Special Edition: Diwali

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Special Edition | October 2016

YUMMY DIWALI EAST FM SPEAKS Three East FM presenters reveal their Diwali traditions

DIWALI RECIPES Pinky Ghelani and Kamal Kaur share their Diwali recipes

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DISCOUNT FOR EVERY READER

SPICE IT UP Chef Sheally shares his journey from Northern India to Sarova Hotels

EAST FM SPEAKS

Vikash Pattini Breakfast Presenter, East FM Diwali is one of my favourite festivals, it’s the ‘Festival of Lights’ for many, but to me, it’s the festival of hope over despair. If I remember my H.R.E. classes well, Diwali is celebrated in glorification of Lord Ram defeating Ravan and returning back home with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman after 14 years in exile.

During Diwali growing up, the house was thoroughly cleaned, repainted and my siblings and I got new clothes. Uncles would come to visit us and bring pocket money which my hand would sheepishly reach out for while shaking my head in denial.

My first memory of Diwali was a naughty one.

My father and I were bursting crackers outside. I got my hands on this cracker called the ball stick: a thin stick with fireballs blaring out. I was holding the stick while my father lit the thread. It was all going well until I got distracted and turned around, pointing the stick directly into my neighbours kitchen window blowing up some of their utensils. I was shocked and quite embarrassed but thankfully was quickly forgiven.

It is important to celebrate any event close to the heart because in today’s fast-paced life, a festival is the only way to bring people together and celebrate as a family. I miss the times when people used to dress up and go to each others houses to personally wish them a happy Diwali instead of sending a generic forwarded instant message. Perhaps this year, I’ll take the time to go door-to-door and hopefully won’t break any windows on my way.

Riya Sharma

Seema Sarkar

Breakfast Presenter, East FM

Drive Presenter and Program Controller, East FM

For me, Diwali is always a larger than life celebration. We have so much action that's ongoing with diyas (lamps), rangolis (patterned art created on the floor), firecrackers, mithais (sweets) and get togethers that Diwali always seem to fly by.

We begin the day by cleaning and decorating our homes. The most exquisite serving plate is always bought during Diwali and is often decorated with a variety of sweets. We always have an influx of guests who come home and enjoy sweet meats.

In the evening, we light lamps and ensure scented candles are lit and the atmosphere at home is generally very festive.

My first memory of the festival was many moons ago. The Diwali celebrations at home always meant mandatory prayers together as a family. My mum would decorate the home temple and ensure it looked grand, she was instrumental in making these celebrations a huge hit. She would often spoil me with huge shagun envelopes so that I could buy myself presents of my choice.

Diwali celebrates the victory of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance (although the actual legends that explain the birth of the festival vary in different parts of India). The traditions which my family follow religiously are visiting close friends and family, praying together and bursting fire crackers as a family . Every single light in each corner of the house is left on for the whole night, the lamps and light symbolize knowledge or one's inner light, which brings about inner peace and fights off any traces of darkness and ignorance.

Diwali, means FOOOOOOD! We usually meet at my mum’s place with the rest of my family and friends coming with all kinds of food. My mum, who is big on tradition, does the pooja (praying) while the rest of us light candles around the house.

As Bengali’s, we usually have a mutton or chicken biryani, jalebi, paneer dishes (or anything brought as part of pot luck) and of course, rasgulla!

In this day and age, we often get so busy with everything around us: work, family, traffic, that Diwali is a great time to reconnect. My first Diwali after I got married was special because my in-laws were happy to have me do the laxmi pooja at home and helped me light candles in the house. I was away from my premarital home, married into a family who are Ismaili and I would have never known that they accepted me completely; religion and traditions, as much as I did that Diwali.

My fondest memory of Diwali was when my dad would make jalebis – yes, my dad! Every year, we would go to friends and families homes to give them “Diwali”, which was home made chevda, gulab jamuns, mathia and jalebis. My dad would make them fresh before we went to the different houses.

If I was lucky, I would get to dip the jalebis in the sugar syrup. Nowadays, my brother tries to keep the tradition of jalebis going. He tries, but I have never seen straighter jalebis than my fathers. I, for one, never cook anything, somebody has to do the eating!

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SPICE IT UP Chef Sheally, to whom Indian food is both an intrigue and a way of life, talks about his journey from Northern India to spicing things up at Sarova Hotels.

As we drive up to Sarova Panafric to meet with the Director of Food and Beverage Operations for Sarova Hotels, I ask one of the guards if Shailender Singh is in. He has no idea who that is. I initially think I might be pronouncing the name wrong, but later learn that it is because this chef (by profession) is known to everyone as Sheally. A few minutes later, I am seated across from him at his desk wondering if the purple colour of his Sikh turban signifies anything.

