India warms up to festive season as soon as the monsoons bid a goodbye! There’s still the October heat,before the winter chills,but the preparations for the most awaited festival of the year begins.. the festival of lights ..Diwali…Houses are cleaned, gifts are shopped and finally its time to make and store special traditional sweets and snacks, to be shared and enjoyed with family. There is a logic and reason behind Indian traditions,said my Grandmother! We make dry sweets and snacks on this occasion,so that they can be stored for winters as well. The ingredients in each of the sweets and snacks,supply warmth and energy to the body,which is very good for winter weather.Homes are cleaned,so that the diet and fungus that’s stuck to the house in monsoon can be removed. And the festival gives us a reason to get together and meet friends and family,which otherwise gets difficult in busy lives. I always helped my mom making the festive goodies called Faraal in marathi, but always thought they were too complicated to try. But this year, for my kids,I attempted making them, and realised its not all that a fuss that it seems to be. Besides, I always have vivid memories of my mom making Faraal and the aroma that filled the homes..i wanted to give the same childhood memories to my kids as well. I hope my little ones remember Diwali the same as I do and celebrate it with equal enthusiasm. The recipe is very simple, all you need is to get the ingredients in place and some bit of patience,especially when roasting the chivda. And if I can get it right in first attempt,so can you…So put on your aprons and get staarted!
Pic1:Ingredients for Chivda.
Pic2: Mixing the ingredients
Pic3: Chivda is ready