October 19, 2006

DEEPAVALI ! A FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS !!

HAPPY DIWALI TO ALL OF YOU !!
MAY THE GOOD ALWAYS WIN OVER ALL EVIL!!
MAY DIWALI BRING YOU A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS YEAR!!

EID MUBARAK TO ALL OUR MUSLIM FRIENDS AROUND THE WORLD!!

Deepavali in sanskrit or Diwali literally means "Rows of lights or lamps"!! A very popular 'Festival of Lights', in India which is celebrated by all Hindus is a symbol of renewal of life,a new beginning!! Women buy Gold and Silk Sarees, new clothes for the family,cook lots of sweets and other goodies, while kids and men have a blast,literally with loads of fireworks!!We exchange gifts and sweets among relatives and friends, a time for happiness,shopping,eating and having families come together for a week long celebration!! Whole house,specially the front porches are lit up with earthen lamps called 'Deepas' and 'Diyas' as the sun goes down and they are also decorated with colorful rice flour designs called 'Rangolis'!! It is a sight to see and non-Indians can only imagine unless you are there in India during Diwali to experience the joys of millions of Indians!!:)))

Rows Of Lamps:

Posted by Picasa
There are lots of stories about why Diwali is celebrated!! We are supposed to be celebrating the return of King/Lord Rama to his throne after a long exile, slaying of Evil Asura by a Goddess Kali/Durga to bring peace on Earth,worshiping Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi for good luck and wealth etc,. Millions of Indians live in other countries away from India! Most of our westernized kids are unfamiliar with much of the our culture unless we live nearer to 'Little India' or visit India frequently! For my kids sake, I TRY my best to do something close to what our families do in India,so they can have some idea of Indian customs,festivals and traditions as they grow up!:))

Here is one of the intricate Rangoli patterns we create in temples and in our homes for Diwali and other Hindu festivals! (from aparnaonline.org)

Posted by Picasa
Here is a sample of a Diwali Platter of my goodies I am planning to cook for my family, Karnataka (South India) style except Jamuns & Samosas! A typical 'Festival Lunch'(Habbada oota) around Mysore, Bangalore and Hassan!! Every household has their own dishes they prefer to make, this would be my family's fare! Two recipes follow!! :))


MENU:Vegetarian feast of course, as most Hindus are vegetarians!!
Appetizers: Chaklis,(Samosas are not traditional Mysoorean snack but I had some in the pantry!), Spinach Pakodas.
Entree: Vegetable Pulao with Raita and a beans Kurma (gravy,not shown in pic),Cumin Rice and mixed vegetable Mysore Saaru (Dal sambhar).
Side dishes:Coconut chutney,Papad,Pickles,Chutney pudi (powder).
Salads: Cucumber-carrot Kosambari (medley),Green bell pepper-coconut stir-fry, raita and one more dal medley coming to the table on Sat. 21st!!
Desserts: Mysore Pak(Susan in Italy style!), Kobbari Mithai(Coconut Burfi),Mysore GasaGase Payasa (Poppy seeds Porridge: Go easy! It's Poppy, source of Opium, remember!! :D) My grandmothers' make even more desserts actually! These sweets are enough for us!! Phew!!
To drink:Good old spiced Buttermilk!! No Alcohol involved at all!
Fruits to end the Feast:Apples and bananas or any fruit we have!

Posted by Picasa
Diwali Shopping:

You can see the Indian silk Shawl(Pashmina)up there and my Diwali 22ct.gold bracelet here!(Indian design,Ofcourse!) No silk Sarees!!I do not wear Sarees, silk or any other! (First and the last time I wore Sarees were during first few days of my wedding!!)



Hope my family appreciate all the cooking I am doing singlehandedly!
(My husband is on call this weekend!) Or else I am calling the police to throw all of them ie two kids and a grown man to Alcatraz!! I will keep my Bichon!!:D:D:D




More Stories!!

My fav. story about Diwali would be , when you light up your front porch with lots of deepas or lamps, Goddess Lakshmi,the 'Goddess of Wealth' will notice and walk into your house!!That means people, we are going to earn loads of Moola!! Wouldn't you want that??!! So, even if you don't believe in this story like me or a non-Indian unlike me, why don't you get some votive candles and put in a safe place in your front porch this Sat. night (21st)!!May be Goddess Lakshmi will visit you too along with your Indian neighbors?!:D









Another belief, which I like during Diwali festival would be 'Good always wins over evil'!As they say there is always light at the end of the tunnel!! Might take a little time to pass through that tunnel,but good will win in the end! Don't you WANT TO believe in that?!We Indians do!! No wonder Indian culture has survived for sooo long!!:))


Have a blast! Be careful with the fireworks!! Be safe and have fun!!





