Diwali, also known worldwide as the Festival of Light, is a celebration of good triumphing evil and a celebration of the Indian New Year.
After 14 years of exile, Lord Rama, his wife Sita Devi and brother Lakshmana return to their homeland after Rama defeats the demon king Ravana. The villagers who hear of the news begin to light candles and lanterns in order for all 3 to find their way back to the village, welcoming them home and celebrating the victory.
The festival is a time of reflection, gratitude, and a fresh start with many people across the globe dressing up, lighting candles and eating delicious homecooked food. To celebrate the occasion which will commence this year on the 24th of October, 2022, we have listed influencers who have cooked up a delicious Indian food along with the recipe for you to re-create at home or inspire you to cook for your friends and family.
1. @mrscookbook
This may not be a typical dish that you would cook at home, but we wanted to give you something different. Anita, who is called @mrscookbook on Instagram, makes home cooking easy and shares an array of mouth-watering dishes every week on her feed. In the dish below, Anita shows us just how simple and quick it is to make a Doi Bhapa Chingri with the main ingredient being King Prawns. If you are a seafood person, then try it! The yogurt makes this dish creamy, with the garam masala adding the mild flavoursome spice.
2. @seemagetsbaked
Chana Masala is a popular dish cooked in Indian household and perfect for vegetarians and vegans! Seema Pankhania who began her journey on Instagram and now has 221 thousand followers has actually seen more of a success on her TikTok channel with a whopping 1.2 million followers, and growing. Seema’s ethos is to give her followers a variety of food from anywhere and everywhere with recipes and tips for you to follow. Chana Masala is a chick-pea dish which you can make with rice or chapatis – not only is it delightful, but its also healthy!
@seemagetsbaked Of the best curries out there! And perfect for Sunday brunch #chanamasala #recipeswithmymum #curry #chickpeacurry #indianfood ♬ original sound – Seema Pankhania
3. @therealmonicasingh
It doesn’t matter who you are or where you are from, you must have tasted butter chicken at least once in your life and if you haven’t then put it on your bucket list! Butter chicken is a recipe that is creamy, melts in your mouth and slightly sweet depending on how it’s made. This topped with garlic naan is just… wow… I have no words. Even Monica Singh’s TikTok asked her for the recipe ‘By popular demand.’
@therealmonicasingh Reply to @nnono_fd By popular demand 🧈🍗 #desi #desifood #desimom #indianfood #butterchicken #butterchickenrecipe #murghmakhani #indianrecipes #murgh ♬ Vlog Lo-Fi beat refreshing(1022827) – G-HIKARU
4. @chicken.kurana
Although I personally love paneer, others may think it’s a love it or hate it kind of dish. The Paneer Masala cooked by @chicken.kurana is a dry dish with the flavours coming from the spices mixed in the sauce. Paneer is a type of cheese and tastes smooth and slightly buttery complimenting the spices in which is it coated with. The peppers bring in the sweetness of the dish and the sauce adds the extra zest.
@chicken.khurana Quick and easy Paneer Masala Recipe #foryou #tiktokfood #indianfood #recipe ♬ Pirates Of The Caribbean – Main Theme – He's A Pirate – Geek Music
5. @bengini
Bengini adds the c in cool, and, well, c in cooking too! His videos are fast and engaging, ready for you to copy. In this video he creates an Aloo Paratha that is quite a heavy dish and normally eaten for breakfast or even lunch. It may look like it’s not enough, but the potato (aloo) filling inside, will soon have you nice and full! Sit and watch Bengini’s videos, enjoy the sounds and music as he takes you through a food journey.
@bengingi The way this Aloo Paratha puffs up 😲 #flatbread #alooparatha #recipe #indian #indianfood #baking #tiktoktaughtme #fyp ♬ Se Acabo (feat. Method Man) (Remix) – The Beatnuts
6. @eitan
Can there really be any celebration without adding samosas to the mix? Samosas are an Indian snack made from pastry and filled with potatoes and peace (for veges) or mince meat for meat eaters! Here, Eitan shows you just how to make the perfect samosa for you to make as a starter for you or your guests before the main meal. You can also quickly stirrup a fresh chutney to combing hot and cool textures together. Mint sauce is a good side sauce for if you want something quick.
@eitan Samosa time! 😋 #indianfood #recipe #homemade #chef #snack ♬ original sound – Eitan Bernath
7. Harshi’s Kitchen
In the Indian culture, when there is something to celebrate or when you are congratulating someone, you normally say “mu mitta.” This translates into basically saying sweet your palette or mouth. There are many Indian desserts, but a popular one you may find in many restaurants, at weddings or given out at home when guests come over is Gulab Jamun. Harshi’s Kitchen on YouTube takes you through a quick recipe on how to make sweet, tasty Gulab Jamun in the comfort of your own home. The only problem is, after you’ve learnt how to make it, you might not be able to stop eating them!
8. Aamchi Mumbai
I came across Aamchi Mumabi’s profile on YouTube when I was searching for pure authenic Indian food. Instead of creating his own homemade recipes, Aamchi visits street food vendors in the heart of Mumbai and discovers hundreds, if not thousands of flavoursome foods cooked daily for passers-by. There is nothing more real and wonderful to watch and to learn from then the cooks who contributed to the term ‘street food.’ Give your guests a real taste of India and learn from the real deals.
9. Food with Chetna
Your guests have now eaten and it’s time to relax, talk, share some memories or watch a film. The best thing to do, or the best thing that all Indians love to do, is to have a nice cup of tea at the start and end of the day (maybe even in the afternoon too) for the ultimate relaxation. Cheta shows you just how to make the perfect cup of chai in her Masterclass in Chai YouTube video. Unlike other teas, Masala Chai has a burst of flavours (of course) which include cinnamon, cardamon and other spices. Sit down, close your eyes, warm your hands around the mug and take a sip. Mhh ahh… beautiful right?
10. Nick and Carrie
Unlike the other trusted cooks, Nick and Carrie who are popular YouTube have a different kind of video they shared with their followers. Nick, who is of Indian descent challenges his Asian girlfriend to cook butter chicken. She has to follow his instructions which he shares with her… in Hindi! If you are in a multi-cultural relationship, then have a go at cooking with Nick and Carrie or record how your dish turns out and upload it on social media – it’ll be fun to watch back when you become a pro Indian chef! 😉
If you are planning to cook a dish for Diwali or want to have a go making some tasty Indian food, then make sure you tag us in your content @itplive.
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