I make a mental note to find out afterwards. Sheally is chatting away about the hotel, and I already feel like I have known him for a while.

He has that effect on people, a skill probably honed from having worked in hospitality for about 25 years.

At 44, his passion for the culinary arts has seen him work all over his home country of India, South East Asia, America, Europe and now Kenya where he’s been for about 10 years.

All the while, he’s served numerous celebrities and heads of state including Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Colin Powell, Hillary Clinton, Bill Gates, Sir Richard Branson, Sir Elton John, Brian

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Adams, Roger Waters among others.

He has recently been touring the world, bringing international wine and food concepts to Kenya, and his accolades are far too many to list on this page. For all his work outside the kitchen, however, I quickly find out that he is one to regularly put on his chef’s apron and dive right in to either cook or train, because that is

I come from a family where we would start discussing lunch at the breakfast table. where his heart truly lies.

Having been born and brought up in Northern India, Sheally explains that his love for food has a lot to do with his upbringing. “I come from a family where we would start discussing lunch at the breakfast table. My dad is

an architect who travelled a lot and so from a young age, we were introduced to both international foods and those from different parts of the country because he always carried something for us. My mother is also a fantastic cook and all those influences rubbed off on me and the journey has never stopped. Indian food has therefore always been a way of life. Being a chef, it is an intrigue, particularly the scientific aspects of it.” From Sheally, I learn so much more about Indian food which while I grew up eating, grasped only the tip of a gigantic iceberg I never would have fathomed existed.

Indian cuisine is very complex, after all, or like he aptly puts it, “It is very diverse and elaborate... It is a tongue twister and a palate teaser. It has been adopted by many cuisines to influence the world food.” Testament to that fact would be a quick study of Kenyan cuisine. We discuss Indian food being imbibed in mythology, the love for spices and how that changes from North to Southern India, foods to eat on different occasions and how in India, being like a sub-continent in itself, dishes change every 100km

depending on demographics, traditions, season and much more.

The conversation shifts to what he does away from the hotel, to which his first response is “Thinking about food.” Sometimes he does that while travelling or watching movies. He also dabbles in pottery, a hobby he picked up in Nairobi. His wife is actually a potter and they have a small studio at home. He invites us for a class.

“Sounds exciting,” I respond, “but only if there will be another pot with some extra spicy non-vegetarian stew simmering in the kitchen.”

LITTLE INDIA Susan Wong discovers that whether you’re looking for a new culinary experience or an old favourite, all your Indian cuisine cravings can be satisfied at Diamond Plaza’s Food Court.

The first photographic evidence of my admiration for anything edible was captured when I was 8 months old.

Hanging on to my white crib’s rail, my father found me trying to nibble-off a plastic carrot that was attached to the ear of my stuffed rabbit – my first toy gifted to me at the hospital’s maternity ward, which still safely resides in the depths of my closet in Toronto.

Being born into a food-loving family and city, and at the timely period of the end of October – my culinary destiny was set to be flavourful and colourful. I was born on the eve of the new moon marking Diwali, the festival of lights or known as the “festival of sweets” at the Wong’s since our Indian neighbours welcomed my arrival with plenty of homemade mithai – a delicious assortment of confectioneries, usually nibbled along with masala chai or as part of a meal.

Today, having been a resident of Nairobi for the last five years, I get my Diwali-fix with a visit to the city’s “Little India” – Diamond Plaza. Whether you’re seeking a

new culinary experience or trying to find an old favourite produced to perfection, any Indian-inspired craving can be easily satisfied at Diamond Plaza’s food court – the only problem being is where to begin.

The ‘DP’ food experience is loud, fast, busy, sizzling hot thanks to the newly installed glass enclosure, and a whole lot of foodie fun – dining at Diamond Plaza (DP) can sometimes be overwhelming.

Walking into DP’s food court, your presence will certainly set-off frenzy among waiters who are masters of push marketing with the space transforming into a hawkers market. No less than ten men, each representing an eatery, descend upon your table. The reason? Convince you to order from their menu.

The marketing strategy usually results in you feeling like you’re desperately trying to find air at the bottom of a rugby scrum. The waiters’ tactics range from shoving the menu in your face, act as the polite mediator who urges his peers to give you some space but meanwhile creates an

opportunity for himself to slip you his menu, anxiously repeating ‘My tikka is the best!’ or passively watching in the periphery until you shoo everyone away only to find him patiently waiting for you to ask for his menu.

We began with one of my favourites: Cheese Dosa from Bombay Chowpaty.

