Diwali is a Hindu festival. It is also known as the “festival of lights.” This festival symbolises the victory of good over evil. It is celebrated during October or November. Delicious fried foods like chakli, murukku, shankarpali, etc are made during this festival. Here are the top 20 fried foods popular during Diwali season.
1.Shankarpali
Shankarpali can be fried or baked. They can be sweet or salty. They are crunchy like, cookies. There are many varieties in India like, the Diamond Cut or the Shakkar Pare. The main ingredients are rava, ghee, flour, sugar, oil, and milk.
2.Karanji
These are also known as Gujhia, Gughara, Pedakiya, Kajjikayalu, Somas, and Karjikayi. They are a sweet, deep-fried dish. It is a Maharashtrian delicacy. The main ingredients are ghee, shredded coconut, sugar, nutmeg, cardamom, flour, ghee, milk, and oil. They can be made with suji or maida. Stuffing can also include shredded coconut, dried fruits, nuts, and sesame seeds.
3.Bhakarwadi
Bhakarwadi is a popular snack in Western India. They are deep-fried spirals. They are sweet and spicy. They can be eaten as a tea-time snack. Tamarind pulp, lemon juice, or dry mango powder (amchur powder) are added for the sour flavor and sugar is used for the sweet taste. Other ingredients are besan, flour, wheat, oil, shredded coconut, sesame seeds, and various spices like turmeric powder, asafoetida, etc.
4.Chakli
Chakli is also known as Murukku. It is a savory snack. It has a spiral shape and a spiky surface. It is a deep-fried dish. The main ingredients include besan, flour, cumin seeds, sesame seeds, carom seeds, spices(like turmeric powder, red chili powder, asafoetida), and oil. This makes for a great tea-time snack.
5.Chivda
Chivda is also known as poha, chira, avalakki, etc. It is flattened rice. It is a salted snack mix. They take about 30 minutes to prepare. It is made with poha, nuts, oil, coconut slices, cashews, raisins, chilies, spices, and curry leaves.
6.Namkeen Champakali
Champakali is usually a sweet dish. But namkeen(or salty) ones are deep-fried and a modified version. The main ingredients include flour, oil, castor sugar, spice mix, dried mango powder (amchur), red chili powder, roasted cumin powder, and salt.
7.Aloo Bhujia
Aloo Bhujia was first made in Bikaner, Rajasthan, in 1877. It is a popular snack in India. It is crunchy and fried. There are many popular brands selling bhujia. It is easy to make bhujia at home with simple ingredients. They are potatoes, spices(like hing, Kashmiri red chili, mint powder, etc), oil, and besan.
8.Mathri
It is a Rajasthani snack. It is popular in the North Indian regions and known as mathiya or mathari. They are salty and savory to taste. Main ingredients include carom seeds, black peppercorns, kasuri methi, cumin seeds, flour, wheat, ghee, and oil. They can be stored for days.
9.Thattai
These are popular snacks from Tamil Nadu. They have both sweet and salted versions. It is also known as Nippattu or Chekkalu. The main ingredients are red chili powder, hing, butter, curry leaves, chana daal, flour, salt, and oil. This dish is made during Janmashtami and Diwali.
10.Karasev
They are crunchy and deep-fried. It is usually salty and spicy. It originated in Tamil Nadu. Sattur is famous for its karasevs. Ingredients include besan, carom seeds, flour, baking soda, chili powder, and oil.
11.Cornflakes Chivda
It is an easily prepared snack. The main ingredients are peanuts, spices, salt, sugar, cashews, oil, peas, green chilies, and of course, cornflakes. It is a very healthy dish and highly nutritious.
12.Omapodi
It is a South Indian snack. It is savory and crunchy. They can be used as a garnish or as a snack. The main ingredients are flour, besan, butter, ajwain, oil, turmeric powder, and salt. It takes about 30 minutes to make.
13.Peanut Chikki
Maganlal Agarwal was the first person to make this item. It was in Lonavla, Mumbai. It is a trendy snack in India. It takes about 30 minutes to complete. It is highly nutritious and crunchy. Peanut chikki is also known as badam chikki, gud patti, etc. The main ingredients include simple items like jaggery and peanuts. Sugar or ghee can be used as well.
14.Boondi
They are small sphere-shaped savoury snacks. Kara boondi is very easy to make and takes about 30 minutes. The main ingredients are besan, flour, red chili powder, baking soda, salt, and oil. Boondi can further be used to make raita and curry, and they can also be used as garnishes in chaats and other dishes.
15.Maddur Vada
They are popular snacks in Karnataka cuisine. They are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They can be eaten with tea, or they are served with chutney. It is named after the city of Maddur in Karnataka. The main ingredients are flour, semolina, onions, curry leaves, ginger, red chili powder, salt, and oil.
16.Poornalu
They are also known as Boorelu, Suyam, Sukhiyan, or Poornam Boorelu. They are a popular snack from Andhra Pradesh. These are ball-shaped and are deep fried. The main ingredients are chana daal, jaggery, coconut, cardamom powder, urad daal, salt, and oil.
17.Samosa
Samosa is possibly one of the best snacks and is famous all over India. They have a potato filling(sometimes added with peanuts) that is spicy and delicious. Sometimes, samosa is served with a tamarind chutney. The main ingredients are flour, green chili, potato, ginger, oil, and many spices(like amchur, hing, garam masala, etc).
18.Dal Vada
Dal vada has a spicy and tangy flavor. They can be eaten as a side dish or as an evening snack. The main ingredients include moong dal, chana dal, garam masala, ginger garlic, onion, green chilies, curry leaves, coriander leaves, jeera, salt, spices, and oil.
19.Thekua
Thekua is a popular snack in states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. It is also popular in Nepal. They are also known as Khajuria, Tikari, and Thokni. The main ingredients are flour, sugar, ghee, cardamom, coconut, and oil.
20.Katori Chaat
This is one of the popular street foods of Lucknow. It is also known as tokri chaat. The main ingredients to make the Katori are flour, salt, and oil. The ingredients required for the chaat are chana, potato, moong, yogurt, Kashmiri red chili powder, cumin powder, onion, coriander leaves, sev, chaat masala, green and tamarind chutney.
