Festival of lights and sweet delights 30 Diwali Mela Organised by Council of Indian Australians Inc

Festival of lights and

By Shirley Jacob

The lights are hung, the candles lit, the feast prepared, the New Year is almost here, families gather and the children wait to hear the dramatic re-telling of stories from the ancient past. No, it is not Christmas, nor is it Hanukkah or Kwanzaa; steeped in mythical tales, religious devotion, and socio-cultural importance, but it is the Hindu festival of Diwali, celebrated in India and throughout its diaspora spread across the world. This fabric of festivities celebrated across India are sewn together by a banquet of heavenly mithais. The mere thought of Diwali opens the floodgates to memories of our visits to the various Mithai stores back home, stacked, floor to

Photo Credit: by Reethiha Singh Photo Credit: by Arpita

ceiling, alley to alley, with sweets of different shapes, colours and tastes like Jalebi, motichoor, malpua,laddoos etc. These memories are not unique to myself; India’s obsession with Mithai spans generations and is underpinned by our deep-seated love of sugar, stemming from the days of yore.

Sugarcane originated in India thousands of years ago before our predecessors discovered how to crystallize sugar during the Gupta dynasty, around 350 AD. Sugar was highly valued for thousands of years, first being offered to deities as Jaggery before being a highly coveted spice during the spice trade – even today India is one of the leading exporters and producers of sugar in the world. This predilection to sugar naturally evolved into the creation of a new genre of food, Mithai.

Mithai is often characterised as a complex art form prepared best by the artist who adorns the whimsical moustache with hands scarred by the searing heat of a jalebi pot, but it didn’t always start that way. India’s oldest mithai Malpua, first mentioned in Rig Veda thousands of years ago is essentially a simple pancake doused in sugar syrup. The genesis of modern (and more complex) sweets was birthed by the introduction of milk. Milk was constantly innovated and experimented with for generations to produce the smorgasbord of

Festival of lights and sweet delights

Mithai we enjoy today such as Payasam and Gulab Jamun.

Much like Diwali’s history, Mithai’s taste was heavily enriched by the cultural diffusion and introduction of various belief systems over the last millenia. The intercultural movement of tribes and Persian and Mughal invaders introduced saffron, nuts, dried fruits, and rose water – even modern favourites such as Jalebi derived from the Middle East, not India.

Fundamentally, food is culture, and the exchange of ingredients and recipes reflects a global cultural exchange which is intrinsically important for not only spreading our cultural influence but also creating new dishes representative of the culture and society which we embody. As we celebrate Diwali this year with our families we should begin to embrace the next evolution of sweets created and focus on sharing our heritage and recipes with younger generations and other cultures to ensure our tradition is never lost. Reflecting on my younger days, I reminisce so fondly as the Mithai was always the perfect accompaniment to those happy moments during festival season, it made me feel warm and jubilant in the happiest moments – the proverbial cherry on top.

This Diwali, perhaps you can try a sweet, “ Parwal Ki Mithai” - a popular Bihari sweet which I used to crave for as a child. Give it a go and Happy Diwali!

Ingredients:

415 parwal 4Sugar as required 41 cup water

For Filling

4250 grams of Khoya 450 grams of sugar (powdered) 430 almonds 41 tsp pistachios 48 cardamoms pods (ground)

Method:

4Peel the pointed gourds and cut them from the center lengthwise. Do not cut them completely into two pieces. 4Take out the seeds 4Boil some water in a saucepan, add the cleaned parwals and boil for about four minutes, then turn off the heat 4Cover the pan and set it aside for half an hour, then drain the water completely from the parwals. 4Add water and sugar in another sauce pan, boil until it forms a syrup. Stir it continuously so that the sugar dissolves properly. 4 Put all the parwals in this syrup and let it boil until the colour change. Cover the vessel and leave it in for one hour in the syrup. 4Meanwhile, put khoya in a wide pan

Photo Credit: by Patna beats

and roast it on a medium flame till it turns light pink, then let it cool down. 4Add ground almonds, cardamom, pistachios, and sugar to the roasted khoya. 4Take out the parwal from the syrup and place them on a plate and stuff each parwal with the filling. 4 Press the filling with light hands so it settles down inside the parwal. 4Sprinkle chopped pistachios on the top and garnish them with rose petals before serving.