The fun begins with the large crispy crepe arriving too big for its serving platter like usual. Golden brown and wafer thin, shreds of cheese melted in between the gently folded layers. The best part of my recent DP experience was the old favourite: Quality Café’s Maru Bhajias. Sold only by weight, this specialty stall attracts a constant flow of customers eagerly ready to dive into their paper bags of crispy deep-fried potato slices dredged in seasoned flour.

The DP food court works all the angles. Whether you’re a vegetarian, meat-lover, have a sweet tooth or just want to pick-up something quick – it exists. The food ranges from OK to great, in a solid most-vendors-aretrustworthy sort of way that reflects on kitchens with an incredible

instinct to feed. A magnet for people, DP’s semi-outdoor food court is a waterhole for Nairobians to socialize, eat cheaply, and enjoy the sights and sounds of our own Little India.

Known as one of the city’s culinary destinations, you need to enjoy DP’s food court in all its loud and hearty glory. In an age when Nairobi is flooded with re-hashed concepts; it’s lovely to find a place where food is prepared as straight-forward as this.

Next time you’re in the Parklands neighbourhood, follow your nose and appetite to DP’s food court.

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Shaheed Ali Khan also known as DJ SAK is a former disc jockey, promoter and musician. He now has a popular YouTube channel “Zindagi with SAK” which covers food, celebrities, events & more!

AREH WAH I would like to wish all my Hindu, Jain & Sikh brothers and sisters that are celebrating Diwali.

I love the traditional celebrations, especially the food! Rich, colourful, sweet and extravagant, Indian sweets really are in a class of their own. I have a sweet tooth, I can name hundreds of Diwali sweets that I love. A few of my favourite sweets are ras gulla, jalebi and chocolate barfi.

Here’s what you need to know about Diwali sweets: Barfi Sweet or savoury, barfis are a must-have during Diwali. Plain barfis are made from a mixture of condensed milk and sugar with the addition of nuts like cashews or pistachios which give them a buttery crunch. The addition of Cardamom gives this sweet a distinct smokey flavour that compliments the sweetness. I would advise you to try the chocolate barfi, chocolate gives this sweet an extra layer of flavour.

Laddu Made from a variety of flours, grains and pulses, once bit into, a good Laddu is an explosion of flavour that distributes itself all over your taste buds. The flours are blended with sugar and a variety of flavours like dry fruits or nuts. Laddu are probably one of the most popular Indian sweets.

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Ras Malai

Ghughra

Ras malai is made of balls of chhana (not to be mistaken for chana which are chickpeas) soaked in clotted cream. Often you’ll hear it described as cottage cheese dumplings soaked in avoured milk.

The homemade version is made from powdered milk, all-purpose flour, baking powder and oil moulded into balls and dropped into simmering milk cream, flavoured with spices like cardamom and saffron.

These half-moon shaped pastries are filled with pounded dry fruit and coconut and are delicious either hot or cold. They were traditionally fried in ghee to give them a rich buttery taste, but healthier oils can also be used. Use dried coconut instead of fresh to keep them longer. Scented with cardamom and sprinkled with nuts and sultanas if preferred, these are the perfect treat.

Ras Gulla

Jalebi is essentially deep fried dough soaked in sugar syrup. Some people may find it overwhelming that is, until they try it. This sweet has somehow managed to spread throughout Europe and Africa.

The sugar syrup is not always the stand alone flavouring as rose water, clarifled honey or butter can be used to create a different taste.

Another recipe using chhana, ras gulla is absolutely decadent. In this sweet, the cottage cheese dumplings are cooked in sugar syrup until the syrup soaks into them. Nothing beats making ras gulla at home and gorging yourself on them throughout your Diwali celebrations.

Jalebi

Barfi

Laddu

Ras Malai

Ras Gulla

Jalebi

Ghughra

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Kamal Kaur Radio Presenter, East FM As a single mom who was struggling to bring up two kids and having come out of domestic abuse, I never celebrated Diwali for the longest time because I saw no reason to light up my life. After having survived the Westgate saga, it dawned on me that I did not survive to not celebrate life! Two years ago, for the first time, we lit up the house with many candles, made mithai, had a feast and had the whole family over.

CHILLI PANEER WRAPS INGREDIENTS 250 grams paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese) 1 cup yoghurt 1 small white onion, sliced 1 medium tomato, cubed 1 teaspoon crushed garlic 1 teaspoon crushed ginger 2 tablespoons tomato paste 5 tablespoons tomato ketchup Couple of dashes of dark soy sauce Chopped coriander and salt 1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder 1 teaspoon turmeric and 2 teaspoons cumin seeds 1 teaspoon garam masala and 1 teaspoon cooking oil

METHOD Cube the paneer and put in a non-stick pan. Add all the ingredients and mix well. Let this marinate for about 45 minutes to an hour, then cook gently on medium heat for about 10 minutes.