Now The Recipes:

MYSORE GASAGASE PAYASA: (My grandma's Poppy Seeds Porridge)
This Payasa is a very typical Mysoorean dessert made for most Hindu festivals along with Obbattu ( a sweet pancake like dessert, made of flour wrap stuffed with sweet dal filling) which I am not planning to make for Diwali!

Posted by Picasa
You could eat this as a dip with Molasses Pancakes on the left which tastes similar to Obbattu or like Kheer on it's own!! Addition of Poppy seeds makes you drowsy for obvious reasons just like after eating Turkey on Thanksgiving!!:)) Eat your bellyfull and sleep until it's time for the fireworks and lighting the Deepas in your porch!


Gasgase Payasa shown below is very flavorful despite the bland look of beautiful milky white color with a hint of saffron!! Adjust the sugar to your taste!:)

Posted by Picasa
YOU NEED:


1 Cup fresh coconut or 2 cups coconut milk extracted ,3 tbsp white Poppy seeds,1 tbsp dry rice,1 cup hot milk,1/2 cup hot water,1/2 tsp cardamom pd,1/2 cup or more white sugar, few Almonds and Cashews, pinch of saffron.(Optional)




Dry toast poppy seeds and rice to crisp them not reddish.Soak in 1/2 cup hot milk for 5 mins and grind with cashews until smooth.Grind the coconut with warm water and milk,strain through to get just the coconut milk, discard solids.Should get up to 1 1/2 cups coconut milk.Mix in poppy mixture, sugar, rest of the milk and simmer on low heat.



Posted by Picasa

Heat until the raw smell goes,for 10 mins.Add more milk if it is too thick.Before taking of the heat ,add cardamom pd,mix and pour in a dish.Toast Almonds (peeled, sliced) in 1 tsp butter or ghee until golden.Garnish with toasted Almonds and pinch of saffron!!



SPINACH PAKODAS:

YOU NEED:

Posted by Picasa Mix 1 cup Besan flour,1 tbsp corn starch,1 big onions sliced thin,1 cup fresh spinach leaves or few frozen,thawed,salt,2 green chillies chopped,cilantro,crushed 1 tsp each coriander and cumin seeds,pinch of baking soda well and add a tsp of water only if necessary! Onion and spinach makes it wet enough to bind.Batter must be thick with droppable consistency!



Heat enough oil to deep fry to 350F and drop small rounds with a fork so as not make a ball of dough but a irregular shapes. Fry until golden and drain on a kitchen paper towel.Delicious, crunchy Palak Pakoras are ready!!




My home's front porch all lit up on Saturday night for Diwali to welcome Lakshmi 'Goddess of Wealth' in to my home with some sparklers for fun!!:))

Posted by Picasa
Have a wonderful Diwali and forget about the calories on Saturday!! See you all next week somewhere jogging!!:D:D:D

Pictures of Deepas and fireworks are from this site:
WWW.FOTOSEARCH.COM
Others are from Your's Truly!:))
These recipes are my entry to Jihva 'Diwali Special'!!:))

A NOTE: My family did appreciate all that I cooked up for Diwali. Hey Alcatraz, you just have to look for some other inmates!:D:D


ENJOY!!

130 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow! Spectacular Fireworks,Wishing you & fly a Happy Diwali..:)

Chandrika said...

Delicious spread! And gasagase payasa is mouth watering, Asha! Oh, I miss Bangalore so much...

Chandrika said...

Wish you and your family a very Happy Diwali!

Anonymous said...

oh, I enjoyed reading this post so much, thank you for all the info!!!
Just today I heard something about it because I asked a friend (who's Hindu) why she didn't eat egg - the answer was for the deepavali, festival of lights…
great to have read more! =)
happy diwali!

FH said...

Lera!! Thanks and you get to see real fireworks in B'lore!!Unless we live in NY or big cities, we don't have a big celebration but few sparklers in the front porch!:))

I second that Chandrika!! I miss terribly too, but trying to make the best of it here anyway!! Have fun, Chandrika!! I feel you ,girl!!:)Obbattu and Payasa!!YUM!!Oh well!!:D

I am soo glad to hear from you , Julia!! That was what I was hoping,to inform non-Indians abt Diwali! It's not very religious but a fun holiday for young and old!! Just like Thanksgiving,you know!Get together, have a good time!Eat a lot and enjoy!! Thank you so much for coming by!! Haloween next!:D:D

jayshree said...

What a feast Asha.. sure your family is going to enjoy.Ah.. you reminded me of Obbattu,I miss so much.Have a fun & Happy Deepavali. Looking forward to your lights.

Sai said...

Asha:

Lovely post! Happy Diwali to you and your family! I am planning to post some traditional Maharashtrian Diwali recipes on my blog over the weekend.

I am sure your kids and husband appreciate you doing all this! Don't we remember all the nice things our mother's and grandmother's did?

Sai

arvindh said...

Fantastic spread - will try out some of your recipes sometime and let you know.
Nimma kudumpadhalli iruva ellarugu nanna Deepawali habbada sobhashegalu!

sra said...

