Diwali, also known as the festival of lights, usually falls between October and November every year.
It is celebrated by communities under different names, such as Deepavali, Tihar, Bandi Chhor Divas, Swanti and Sohrai, among others.
The multi-day festival is observed by lighting candles and oil lamps on the streets and in houses.
Another big part of Diwali, wherever it is being celebrated, is visiting friends and family to enjoy a festive feast.
This is something chef Sandeep Pandit knows well from his upbringing in different regions of India.
Chef Sandeep, the host of SBS Food's TV show India Unplated, and a former MasterChef Australia contestant, has shared four special Diwali recipes with us.
These four dishes will take you to different parts of India, and provide a taste of how this festival is celebrated by different communities.
Check out the videos and recipes below.
Sandesh: Diwali dessert from Bengal
"Very, very few places in India celebrate sweets like the Bengalis do," says Chef Sandeep.
And he has highlighted sandesh, a traditional treat made with chhena or ricotta, sugar and cardamom, as being the one Bengali dish that represents Diwali best.
Recipe:
Sandesh recipe- SBS Food
Pistachio Srikhand Cups: Diwali dessert from Gujarat and Maharashtra
Chef Sandeep's next recipe takes us to the western part of India, specifically the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Shrikhand, a traditional sweet made from strained yogurt, is common to both states and is a popular dish during the festive season.
With Gujaratis also celebrating the new year a day after Diwali, Chef Sandeep proudly presents his version of pistachio srikhand cup with summer berries.
Modur Puri and Kahwa: Diwali dessert from Kashmir
This combo of modur puri, a type of sweet flatbread, and kahwa, aromatic Kashmiri tea, is something very close to Chef Sandeep's heart.
"[Growing up in Kashmir] Diwali meant waiting for mum to finish making the modur puri... and waiting for dad to finish the Laxmi Pooja [deity worship], so that we could all sit and gorge on these delicious puris, have our kahwa, light the lamps and go burst some firecrackers," he says.
Below is the recipe for his family's ritual Diwali dish.
Badam Puri: Diwali dessert from Karnataka
Chef Sandeep’s Diwali recipe of badam puri takes him back to his childhood.
He discovered the dish as a kid when his family went from Kashmir to Karnataka in India's southwest.
"I had it at a friend's place and his agy (grandmother) was making it for all of us, and on that day I discovered this exceptional sweet which is like a cross between baklava and a cookie," he reminisces.
Recipe:
Badam puri- SBS Food
