Diwali Recipes from Sri Lanka’s culinary melting pot

Diwali and Sri Lanka have a well-known connection and the festival is also celebrated in Lanka much like Tamil Nadu way. The post includes two popular Diwali Recipes from Sri Lanka which you can try too for Diwali 2019.

Read the delicious baked gujiya recipe here

The country is a melting pot of Dutch, English, Arab, Malay, Indian, and Portuguese cuisines. Sri Lanka is famous for bright spiced curries yet the sweet desserts do not anywhere lag behind. Varied influences reflect in their cakes to custards. Spices are added to the desserts too for flavor!

Athirasam-Diwali sweet recipe

Singhalese Adhirasam also called Hendi and Pethi Kawun came with a difference from the Tamil Nadu state of India. It is a three-ingredient brown crispy fritter made from-

Red Rice (soaked and powdered) 500 gram

Jaggery or Gur 300 gram

Cardamom powder ¼ tsp

Salt 1 pinch

Oil for frying

Method-

• Sieve the rice flour for a fine texture and set aside.
• Grate the jaggery. Melt it with water. Add cardamom powder for flavor. Also, add a pinch of salt to enhance the flavors.
• Stir continuously until the consistency of the jaggery-water mix becomes thick like a paste.
• Add powdered rice to it. Make dough. Cover and keep it aside overnight.
• On the next day, make small balls out of the dough. Flatten these balls on the palm
• Heat oil in a pan. Deep fry Adhirasam till golden brown.
• Take out blotting paper to discard excess oil.

Store Adhirasam in a dry container. They are good for 3-4 days.

Make the perfect gujiyas for Diwali

Butter Murukku- Savoury Diwali recipe from SriLankan treasure

Murukku is a quick snack that perfectly goes with the spirit of Diwali. This rice flour and lentil tea-time snack is known as Chakli in Maharashtra, an Indian state. The rough texture, ridged cracker-shaped snack is crispy. The recipe to make the namkeen goes as follows:

Steamed wheat flour 1 cup

Roasted Gram Dal 1/2 cup

Salt as per taste

Asafoetida a pinch

Cumin seeds ¼ tsp

Red chili powder 1 tsp

Carrom seeds powder  1 tsp

Butter 2 tbsp

Oil for frying

Method-

• Grind the roasted gram dal into a fine powder.
• Soak carrom seeds in water.
• Mix wheat flour and ground roasted gram dal. Add cumin seeds, asafetida, butter, and salt. Mix evenly and knead it into the supple dough, adding strained carrom water in batches.
• Insert the star-shaped plate in the press. Put a portion of the above dough in the mold.
• Heat oil in the wok. Press the lever of the mold and make the murukkus directly in the hot oil.
• Fry until golden brown. Take out on a kitchen towel. The kitchen towel will soak all the excess oil.

Your delicious savory Diwali recipe has a shelf life of 4-10 days.

These are no-hassle recipes that can be prepared in under 45 minutes. It is the school holiday season. The recipes are so addictive and you would often hear demand for more of them from kids.