Diwali
Diwali cooking is my favorite kind of cooking: a table full of things for our family to share, most of it things that we’ve made over several days and naturally vegetarian. Everything here is plant-based, and none of it asks you to give up the flavors you grew up with!
For sweets, my vegan besan ladoo skips the ghee entirely, and my rava ladoo and burfi are both great desserts that use things you probably already have in the pantry.
For your dinner table, my easy vegan dal makhani and Delhi style paneer biryani are always crowd-pleasers, especially when served with vegan naan (trust me, it’s worth the extra hour).
To round it all out, make my spicy cocktail peanuts to start and a pot of masala chai to finish. You can browse the full Diwali collection below.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Most classic mithai can be made without dairy. Besan ladoo works beautifully with oil in place of ghee, rava ladoo uses coconut milk, and burfi sets just as firmly with a cashew or almond base. Carrot halwa trifle is the showpiece if you want one dessert that does all the work. All four keep for several days in an airtight tin.
Build it in three parts. One rich main such as dal makhani or paneer biryani, one lighter dish like khichdi or cabbage and coconut stir fry, and bread. Add mint cilantro chutney on the side because it lifts everything. Two mains and three sides comfortably feeds eight people.
For a party you want things guests can eat standing up. Spicy cocktail peanuts sit out happily all evening, saag and corn pizza cuts into small squares, and paneer bhurji can be spooned onto naan. Set the sweets out at the start rather than the end, since people graze.
Yes, and more than you would expect. Besan ladoo is made from gram flour, so it is naturally gluten free, and the vegan version drops the dairy too. Carrot halwa trifle is gluten free and soy free. Rice kheer made with coconut or almond milk is gluten free and dairy free at once. Always check asafoetida, which is often cut with wheat flour.
Sweets are the ones to make first. Ladoo and burfi hold for up to a week in an airtight container, and many people think they improve after a day. Dal makhani is better on day two, so cook it the night before. Chutney keeps a week in the fridge and freezes well. Leave breads and anything fried for the day itself.