Asha, a very happy Deepavali to you. I found it so sweet that you put in a pic of the bracelet - almost like you're back in India and excitedly comparing notes with friends about jewellery and clothes!
Anyway, coincidence - I was planning to try out this poppy seed payasam on D-day, that's one of the few traditional sweets I've never tasted - I actually saw it in a cookbook but a Kannadiga friend said it's a traditional favourite which puts you to sleep!

FH said...

Hi Jayshree, I came to your site,not cooking yet!I know ,I miss Obattu,but too much work!Have fun, enjoy Jayshree!Thanks girl!:))

Hope they will, Sai!! Hope they appreciate what I do apart from the gifts my kids get!! I will check out your feast , definitely!!I am having fun looking at all kinds of food!! Love it!!Have fun with your family too!!:)

FH said...

Aw..Arvind! you are such a nice guy!!Thank you so much!! Nimagoo Deepavali shubhashayagalu!!
Hope you try some recipes!! Have fun and Happy Diwali!!

sra! I know!! I couldn't resist!:D
There are no neighbors here, Indians anyway I could show it to, so I thought why not!:)) Thanks for noticing it!!I don't buy often!!No use,where do you go wearing those unless to a party!
Make payasa with Molasses pancakes as a dipper,it's delicious!Easier than making Holige!
Poppies are used to make Marijuana in Afghanistan,right!;D
Poppy seeds are lot milder ofcourse,use sparingly like 3 tbsps!yummy!Hope you will try!!Don't go for long drive!!:))Just kidding!!No, it's not that bad!!Have fun!:)

Meena Kandlakuti said...

Asha..nice presentation for diwali..simple yet very galry for eyes as well as stomach:-)) I really went back home and aim missing all my family memebers..thanks for wonderful recipes and A very happy diwali and prosperous and peaceful life to you and your family members...Enjoy!

Anonymous said...

Happy Diwali, your blog look festive!

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha,

wow, your planned Diwali lunch is indeed a royal feast. When I lived in Bangalore, I tasted this gasagasa payasam at a friend's place. Now, Thanks to you I can make it my self. btw, does gasagasa really make you sleepy or is it a myth? I ask because everytime I had this payasam I feel sleepy but then I always feel lethargic after a good lunch!!!:-)). Anyway thanks and a very happy Diwali

Anonymous said...

Asha "Happy Diwali to you and family" What a fantastic feast they are going to have for Diwali. My grandmom always made oputtu (obbuttu) for festive occasions but with a coconut filling which was delicious.

Vani said...

Wow Asha! You have outdone yourself! The food looks yummy and the spread is so varied and inviting! Happy Deepavali to you and your family. They better appreciate your efforts!! :-)

david c welker said...

incredible pics. i look forward to the next time i visit india !

Latha said...

Oh my God Asha! What a wonderful spread. I've been feeling so miserable all fo today. I miss my folks so much and am so down because it has been cold and just does nto feel like Diwali. I know I have to cheer up and start getting things together for the sake of my kids and husband! Your post made me feel so nostalgic and has inspired me to start workign on the goodies!
Happy Diwali to you and u're family dear.
Cheers
Latha

Bong Mom said...

Wow Asha,
You seem to be having a grand party for Diwali.
Your Pashmina shawl is gorgeous too. Did you get the bracelet here or from India.
Today is "DhanTrayodashi" right, do you have this custom to buy gold etc. on this day ?
Can you buy sparklers in North Carolina without a permit ?
You are obviously having a great Diwali, so wish you all the best :)
-sandeepa

Nee said...

Hey Asha,
Thank you so much for sharing your Diwali with us :-) The picture of the goodies - is that stuff that you've already made this year? Wow! No wonder you've been extra busy!

Nee

Bong Mom said...

I left a long long message and it got lost on the way ;-(
But Asha, what I wanted to say is you must be having a grand party for Diwali.
Your Pashmina shawl is gorgeous. Where did you get your bracelet from, here ?
You are obviously having a great Diwali, so all my warm wishes to you
--sandeepa

FH said...

Meena! Same to you too!! Have a wonderful festival!! I know everybody is missing folks back in India!! What can we do but grin and bear it!!Enjoy, Meena!!:)))

You too , Shankari!! Have a fun and safe Diwali!!:)Thanks!

Thanks Nalini! No,it's not a myth! Marijuana is made from Poppy flowers as I said earlier in the comments!Poppy seeds in large q's will make you drowsy but not drugged out!!:))You just add few tbsps in cooking,that's all!!Hope you try making some!!

Thanks Indo , same to you too! Coconot filling in Obbattu sounds good,I will make for ShivRatri!!:)

FH said...

