The holiday season is upon us. Diwali is around the corner, November 4th to be precise, and I wanted to share something that I make every year for dinner to celebrate. Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights, and when I lived in India, this was one of the year’s biggest holidays. Houses get lit bright with diyas (there’s even an emoji for it now 🪔), little clay lanterns that contain ghee, oil, or wax, and the house glows with brilliance and warmth. I grew up in a mixed-faith household in India and fortunately, I got to celebrate and participate in the traditions of both sides of the family. As a kid, it meant lots of good food, sweets, and gifts; as I grew older, the rituals and food became more important. Diwali involved an aggressive and intense cleaning of the house, lighting diyas, eating, and lighting fireworks. At night, a peek through the window of my parent’s condo would reveal a sea of brightly lit homes and colorful light displays in the sky, moving to the tune of the swaying coconut palms. It was magical. This year Diwali will be a little quieter but I know my diyas will make up for it. No reviews ½ tsp carom seeds, lightly crushed ½ tsp cumin seeds, lightly crushed (optional) 1 tsp garam masala, homemade or store-bought ½ tsp ground turmeric 1 medium/150 g yellow or white onion, diced 1 Tbsp peeled fresh ginger, grated 2 garlic cloves, grated One 28 oz/790 g canned crushed tomatoes 1 lb/455 g Russet or yellow potatoes, peeled or unpeeled and cut into ¼ inch/6mm cubes 1 cup/240 ml water 1 tsp ground Kashmiri chilli powder (or ¾ tsp ground smoked sweet paprika + ¼ tsp ground cayenne) Fine sea salt 1 Tbsp lemon juice (optional) 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro, tender stems, and leaves No reviews 1 tsp fine sea salt 1 tsp carom seeds, lightly crushed (optional) (See The Cook’s Notes) 2 Tbsp plus 2 to 3 cups/480 ml to 720 ml neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as grapeseed 1 cup/240 ml water warmed to 160F/71C Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
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