Light up your Diwali with these Walnut recipes

In India, Diwali is one of the most awaited festivals of the year. Twinkling lights at every window, glowing homes, delicious sweets, and beautiful rangolis outside every door – what’s not to love about this festival? Usually lasting for five days, Diwali signifies the triumph of light over darkness and also symbolizes new beginnings.

Every year, Diwali sees friends and family coming together to celebrate, and the aroma of scrumptious food begins to waft out of every kitchen. This Diwali, California walnuts recommends a few yummy dishes that you can cook for your loved ones this year, with a touch of added nutrition, thanks to the presence of walnuts. Filled with nutrients that support the heart, brain, and gut walnuts are a very healthy food choice. They also bring in an element of festive cheer to all kinds of dishes. Just a handful of walnuts (28 grams)offer natural, wholesome, plant-based nutrition that includes 4 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, and 2.5 grams of omega-3 ALA.

So, go on and experiment with any (or all) of these recipes. Happy Diwali!

California Walnut Malpua – Hemasri Subramanian

Ingredients
For Malpua Batter
1 cup all-purpose flour/maida
3 teaspoons unsweetened khoa/mawa
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
Water

For Sugar syrup
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons milk
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

For Frying
Oil / ghee

For Rabri
1 liter milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
A pinch of saffron

California walnuts

Preparation:
Malpua Batter
1. Mix all-purpose flour/maida and unsweetened khoa/mawa, then add fennel seeds and to it mix.
2. Gradually add water and mix to a thick flowing batter.
3. Ferment the batter for 12 hours.

Sugar syrup
1. Boil water and add sugar and cardamom pods to it.
2. Stir it until the sugar dissolves, then let it boil for another 5 mins on medium flame.
3. Keep the sugar syrup aside

Rabri
1. Heat a thick-bottomed pot with the milk. Keep the flame on medium low and continuously stir the milk
2. Once the milk reduces to half, add the sugar, cardamom powder and saffron strands, mix well.
3. Soak walnuts for 2 hours, then chop them finely and add the walnuts to the rabri and mix well.
4. The rabri is done.

Malpua
1. Heat oil in a wide pan.
2. Gently pour the fermented batter. Flip them and fry till it turns crisp and golden color. Now add the fried malpua to the sugar syrup.
3. Soak in sugar syrup for 2 minutes.
4. Serve the malpua with rabri, chopped walnuts and saffron.

Walnut Paneer Curry – Hemasri Subramanian

Ingredients
To Make Masala Paste
1 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons ghee
Cinnamon
Cloves
Fennel seeds
Cumin seeds
3 onions, chopped
Garlic, chopped
Ginger, chopped
Green Chilli, chopped
California walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup water

To Make Curry Paneer
400g onion wedges
400g capsicum wedges
300g butter
1/2 tablespoon oil
Ground masala paste
Tomato Puree
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Kashmiri chilli powde
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 cups water
Kasuri methi, chopped
Coriander leaves, chopped

Preparation:
1. To a kadai, add some oil. Add cumin, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, onion, green chilies, California walnuts, ginger and garlic.
2. Saute till the onions turn transparent. Let these ingredients cool down completely and add them to a mixer jar. Pour some water and grind them into a fine paste.
3. Grind the raw tomatoes into puree separately and keep it aside.
4. To a pan, add some butter. Add the paneer cubes and saute till they are golden brown in colour on all sides. Keep them aside.
5. Similarly, add capsicum and onion wedges to the pan with butter. Saute and keep them aside.

Making the Curry
1. To a kadai, add some oil and butter.
2. Pour in the gravy mixture and tomato puree.
3. Saute till the moisture is evaporated and then add salt, chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala and a little water.
4. Mix everything and cover the kadai.
5. Cook until the gravy is reduced to a thick mass.
6. Then add the sauteed paneer, capsicum and onion wedges one after one and mix with the gravy.
7. Saute for 5 mins and then add kasuri methi and freshly chopped coriander leaves.
8. Finally, garnish with some Fresh cream and serve.

California Walnut Shahi Tukda – Chef Sabyasachi Gorai

Ingredients
For rabri:
1 litre full cream milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
2 tablespoon saffron milk

For sugar syrup:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
Few saffron threads

For serving:
6 slices bread white or brown
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup California walnut halves

Preparations
1.Remove the sides of bread and cut them into a triangle.
2.Fry the bread slices, both sides, in hot oil till the bread turns golden brown.
3.For sugar syrup, put water in a pan and add sugar to it. Add few saffron threads, if desired. Bring it to a boil and then turn off the heat.
4.Dip both sides of bread in sugar syrup and keep aside.
5.For rabri, heat milk and then add sugar, cardamom powder and saffron milk into it.
6.In a plate, place fried bread slices and pour in 1/2 cup of prepared rabri on top to serve.