Yeah Vani!!You tell'em girl!! They better, orelse Alcatraz is going to get crowded!!:D Thanks and have a wonderful time with Malvika,hubby and parents!!Enjoy sweetheart!!:))

Hi David! Welcome and yes, try to be there around Diwali in India!I am sure you will have great time! It's not very religious but fun holiday!!Hope you do,thanks!!:))

Aww..Latha! I feel you! But as moms and wives, we just have set it aside and make good for the families!! What can you do,right? Atleast you are near lot of Indians,me..no such luck!!Well..Have a good time with your girls!!:))

FH said...

Yes Nee darling!! I have been cooking sweets for 2 days now and made little of this and that for that photo so I can send it to Vee's Diwali special round up!! Tomorrow is almost all cooking done,Sat finishing touches!!Phew!! I need some poppy drugs to stand up by Sat.!!:))Have fun, see you around if I survive this!!:))Thanks and enjoy Diwali!!:))

Thank you ,Sandeepa!! I did get both of ur comments!!
Yes! Bracelet is from Bhindi Jewelers in Altanta!!I donot buy every Diwali,just that we happened to be there, got it!In NC ,there are ristriction for fireworks for those big noise making one's, but people go to SC border and buy them there to use it here! Isn't that funny!:))Stupid rules!
Have a great Diwali!!

Anonymous said...

Hi asha,
wish you and your family a very happy diwali.
your diwali spread looks so inviting....
-mathangi

Anonymous said...

I know what I am doing on diwali day!!... catching a flight and showing up at your place. :)

Thank you for participating which directed me to your wonderful blog. Am gonna be a regular visitor from now on...

Happy Diwali!!!

Pavani said...

Hi Asha,
Wish you and your family and very Happy Deepavali.. Looks like you have ur hands full for the festival with all the delicious looking goodies. Have a great time.
Cheers

Anonymous said...

hey asha its lovely that u r spreading our tradition in this way
keep up the good work gal
missing india a lot after reading ur post:((
HAPPY DIWALI TO U AND TO UR FAMILY MEMBERS

FH said...

Okay Vee!! I will set another plate for you right away!! You are welcome to my veg feast!!:))
Thank you for taking time to round up all these just before Diwali!!Have a happy Diwali!:))

Thanks Pavani! Yes! Got to do something for the kids so they can remember when they are grown and gone!:)It's exhausting but I will survive! Best wishes to you too!Enjoy!!:))

Anonymous said...

ASHAJI........What a fantastic feast... ur family is going to have all these for Diwali?..hmmmm ...i am getting so jelous..just kidding asha..convey my diwali wishes to ur family ..HAPPY DIWALI.

Anonymous said...

wonderful spread.. to think u cooked all of this..can i come over?Happy Diwali to u and ur family!

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha,

Thank you so much for the beautiful photos and description of Diwali celebrations -- I love to read and learn about this. Your feast sounds spectacular, and I will try the spinach pakodas first :)

Wishing you and your family a lovely holiday!

Anonymous said...

Deepavali habbada hardhika shubhashayagalu!! As usual your recipes are splendid! I will try making jilebis your style and let you know the results :)

Deepa

Shionge said...

Happy Happy Deepavali Asha! Have a good time bonding with family and friends.

Thanks for taking the trouble to explain such a wonderful rich culture and festive spirit. Enjoy it tremendously and wish I could soak in the fun with you :D

Can I join in the fun?

Keshi said...

well it's Diwali everyday on foodie's blog cos she puts up yummy food pics and recipes all the time. :) HUGGGGGGGGZ!

Im much betta todai Foodie so dun run away from me lol! ty for all the great advice.

TC and HAPPY DIWALI sweety!
Keshi.

Sofi said...

happy diwali! i hope you have a wicked celebration. god willing, eid is in a few days time so i'll be enjoying that!

vasilisa said...

Happy Diwali! And thanks for the wonderful stories. I know there is going to be something happening in our "Little India"...

I bet when the kid is older he's going to absolutely love it. Can't wait...

Praveena said...

Wow Asha! Such a comprehensive post with a mouth watering feast! :) My husband is a big fan of Mysore Rasam, you have to blog it for me! Btw, thanks for stopping by at my blog!
Praveena.

Susan in Italy said...

Happy Happy Diwali! So glad the mysore pak worked pou as well as everything else. Such a big job! I'm sure your family appreciates it.

Mamatha said...

My, my! Look at that spread! Can I come over for the Deepavali lunch :) Happy Deepavali to you and your family. Have fun.

Hey, I thought you were gonna come back with the answers to my food quiz!

FH said...

Thanks Matangi!!You have a wonderful Diwali too and cook up something with your friends!!:)

Thank you so much,AF!! As always you are very gracious!!Do light up a candle on Sat ,may this Diwali bring you and your fiance all the happiness ,good luck and good fortune in the world for your future!!Cheers!!:))

FH said...

