Diwali is upon us and with it are a ton of beautiful clothes, delicious, sweet treats, and traditional festive dishes. Diwali which falls on the 24th of October this year will once again celebrate the return of Lord Ram and his return after 14 years of exile. It is also the festival where devotees worship Goddess Lakshmi for prosperity and success. Homes are cleaned and decorated with lights, lamps, flowers and rangoli. In Maharashtra however, another important part of Diwali is preparation.
Diwali Faral
Diwali faral is a collection of sweet and savoury snacks traditionally prepared by Maharashtrians during the 3-4 days of Diwali. Diwali faral is prepared a few days before the festival and feasted upon from Choti Diwali, or Naraka Chaturdashi. Diwali faral is consumed as a traditional breakfast and is also served to guests that visit during the festival. The most popular Diwali Faral items include Chakali, Chivda/ Chiwda, Bhakarwadi, Karanji, Shankarpali etc.
Most of the Diwali faral items are made with flour and fried to give a satisfying crunchy taste. Let us look at some savoury Diwali faral items and how to make them.
Chakali: Also known as Murruku down South, Chakali is a beloved coil-shaped snack that has a distinctive brown colour. Made with a mix of flours and spices, Chakalis are savoury and delightful in taste. Use a mix of flours like Sattu, Bajra, Ragi, Jowar etc or use multigrain atta to make this snack a healthy option.
Chiwda: A popular Maharashtrian snack, Chiwda is a sweet and savoury mixture of rice flakes, dry fruits, spices and groundnuts. Usually yellow in colour due to the presence of turmeric, Chiwda can be made with atta too if you are looking for wholesome alternatives. Check out Aashirvaad Atta 10kg price on ITC Store for high-quality atta for your festive needs.
Bhakarwadi: Another coil-shaped unique snack, Bhakarwadi is popular in Maharashtra and Gujarat. It comes in savoury and sweet variations and is widely loved by kids and adults alike. This disc-shaped snack is made with gram flour, coconut, various spices, and oil and is perfect for serving guests.
Karanji: Also known as Gujiya in the North, is a dumpling-shaped fried item that contains a sweet and savoury filling. This sweet fried dumpling is generally made with Maida, khoya, and dry fruits, and fried in copious amounts of ghee.
Shakarpali: These are diamond-shaped fried snacks that come in sweet and salty variations. They contain no filling and are hence simple to make. Shankarpali can be easily made with Maida, ghee, milk, sugar, or spices according to your preferences.
These items are traditionally prepared in most Marathi households every year as Diwali Faral. However, due to the huge amounts of snacks prepared, many items can remain untouched. To reduce wastage and enjoy festive snacks for a longer duration, it is important to store leftover Diwali faral in a careful manner. Here are some tips to remember:
- Use glass or steel airtight containers to store these snacks as other materials will make the snacks go rancid. These containers must be kept away from water and sunlight to retain their freshness and taste.
- Make sure to fry the savouries a bit more as they tend to last longer. All the Diwali faral items mentioned above can last 2-3 weeks if stored well.
- However, for milk-based sweets it is advised to consume them within two days of preparation. Sweets made with dry-fruits however, tend to last for a while longer.
Happy Diwali!
