Diwali is coming, and so is the question every year: "What are we making?" The guests are booked, the diyas are out, and you're staring at a list of sweets and snacks, wondering where to start.
This is our family's Diwali menu. These are the sweets and farsan Mum has made for decades, written down with exact measurements, so you're not guessing with "a little bit of this, a little bit of that". Pick a few, or make the lot.
Diwali sweets (mithai)
Kaju Katli
The queen of the Diwali sweet box. Smooth, melt-in-your-mouth cashew fudge that looks shop-bought but needs just a handful of ingredients. Get the Kaju Katli recipe →
Milk Powder Barfi
All the creamy richness of barfi without hours of stirring milk. Our shortcut version is perfect when you're short on time but still want homemade. Get the Barfi recipe →
Gulab Jamun
Soft, syrup-soaked and impossible to eat just one. The dessert everyone hovers around at every celebration. Get the Gulab Jamun recipe →
Crispy farsan & snacks
Bataka Vada
Spiced potato wrapped in crispy gram flour batter. Crunchy outside, soft inside, and gone within minutes of hitting the table. Get the Bataka Vada recipe →
Potato Pakora
Thin potato slices in a spiced batter, fried until golden. Quick to make and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Get the Potato Pakora recipe →
Spinach Bhajia
Crispy spinach fritters that fry up in minutes. Perfect with a hot cup of chai when the guests arrive. Get the Spinach Bhajia recipe →
Patra
Colocasia leaves rolled with a spiced gram flour paste, steamed, sliced and tempered. A proper Gujarati festive favourite, and a great make-ahead option. Get the Patra recipe →
Don't forget the chutney
Green Coriander Chutney
Every snack on this list is better with a spoonful of fresh, zingy dhania chutney. It takes minutes in a blender. Get the Coriander Chutney recipe →
How to plan your Diwali cooking (without the stress)
- A few days before: make your sweets. Kaju katli and barfi keep well in an airtight container, so get them done early.
- The day before: make the chutney, steam the patra, and prep your potato filling for the vada.
- On the day: fry the bhajia, pakora and vada fresh, and temper the patra just before serving.
Giving sweets this Diwali?
A homemade box of kaju katli and barfi means so much more than shop-bought. Line a box with baking paper, add a few of each, and tie it with ribbon.
Or give the gift that keeps on cooking. Our cookbook, A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That, has over 100 real Gujarati home recipes, written down the way Mum actually cooks them. It's won two Gourmand World Cookbook Awards and is loved in more than 7,000 kitchens across Australia and New Zealand.
Get the hardcover cookbook →
Need it today? Get the ebook, instant download →
Happy Diwali from our kitchen to yours!
Jay & Mum (Laxmi)
The Gujarati Kitchen