Thanks Jaya! I thought I would write abt my second fav holiday apart from Shiv Ratri instead just food this time!!Have fun, Jaya!:)

I will Maneka, same to you too!! Today I will be done with cooking mostly!!Thanks girl!!Enjoy!!:))

Come over, Shaheen! There is plenty veg food for you !:))Eid greetings to you too!!Have fun!!

Thank you Linda!! You are one unofficial Indian,I must say!!:)Spinach pakoras wonderful,use frozen spinach if you have it, fresh is safe too these days ofcourse!!Enjoy!

FH said...

Deepa! Nimagoo ashte!! Enjoy maadi habbada oota!:) Pataki enadroo ideya Deepavalige? Have fun making Jalebi,eat them all up on the same day!Thanks!!

Shinoge!You are already in with fun with the crowd, girl!!:D You and ur kids are welcome!!I don't know which festival do you celebrate? Will keep reading ur post!!Thanks!:)

Anjaan Jaan! Eid mubarak ho!!I almost forgot,I have to greet my buddies Waheed and Fatima!! Thanks for reminding me!May Allah bring you and ur Family peace and happiness for all times!Enjoy and thank you!!:))

FH said...

Keshi! I am the last person to run away from a friend who is down unless you kick me out!:) You can count on me always! I am not going anywhere!Now,do you celebtrate Diwali at all,if yes go to ur mum's and have fun!!Take care and big mama bear hugs to you too!:))

Thanks for viting me too,Praveena!
Yes,I will do the Rasam fair one day!!:))Meanwhile, there is a Beetroot Rasam in my blog in Aug archive,check it out!Have a wonderful festival with ur family!

Thanks Faffer and you are welcome to join me anytime!!:)Yes, I will come back and try to get some of those answers,hope I am not late!Busy bee these days but I will!:)

Anonymous said...

Beee-yoo-tifully done, Asha! Would you mind if I put a link to your post on my blog? You've written up such an informative piece - I'd love my blog friends to read it! Thanks so much!

Anonymous said...

Happy Diwali to you too. Be back for the food recipes later. Am a foodie too.

FH said...

OH, Lisa! I forgot to greet you! You are one of us now!!:) HAPPY DIWALI to you,hubby and your little Elvis!:D Show him the pics of foreworks!He will love Diwali , a kiddie holiday mainly and as a Indian's wife, you should be getting some gold on Diwali for goodluck girl!:D:D Pester the husband, where is he?!Conveniently forgot,hah?:) Hey you deserve it!!:)Have fun!!

Susan!!Mysore Pak as you can see came out beautiful the easy way!!Thank you and I will do more of your sweets for the next festival!!We Indians are soo conditioned in certain ways that we don't TRY any other method!:)It's good to experiment, will work out to our surprise!!:))

AF!You touched my heart and soul!!Thanks for your concern!!I appreciate it so much!I am one tough cookie spiritually, don't worry abt me!:)Physically I might get tired a bit!But I am always smiling too with whatever life throws at me!!So far, so good!
You are lucky to have a supporting Fiance who cares abt you so much! Whether there is God or not,let us all have peaceful world and loving folks around us!!Best wishes for your future!:D

wheresmymind said...

I was talking with my friend Kranthi about the festivities around Boston for this weekend, it sounds like a blast!

starry said...

Happy Diwali to you and your family. thanks for sharing the recipes and the pics are beautiful. I think I am going to stop by your home for Diwali lunch.looks like an awesome spread.I truly believe that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.Have a good weekend.

Anonymous said...

Happy Diwali, Asha.....enjoy your habbada oota with your loved ones.

FH said...

Lotus! Read your's too, beautiful as well! Go ahead and link me,you don't have to ask!:)Have a good one!!

Sanjay,thanks! Hope you will be back for recipes!!Have fun!!:)

Jeff!I bet there will be Diwali fireworks in Boston,lot of Indians there!There was fireworks and festivities at Trafalgar Square in London too few days ago!Hope you get to enjoy some Diwali feast somewhere with friends!!:))

Same to you too,Starry! Positive thinking , that's the way to go!:)
Come over and share with us!!There is plenty of food!!Enjoy!!:))

Thank Jaya!! Same to you!! Have fun with your family!!:))Lots of fireworks and food!!:))

Swamy VKN said...

Hi Asha - Happy Diwali to you and to all your dear and near ones. We just loved your Diwali platter -WOW! Have a great Diwali day!

vkn
My Dhaba

FH said...

Thanks VKN!!For me,this compliment is an honor coming from you!! I am thrilled to see you here!
Happy Diwali to you too and to your family!!Enjoy the festivities and Have fun!!:))

Krithika said...

What a spread Asha. Wow ! Happy Diwali

Meeta K. Wolff said...

Love the Diwali feast Asha. Have a very happy diwali. Eat a bit for me too!

FH said...

Thanks Kritika! All one woman show here!!:)) Happy Diwali!!

