings like cardamom are used to make them. 

The darker, sugar-coated Dharwad peda is a specialty of the south Indian state of Karnataka, while the saffron-infused Kesar peda is a well-liked version in the north.

4. Gulab Jamun

Gulab jamun, arguably one of the most well-known sweets on the Indian subcontinent, takes its name from the rose-flavored syrup. This syrup and a tiny fruit that is similar to a plum make up the overall taste of these delicious Diwali snacks.

It is prepared from khoya or mawa and is a popular dish all throughout the country, despite its northern origins. The milk solids get heated and thickened. Once the mixture gets to a doughy consistency, the koya and flour get combined. 

Gulab Jamun balls are formed, which are then slowly deep-fried in ghee or oil. The spheres are then steeped in a light sugar syrup that has been flavored with cardamom, rose, or more frequently, saffron. All those things give the syrup a deep golden hue and a delicious flavor.

Salty & Savory Diwali Snacks

5. Thattai

Thattai is a rice-based deep-fried delicacy popular during celebrations and festivals in southern India. Those Diwali snacks can be either salty or sweet. Rice flour, lentil flour, spices, herbs, and seasonings are used to make that crunchy, deep-fried cracker.

 Rice flour, roasted and powdered urad dal flour, soaked chana dal, curry leaves, asafoetida (hing), crushed green chilies or red chili powder, salt, butter or ghee are all ingredients in a basic Thattai recipe. 

Fresh coconut can be used as an optional ingredient in the form of grated or sliced pieces. Thattai is also known as Nippattu and Chekkalu. Other names for it are Thattai Murukku and Thattu Vadai.

6. Aloo Tikki

The most well-known street food in northern India and one of the most amazing Diwali snacks in Pakistan and Bangladesh is called “aloo tikki”. It consists of a delectably aromatic, spicy, fried potato croquette with mild acidity.

In Hindi and Marathi, the words for potato and little croquette, respectively, are “aloo” and “tikki.” The Indian dish Aloo Tikki is cooked with mashed potatoes, peas, and a variety of spices and herbs. Aloo Tikki is served hot with chutneys and/or saunth (sweet ginger chutney), occasionally dahi, or raita, and chickpeas at chaat stands (Indian street food).

7. Samosa

The simple samosa is perhaps the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Diwali Indian snacks. These tiny fried pastry pieces are my notion of the ultimate savory snack since they are packed to the gills with potatoes that have been seasoned. In addition, there are other ingredients too that give the snack an amazing taste. 

Samosa tastes wonderful either hot or cold. Samosas are often deep-fried in vegetable oil till golden brown. They can be eaten hot with mint, coriander, or tamarind chutney or in chaat, which is a dish that usually includes yogurt, chutney, chopped onions, coriander, and chaat masala.

8. Onion Pakora

Deep-fried onion fritters prepared with gram flour (besan), spices, and herbs are known as onion pagoda in India. These are common Indian street food items that are also known by the name Onion Pakora.

Onion pakora is prepared differently in different parts of India, like many other Indian dishes. It’s a snack that tastes great and is simple to make. Gram flour is combined with diced onions, spices, and herbs to create a batter that is medium-thick to medium in consistency. The batter is then perfectly deep-fried in little amounts. This is the basic onion pakora recipe.

Bottom Line – Diwali Snacks

In this article, we explored delicious and mouthwatering Diwali snacks. While the Diwali celebration is accompanied by countless amazing snacks, the most popular ones among them are definitely Samosa, Pakoda, Aloo Tikki, Thattai, Pedas, Gulab Jamun, Barfi, and Ladoo.