it is not my festival. In the past when were not working in the restaurant we would gather together in a house and eat a special meal, have special sweets, and set off fireworks. Now we only do the celebratory meal. Diwali is a Hindi festival, but has its popularity now led to it becoming popular across the faiths in India? I’m not in a position to comment on what happens in India. We celebrate every festival in our restaurant as we have a very diverse mix of people. Diwali is also one of the festivals we celebrate. What advice would you give for people celebrating Diwali in lockdown? Too many festivals have been celebrated in lockdown from passover to EID and now there is a prospect that Diwali will have to be celebrated with social distancing. The many weeks of being careful and not putting older family members at risk will continue and Diwali will still be celebrated with as much joy. Maybe not with the close physical proximity with friends and relatives that is common in Diwali. What is the best food for a Diwali feast?
As many people are vegetarian on Diwali – the Gobi Musallam from my cookbook Asma’s Indian Kitchen published by Pavilion is a good recipe as it can be a centre piece dish on the table and looks very elegant. All the dairy options can be replaced with non-dairy options. Asma’s Indian Kitchen is available from bookstores now.
Did you know? - The world’s largest Biryani was created in 2008 and weighed over 14 tonnes. - In the debate over the creation of the Scotch Egg, India has said they created it, citing the Nargis Kebab (eggs wrapped in meat) as the original version. - Dishes like “Balti” and “Korahi” got their names because of the dishes they are cooked in. - The Bhut Jolokia pepper (also known as the “Ghost Chilli) is so hot, it has been successfully used by the Indian Army as a form of pepper spray.
Page 8 Get in touch! Email: allergico.magazineandblog@gmail.com
Facebook: Allergico Magazine and Blog