Hey Meeta!! I almost thought you missed my home and my platter!!:))
Thank you and hope your family and little Soeren have a good time too!
Have a great Diwali!!:))
Eat a bit! Lady, I am going to eat a LOT for you!!No worries in that department!:D:D Enjoy!!

saakshi said...

Hey ASHA,
First of all.....Deepavaliya Shubhashayagalu. Happy Deepavali to you and your family. Ur habbad oota looks delicious. We are having a potluck tomm and we are also making typical habad adige such as holige, aamvade, anna, saaru, palya, majjige huli, puliogre and mosaranna with uppinkai and hapla ofcourse. Will post the recipes next week. Have a nice one.

Anonymous said...

Oh my! You do know how to please Goddess Lakshmi Devi.:)
Everything looks rich and fabulous, Asha and the stories, they made me laugh.

Thanks for this wonderful spread and filling us with Deepavali spirit.

Wishing you and your lovely family a happy and prosperous Deepavali!

Ashwini said...

Is there anything at all you have missed out????
Happy Diwali Asha

FH said...

Ashwini!! Yes,in fact I missed four more items up there, made 2 today and making 2 tomorrow!!:))
Thanks and Have a wonderful Diwali!!:))

Saakshi! I am coming there with my poluck,your's sounds wayy better than me!:) Happy Diwali! Have fun and I can't wait to see all those in ur blog!:)

Indira!!You and VKN made my Diwali!!It's an honor! Thank you!!Happy Diwali to all of you too!Have fun and enjoy!!
I am glad I made you smile, Indira!!Little cheer here and there wouldn't hurt, eh??!!

Anonymous said...

Happy deepawali to u all asha...:)

Anonymous said...

Oh my ! Your family is very lucky :)
Happy Diwali " My fair lady" !

Anonymous said...

Diwali Wishes to you and your family!!! the sweets looks so yummy!!

;-))

Anonymous said...

Wishing u and ur family a very happy diwali!!
Good day!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha,

Good wishes for you and your family for a wonderful diwali.

My wife and daughters too join me in conveying wishes.

Let's bring colour and brightness in ours and others lives.

And let us begin with some good blasts.

Menu Today said...

Hi Asha,
YOur post is a true blast.
Wish u and your family Happy Diwali!!

Anonymous said...

Sakathagide Nimma, Deepavali. Enzoy!!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Mom! Happy Diwali to you too! Those red and green fireworks sure look pretty. Are we gonna do some fireworks too? And all that food on that carpet, wow, I wonder how long it took to make that! XD Deepavali means Row of Lights or Lamps? Isn't that sort of like, Festival of Lights?

Signed your beloved son, Tushar
;)

FH said...

Thanks Kishore! Same to you too! Have a good day!!:))

Priya! Fair lady is 'big Diwali affair' day today!!:D:D Thanks and same to you too!!:))

MT! same to you and thank you for your Jangiri!YUM!! Have fun!!

Thank you so much! Next time, leave your first name so I can greet your family properly!:))Have a wonderful day today!!God bless!

FH said...

Thanks Bhargavi!Have a great Diwali today!!:))

Thank you Deepsat! Hope you are with your family and having a great time too and good wishes!!:))

SouthPaw!! Have a wonderful Diwali today and lots of good fortune!!:))Thanks darling!!

Hi my beloved son Tushar!! You are so sweet! Yes! we are going to eat all that and more today!!There will be fireworks,lighing the porch and gifts for you and ur sister Trisha!Have fun!:))
Btw, that's not a carpet, it's called silk Shawl!! :D:D
Thank you son, I love you and get that sister of your's out of the bed!!Time to help out your mom!!:))

Anonymous said...

Good one asha!!!!! I speacially liked the spinach pakoda..... Wish you a very happy diwali!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Mom, it's the elder anonymous here O_o Nice blog, I want to eat it all >:D Tushar and I will help you later. I'm not feeling very well though, so I'll uh... try not to sneeze everywhere >.> I like the fireworks too, I want fireworks!!! XD

-Trisha O_O

FH said...

Thanks Rooma! Same to you too! Have a wonderful day today with your's!!:))

Hi Trish!My big baby is up!!Hurray!!:))Okay, you can have everything and more !! If you help me out without snee...that is!!Let's have fun today ?!:D:D

Anonymous said...

hi, here's wishing you and your family a happy fun filled and prosperous diwali !

mommyof2 said...

Happy Diwali!! Am I invited?:-) everything look so wonderful! Have a great time cooking & enjoy time with ur family:-)

Anonymous said...

Happy Diwali Asha! Thanks for sharing this wonderful Diwali platter with us. The food looks lovely and so does the bracelet and Pashmina and everything else.

Anonymous said...

Asha,

Thanks for the wishes. A very happy Diwali to you and your family. Loved your post on Diwali. It is as colorful as the festival itself. Gal, u r so lucky to get a beautiful bracelet as a gift. Envy you(;-).

Anonymous said...

Wish you a very happy Diwali, what a spread !!!