You can serve this with hot buttered naan and a salad. To make wraps, warm both sides of a tortilla then place on a plate. Scoop some of the chilli paneer along the center of the tortilla, roll then cut diagonally across the middle. Voila! Now you can dig in.

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Pinky Ghelani-Raj Media Personality For me, Diwali is about bringing traditions back into this contemporary world. Now that I have children, it is about teaching them what to do with regards to the Hindu religion. I love getting dressed up, wrapping gifts, giving them out, decorating the house and lighting lanterns.

SWEET AND SOUR SHRIKHAND INGREDIENTS 400g thick yoghurt 3 tbsp caster sugar 10g pistachio Few strands of saffron Pistachio for garnish

METHOD Drain the yoghurt in a muslin cloth - I find it best to hang it over the kitchen sink with a bowl underneath. The idea is to separate the curds and whey, but do not discard the whey. You can do this for about 12 hours, but go for 18 hours if you feel the whey has not completely drained out. The consistency of the curds should be like a cheese spread.

Taste the curds; the more sour the better. If you need to make it more sour, add a little bit of the whey. Add the sugar. This is a sweet and sour dessert. As much as I have said 3 tablespoons of sugar, I would advise that you keep tasting as you add to ensure the right balance.

Scoop the mixture into miniature glasses and bowls. Finally, pound the pistachios and add to the mixture. Their green colour works well for garnish as they really make this dessert pop. You can also add other nuts like almonds and cashew nuts. Top with saffron. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Tip: The secret is in the texture of the yoghurt and I have found that the thick Daima yoghurt is what really makes a good shirkhand.

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20% OFF

THIS DIWALI EatOut has teamed up with some of the best Indian Restaurants in town to offer a 20% discount on your food bill during the weekend of the 29th and 30th of October 2016. eatout.co.ke/diwali Anghiti

Curry Flavours

Shangrila

New Rehema House, Rhapta Rd 0734 320 330 Popular with curry-lovers, Anghiti has an extensive menu which features classic curries such as jalfrezies and tikka masalas.

Concord Hotel, Parklands 0709 466 700 An authentic Indian cuisine with a mix of rich Indian dishes expertly prepared, plated and presented with contemporary modern flavors.

Muthaiga Mini Mall & Diamond Plaza 0773 868 497 Shangrila has Indian and Chinese cuisine prepared by experienced chefs.

Enjoy these delicious dishes at both branches in Nairobi.

Cafe Tajiri

Lemon Lounge

Tandoori Patio

Highridge High Park, Masari Rd 0733 332 211 Located in the heart of Parklands, this cafe offers authentic Indian cuisine and vegetarian food. There’s impeccable service and great food!

Springette, Lower Kabete Rd 0721 738 570 Lemon Lounge in the leafy suburbs of Spring Valley has a breathtaking view and a finger-licking menu of both Indian cuisine and pub food.

Lower Kabete & Peponi Rd Junction 0702 018 709 A casual upscale restaurant with great food, drinks and with a ambient setting to relax or catch up with family and friends.

Clay Oven

Masala Twist

Wet Lounge

Fuji Plaza, Westlands 0708 778 877 Conveniently located in Fuji Plaza, enjoy the taste of authentic North Indian cuisine prepared by Clay Oven’s chef from the heart of Delhi.

Victoria Plaza, 9th Floor 0722 708 016 This is warm, spacious, well lit, rooftop terrace restaurant specializing in molecular gastronomy and fusion Indian cuisine with a twist.

Royal Orchid Hotel, Westlands 0733 816 007 Located in Hotel Royal Orchid, The Wet Lounge & Grill boasts of an eclectic ambiance that gives patrons an unforgettable experience.

Cloud Lounge

Peri Peri Grill

Zar Restaurant

Cloud Hotel & Suites​, ​Diamond Plaza 0795 855 252 With a fusion of Indian and Continental cuisine, this restaurant overlooks the pool and has a scenic panoramic view of Nairobi​.

El Molo Drive, Lavington 0711 349 440 Peri Peri offers renditions of comfort food and BBQ dishes, such as Chicken Poussin and their signature Peri Peri Steak.

Victoria Plaza, 1st Floor 0721 804 444 Zar Restaurant serves a variety of mouthwatering multi-cuisine foods such as Indian, Chinese, Continental and barbecue at an affordable price.

Win with EatOut and East FM Tune in to East FM on 106.3 from the 24th of October for a chance to win over Ksh 50,000 worth of EatOut restaurant vouchers.

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