Diwali 2022: 4 Snacks From 4 Corners By Chef Pankaj Bhadouria

Diwali is incomplete without mouth-watering desserts and snacks. Every single region in the country offers a different variety of desserts and snacks for this much-awaited festival. This festival brings us an opportunity to indulge in some of the tastiest food ever. Isn’t it?

Chef Pankaj Bhadouria has never failed to amaze us with her amazing recipes and cooking tips. This time also, Chef has shared the recipe of some party snacks from North, West, East, and South. Believe me, these snacks are so simple and give a proper festive vibe. So, without wasting any time, here are recipes of murukku, mini dry-fruit samosa, khatta-meetha poha chivda, and elo jhelo nimki.

Murukku from The South

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rice flour 
  • 2 tbsp flour 
  • ½ tsp chili powder 
  • 1 tsp black sesame seeds 
  • ½ tsp carom seeds 
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • ½ tsp salt 
  • Water for kneading 
  • 50g butter 
  • oil for frying

Method

  • Mix rice flour, turmeric powder, black sesame seeds, carom seeds, salt & butter. 
  • Rub till it resembles breadcrumbs. 
  • Add water to make a smooth non-sticky dough. 
  • Grease the dough and fill in murukku maker. 
  • Shape out murukku on butter paper squares. 
  • Seal the ends & fry in medium-hot oil till crispy on both sides. 
  • Remove, Cool & Store. 

Mini Dry Fruit Samosa from The North

Ingredients

Dough

  • 2 cup Flour
  •  ½ tsp Salt
  •  2 tbsp butter
  •  1 tsp carom seeds
  •  Water

For Filling

  • ½ cup peanuts 
  • ½ cup cashew nuts
  •  ½ cup raisins 
  • ½ cup desiccated coconut 
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds 
  • 1 tsp fennel seed powder 
  • 1 tsp chilli powder
  •  ½ tsp garam masala powder 
  • ½ tsp black pepper powder 
  • 1 tbsp dry mango powder 
  • 1 tsp sugar powder 
  • Salt to taste
  •  2 tbsp oil 
  • Oil to fry 

Method

  • Mix flour, salt, carom seeds, and butter and rub the flour to resemble bread crumbs. 
  • Add little water at a time and knead to a stiff dough. Set aside for 30 mins. 
  • Lightly fry the cashew nuts, almonds, and peanuts and remove aside. 
  • Once cooled, crush to a coarse powder in a blender. 
  • Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. add fennel seeds, and coriander seeds and sauté till fragrant. 
  • Switch off the heat and add desiccated coconut and sauté in the pan’s heat for a minute. 
  • Add the powdered spices, salt, and sugar and mix well. 
  • Mix together crushed dry fruits, spices, and raisins to prepare to fill. 
  • Take a lemon-sized ball of dough and roll it into a small roti. 
  • Cut it in half and shape it into a cone. 
  • Spoon filling into the cone and seal the edges with water. 
  • Deep fry in medium hot oil and fry on low flame till light golden.
  • Drain cool & store. 

Khatta Meetha Poha Chivda from The West

Ingredients

  • 2 cups poha
  •  ½ cup peanuts
  •  ½ cup cashews 
  • ½ cup almonds 
  • ½ cup raisins 200 g sev (thick) 
  • 9-10 whole red chilies (chopped)
  • 10-12 curry leaves 
  • 3 tbsp oil+ oil for deep frying 

For masala

  • 1 tbsp turmeric powder 
  • 2 tbsp red chilli powder 
  • 2 tbsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds 
  • Salt to taste
  • ¼ tsp citric acid 
  • 3 tbsp powdered sugar 
  • 2 tbsp dry mango powder 

Method

  • Heat oil in a pan, and fry peanuts till light brown.
  • Remove to a large bowl. Fry cashews, almonds, and raisins as well.
  • Lastly, fry poha in batches on high flame till they puff up. Remove to the same bowl. 
  • Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan. add fennel, and coriander and sauté till fragrant. 
  • Add dried red chilies, and curry leaves and sauté till the curry leaves are crisp. 
  • Remove from heat and add all spices.
  • Add the tempering to the poha mixture. 
  • Add sugar, citric acid, and dry mango powder and mix well. 
  • Cool & store. 

Elo Jhelo Nimki from The East

                                      Image credits: Youtube/Sharmila's kitchen

Ingredients 

  • 2 cup Flour 
  • ½ tsp Salt 
  • 2 tbsp butter 
  • 1 tsp carom seeds 
  • Water as needed

Method

  • Mix well flour, salt, and carom seeds.
  • Add melted ghee and rub flour to resemble bread crumbs. 
  • Add water to make a stiff but smooth dough. 
  • Cover the dough & rest for 30 minutes. 
  • Make lemon-sized balls and roll around the disc like a puri. 
  • Leaving one cm from each edge, make parallel slits at a gap of 1 cm in the puri. 
  • Apply a little water on the edges and roll to resemble a toffee. 
  • Heat 2” oil in a pan. Fry the elo jhelos in medium hot oil till golden. 
  • Cool & store.

Happy Diwali!!