FH said...

Thank you, Divya. Hope you had a good Diwali too!;) You should get a gift too! You don't need to ask, do you? You deserve it after all that we do!! Have fun!

Thank you Mystic, hope you're having a great Diwali, too! I'm glad you liked it!! I tried my best! Enjoy!! :)

Hi, MO2! You and your family are invited, of course! We are already half way through! Hope you're having fun too! Thanks! :)

Thank you, CyberKitty! Hope you're enjoying all the fireworks in India! I envy you! Have a BLAST! :D

Anonymous said...

Asha, what a fantastic spread! OMG! You are truly truly amazing!

Have a great Diwali! Warm wishes to you and your family!

Gattina Cheung said...

Oh I want that Spinach Pakodas!!!
Asha, I've just tagged you for the Butterful Effect Meme. Hope you'd like to join.

A very happy Diwali to you!

FH said...

Hi Gattina, get in the kitchen and make some easy Spinach Pakodas.:D
Thanks for tagging me, I have done it already in Oct,take a look!:)

Thank you so much Manisha:) Have a great day with ur family too girl!

Archana, thanks and hope you had a blast too!Have a good one!:)

Lisa Johnson said...

Great post and beautiful pictures! I hope you had a Happy Diwali!

FH said...

Thanks Anali. Yes! we had a wonderful Diwali and looking forward to Halloween now:))

Unknown said...

wow!! u had a great and colorful diwali with colorful dishes....May God bless you the same (more `n`more).By the way ur bracelet is toooooo gud.....Luv ur blog!!!!

Anonymous said...

your bracelet looks lovely & the food spread looks mouthwatering! happy diwali to you & your family:)
paati

Vani said...

Your front porch looks beautiful and really festive! Great job!
Am glad to see that the family appreciated your efforts! Makes it all the more fulfilling, doesn't it?

Sofi said...

happy diwali! hope you had a lovely celebration!

Margie said...

What a great Post!
Wonderful pics...
great recipes.
Thanks for the visit to my poetry
place.
So nice to have you there.
So glad you had a wonderful Diwali!

Margie

Anonymous said...

Wow, is what I'll add! That is a lot of goodies. And each looks better than the other!
Happy Diwali.

UJ said...

Happy Diwali to you and your family. Nice lights on the patio and the bracelet is very pretty. What a spread of food items!

Pritika Gupta said...

Thanks for the recipies.. :)

FooDcrazEE said...

Asha - lovely blog and nice to see another epicurean around.

Happy Diwali to u

FH said...

Thanks HariPriya, hope you had a great Diwali!May Lakshmi visit you too:)

Paati, thank you and happy Diwali to you too.We are still in that mood I think!

Yes it does, Vani! It was wonderful Diwali this yr ,I am still recovering:)

I did Anjaan! Hope you a great Eid-Ul- Fitr too, have fun sweetie!

FH said...

Samuru, loved ur poetry place! will visit often! Thank you,we did have a great Diwali!Nice to see you here too!:)

WOW is good enough for me, Anita! Thanks and hope you had a great Diwali too:)

Appreciate it, CM! I waited until
Sat night to attach that lighted porch,turned out good. Thanks!

Hi PG, glad you liked the recipes. Hope u had a good Diwali, enjoy!!

Foodcrazee,couldn't have said it better myself:)Enjoyed ur site and hope to have you back. Thank you!

Reeta Skeeter said...

Spinach pakodas look awesome and i really really love 'em... here at Connaught Place in Delhi v get single leaf spinach pakodas with chunky chat masala sprinkled on dem and believeme they r just soooo yummmmmmmy!!!! But i love both kinds... the ones u made and the other ones.... :) CHeers!! Happy Blogging!

FH said...

Thanks Skeeter! Paid my penalty, didn't I? Glad you liked it and palak leaf fried and with chat masala sounds wonderful,easy enough to make!May be I will....:)

Sai said...

Hey Asha:

Loved the photograph of your front porch! Very beautiful indeed. I am glad your family enjoyed all the goodies you made for them!

FH said...

Thanks Sai, we did manage to light the porch inspite of bitter cold that night. Thank God it didn't rain!!:))
Yes, kids and hubby are allowed to stay home:D

Roopa said...

Hi Asha,

Hope you had a Wonderful Diwali!!!!!! Thanks for the wishes. We were away for the weekend, so not much went on in my kitchen :) Awesome blog and nice recipes. Keep it coming.

Anonymous said...

Belated Diwali wishes :D Wow, looks like you had a great time decorating your place.. and food, as always looks awesome. Anything left for me??

indianadoc said...

God! what a spread!! A very happy diwali to you too....and may your life be filled with all these riches,colour and gaiety always...hmm...i need to catch up with a lot...feeling lazy ;)...

Shruti said...

hi dear,
i had a very great diwali..and hope you too had...
ur rangoli looks superb...
and food delicious...
take care...