Photo Credit: by Tanushree

Our Spotlight Series shines a light on the exceptional work our team do spreading the word of health and nutrition across NSW communities. This month we chat with our passionate and driven NANSW President Barbara Ward to understand what drives her.

Tell us a little bit about yourself & why you are passionate about Nutrition.

I’m enthusiastic about serving my local community to help people live their best life. This has been possible by working across several organisations and various roles, including local council and charity positions. It became clear to me several years ago the need to work with my wider community, and NSW, educating and inspiring Australians to make healthier food choices. This stemmed from the fact that my Mum was diagnosed with diabetes late in life and we lost her to this illness quite prematurely. Diet related health concerns, such as obesity, chronic illness, and food insecurity are increasing, however nutrition makes a significant difference in improving the health of Australians, not only for today but for future generations.

What brought you to Nutrition Australia NSW?

NANSW contributes to minimising economic, social and health impacts of nutrition-related diseases through the design and implementation of nutrition education programs, presentations, publications, resources and awareness campaigns.

Our programs are evidence-based, offering guidance from qualified health professionals providing robust tips, tools and advice positively impacting people lives. NANSW also supports several NSW Government Health initiatives offering free programs for communities, schools, families, and individuals.

I am proud of the adaptability NANSW has delivering our programs and messaging of healthy eating to schools, aged care, corporates and workplaces, and large community-based projects. All NANSW programs can be adapted across NSW metro, regional and rural regions, enabling huge scope to impact people across multiple communities.

What do you enjoy most about leading NANSW team?

I’m blessed to be living and breathing my passion of health and well-being every day. I enjoy seeing the difference we have on people’s lives, across all sectors of the community. I also love working with our volunteers. It’s a great feeling to provide opportunities to students and community members who are also driven to make a difference in their community.

NANSW provides a platform for them to gain practical experience not only in the field of nutrition, but all round office, marketing and community engagement, which are important. What gives me the great joy is when I’m able to find them work or provide reference for them to be employed, and many of us have become good friends.

Nutrition is a rapidly evolving field & it’s difficult to stay current on the latest nutrition information. What do you do to keep abreast of the current issues and how do you upskill?

I’m a member of, and subscribe to, several leading industry organisations who provide research findings, and medical and research studies on relevant and topical issues across nutrition, dietetics, and public health. Reputable, evidence based, scientific research and information is vital.

tralia I work closely to ensure we are working towards our Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

How do you eat healthy with choice, miscommunication on social platforms and junk food in media?

Try for 5 every day by adopting and maintaining a healthy, sustainable eating pattern. This is often difficult when there’s not many healthy choices to go with my cup of tea. However, at NANSW we provide tips, tools and advice and dietitian-made recipes so people can feel empowered and take control of their eating habits and dietary intake.

I believe this is key to living a healthy and happy life. We work closely with the food industry, companies, and educators keeping abreast of the latest nutritional information, keeping up to date with food and health trends. Where have you found mentors and advisers, to pursue and navigate your career, plus achieve personal goals.

I’ve a number of wonderful people who mentor me, plus have a diverse range of people I can go to for sound advice, ranging from CEO’s and Senior Executives, to my church community and family. Whilst many people have helped me with my career, I’m also conscientious, diligent and continually striving to be my best. Being a migrant from Fiji has been particularly challenging at times, however I am proud of what I have accomplished. I’ve never set goals for myself rather if I saw an opportunity and thought I could positively contribute to the community - I go for it! The most important achievement for me is my family whom I’m very close to.

What do you think the future looks like for health & nutrition?

As I write I’m watching another food shortage and displaced people crisis in Sudan. Food security is critical and an area I’m deeply passionate. In 2011, whilst working at AustCare, I raised $500k for Darfur, Sudan. Seeing this again is heart breaking, particularly with so much food wastage in 1st world countries. I believe food insecurity will be a growing issue for the health of the future, but we can work together to make a difference.

Nutrition Australia NSW is built on Barbara Ward’s vision and passion of inspiring healthy eating through the delivery of robust education programs, information and consultation services. To learn more about our programs, reach out project@nutritionaustraliansw.org.au