As I celebrated Dussehra this year, a thought came to my mind. I’ve always been fascinated by how diverse our celebrations are, with each state in India having its own unique ways to mark festivals. The Dussehra season, in particular, offers such a rich array of traditional dishes that I couldn't resist sharing them with all of you. I believe that food tells a story, and as I keep writing, I love sharing my experiences and memories through these recipes.
Growing up in North India and now staying in Bangalore, I’ve had the chance to experience a delightful mix of cultures and flavors. One of my fondest memories is from a few years ago when I first tasted Bengali Shondesh at a friend’s Dussehra gathering. That soft, melt-in-the-mouth sweetness filled with the fragrance of cardamom took me right back to childhood. I remember the aunties exchanging recipes, discussing little tweaks they made to make the sweets their own. I was instantly inspired to learn the art of Shondesh-making myself, and that journey led me to explore festive dishes from all over India.
So, this year, I thought, why not take you all on a tour of India through our kitchens? Here’s a list of some amazing dishes from different states that I’ve either tried myself or heard about through friends and family:
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Ingredients: Wheat flour, jaggery, coconut, chana dal, cardamom, ghee.
Recipe: Prepare a dough with wheat flour. Cook chana dal and blend it with jaggery and cardamom to form a filling. Roll out small portions of dough, stuff with the filling, and cook on a griddle with ghee until golden brown.
👉Gujarat: Fafda and Jalebi
Ingredients for Fafda: Gram flour, ajwain, turmeric, salt, and oil.
Ingredients for Jalebi: All-purpose flour, yogurt, sugar, saffron, and oil.
Recipe: Make a dough with gram flour and spices, shape it, and fry until crisp for fafda. For jalebi, prepare a batter with flour and yogurt, pipe into hot oil, and soak in saffron-flavored sugar syrup.
👉Tamil Nadu: Sundal
Ingredients: Chickpeas, grated coconut, mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chili, and asafoetida.
Recipe: Boil chickpeas, then temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and green chili. Mix in grated coconut and serve as a light and flavorful snack.
👉Rajasthan: Dal Baati Churma
Ingredients: Wheat flour, ghee, moong dal, jaggery, cardamom, and dry fruits.
Recipe: Make dough balls (baati) and bake them until crisp. Prepare moong dal separately. Serve with churma, which is crumbled baati mixed with jaggery and cardamom, topped with ghee and dry fruits.
👉Goa: Patoleo
Ingredients: Rice flour, jaggery, coconut, turmeric leaves.
Recipe: Mix rice flour with jaggery and coconut. Spread the mixture onto turmeric leaves, fold, and steam until fragrant and tender.
👉Bihar: Thekua
Ingredients: Wheat flour, jaggery, fennel seeds, and ghee.
Recipe: Combine flour, jaggery, and fennel seeds. Shape into cookies and deep-fry until golden. Perfect as a sweet snack!
👉West Bengal: Luchi and Aloo Dum
Ingredients for Luchi: All-purpose flour, salt, oil.
Ingredients for Aloo Dum: Potatoes, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, cumin, and spices.
Recipe: Knead flour into a dough and fry small circles for luchi. Cook potatoes in a spicy tomato-based sauce for aloo dum. Serve together for a comforting meal.
👉Odisha: Khicede
Ingredients: Rice, moong dal, cumin seeds, ghee, ginger, and vegetables.
Recipe: Cook rice and dal with spices and vegetables until soft. Top with ghee and serve as a soothing dish enjoyed as prasad.
👉Maharashtra: Puran Poli
Ingredients: Wheat flour, chana dal, jaggery, cardamom, ghee.
Recipe: Prepare a dough with flour. Cook chana dal with jaggery and cardamom for the filling. Roll out dough, stuff, and cook on a griddle with ghee until golden.
👉Andhra Pradesh: Pulihora
Ingredients: Rice, tamarind, peanuts, curry leaves, mustard seeds, turmeric.
Recipe: Cook rice and mix with tamarind paste, spices, and roasted peanuts. A tangy and flavorful rice dish, ideal for festivals.
👉Himachal Pradesh: Babru
Ingredients: Black gram, wheat flour, cumin seeds, and oil.
Recipe: Soak and grind black gram, mix with wheat flour, and shape into small discs. Deep-fry until golden brown and enjoy with chutney.
👉Kerala: Ada Pradhaman
Ingredients: Rice flakes, jaggery, coconut milk, cashews, and ghee.
Recipe: Cook rice flakes in coconut milk and jaggery. Top with fried cashews and serve this creamy payasam as a special treat.
👉Punjab: Kadha Prasad
Ingredients: Wheat flour, ghee, sugar.
Recipe: Roast wheat flour in ghee until aromatic, then mix in sugar syrup. Serve warm as a sacred offering.
👉Chhattisgarh: Muthiya
Ingredients: Rice flour, cumin seeds, green chilies, and ghee.
Recipe: Combine rice flour with spices, shape into dumplings, and steam or fry until cooked. Enjoy as a savory snack.
👉Assam: Pitha
Ingredients: Rice flour, jaggery, grated coconut.
Recipe: Shape rice flour into cakes with a jaggery-coconut filling and steam until tender, a true festive treat from Assam.
Each recipe brings a distinct taste and story, showcasing the diversity of India’s culinary heritage during Dussehra. By sharing these, I hope to inspire you to try something new this festive season and bring a piece of India into your own kitchen. Cooking these dishes has always been a way for me to connect with my roots, and I hope it will bring the same joy to your home!
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