FH said...

Glad to see you here,Shruti!Thanks,have a great day!:)

I know Indo, so many people to visit and wish,sometimes it's exhausting but worth it!:)Thank you somuch for ur wishes,wish you much more than that,and take it easy...Thanks..

Hope you had a great Diwali too Roopa, thank you for your wishes.Have fun:)

Oh good Johny is here!:D I had to drag you from there to here 3 days later away from BORAT, so you can wish me,eh?! Atleast you are here now,thank you..No leftovers but May this Diwali bring you lot of good luck and good fortune to your young life! See what you almost missed?!:) Enjoy your day...

Anonymous said...

Hi,
Thanks Asha for the nice post. As usual, gr8 pics.
Here is once again wishing you and your family a very happy diwali.

Anonymous said...

Happy Diwali, have a great bright New year

Anonymous said...

Howdy Ash... i'm gonna call you Ash from now on. Opps, there's Ash falling outta my ciggie.. no I didn't call you :p Lol!!

FH said...

Thanks Kulpreet, same to you too!Looks like your family had lot of fun! Did you all go to your relatives? Have fun ya'll lucky people in India! I envy you!!:)

Pearl, thanks somuch! My heart is overflowing with affection for all of you bloggers who care this way!I do appreciate it!

Johny! are you drunk ,man?! or did you get over your gloom and doom lightening strike mood?:D
yes, you can call me Ash, but don't you dare bring that ciggie ash in my kitchen..GET OUT OF HERE, YOU SILLY GOOF!!:))

Mahek said...

hi
asha
such lovely photos and what a spread
i wish i was there to visit your house
great food!!!
bye
mahek

FH said...

Hi Mahek,I came to your site to wish you,you probably were enjoying Goa!:)Hope you had a great Diwali and fireworks too.Enjoy!! Thanks..

Anonymous said...

Asha, your blog is too good, i liked the Halloween special and now iam going to try spinach pakoda which looks really yummy:)

Keep up the good work!

FH said...

You are very welcome,Roopa! Spinach Pakoras are perfect for this weather, hope you do!!:))

yum said...

Happy Diwali, though late...

I loove gasagasa payasa!
And your spinach pakoras look delicious!

FH said...

Hi Yum,thanks and welcome to my blog! I am glad you liked my dishes,hope you make them:)
Enjoy....

jayshree said...

The lights in porch looks lovely !!

FH said...

Thanks Jay, it's hard for me take night time photo but somehow I got a good one!:)

Seema Bhat said...

hey dropped by your bolg after seeing your comment in my blog ...and thanks a load else i would have missed out your wonderful , colourful , sparkly blog ...oh man the pics of fireworks in here made me miss india all over again and those palak pakoda's yum yum

Good Work Gal!!!!

FH said...

Thanks Seema! Glad you enjoyed it and hope you had a great Diwali too:))

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

I'm always interested when it's spinach!

FH said...

Hello! Welcome to my blog.Thank you.
I do have many Spinach recipes in my recipe Index.Check them out if you like Spinach(Palak in Hindi)dishes.Enjoy!:))

marriedtoadesi.com said...

Asha,

This is amazing. I came looking for your buttermilk and then I saw this post! Wow! I LOVE the bracelet. It is simply gorgeous.

I'm sure your family appreciate all your cooking!

Kanch

FH said...

Thank you Kanchana!:))
I love that bracelet too,bought it in Atlanta.My family did love it,but it wss exhausting to do all that alone.I don't think I will repeat that again!;D

Kavitha said...

I just made the spinach pakoras.
Yummy yummy!!!!!
they disappeared too fast.
This is the first time in ages that i am deep frying and am glad I picked your recipe. Next time i am making a bigger batch :)

FH said...

Hey Spicelover, glad you liked it. Enjoy!:))
Try my latest post's Pakodas too,you will love it!:))

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the cool Rangoli Idea, Asha. My sister loves to make those. She'll be so happy when I'll show that one. It's really beautiful.
Happy Diwali to you, and a bunch of Rangoli cards for you all!

FH said...

Hi Avra, thank you!:))
Rangoli is not mine but from that site I linked. Don't you love those colorful ones? Thanks for your cards. Looks great. Enjoy!:))

Anonymous said...

Hi!
just wanted to say that marijuana and poppy are two different plants. you do not get marijuana from poppy seeds. Poppy seeds are related to opium.

FH said...

Anon, you are absolutely right! I was reading about Afghanistan other day and realized my mistake I made here in my reply to comments but then I forgot in which post I had mentioned it! Shows how ignorant I am about "drugs", doesn't it? But I know now!:D

Varun G said...

Very soon... I am also coming up with Diwali events

FH said...

Hi Varun, Diwali is such a fun festival for us all Indians. But we have taken up lot of home renovation projects this Summer, don't know when I can come blogging again or post another Diwali, I will try!:))