14 Days of Divali: Ending on a Sweet Note

PAUL HADDEN

Shubh Divali everyone!

We know that this year has been a particularly difficult one for us all, but tonight as we light the deyas we can all say a prayer in hope for a brighter tomorrow. Even in the midst of all of the confusion and darkness, the auspicious season of Divali reminds us that even in our darkest days, there is always room for light, love, and hope. So as difficult as this year has been, for now, it is time to put aside our worries and fears and make time to celebrate, and of course the best part of any festival or celebration is always the food! And while all Divali food is delicious, everyone's favourite part of the meal is often the sweets and desserts.

Sweets are part and parcel of Divali celebrations, and this of course includes such staple treats as parsad. Though parsad is a delicious sweet which can be enjoyed at any time, it also plays a sacred role in puja, and is used as a form of sweet offering to the divine during the prayer service, and is then later handed out to the devotees. One of the most common sights at a Hindu prayers, and especially at Divali time, are those ubiquitous small plastic bags full of sweet parsad with a few pieces of fruit inside.

The sweet flour and cream of wheat parsads which are common in Trinidad, are used not just in Hindu ceremonies and prayers, but also in those of Sikkhism. According to the teachings of the Sikh faith, parsad must be prepared while reciting sacred verses from the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib. The parsad is then distributed to the community of worshippers after prayer services where it is believed to offer up blessings to all who partake of it. The parsad, or sacred pudding, that is used in these Sikh services uses the same combination of flour (or cream of wheat), sugar, and ghee that it common in TT. It is a sweet which transcends religion and transports us out of our mundane worries to offer us a connection with the divine. It is also extremely delicious!

Today we are ending our 14 days of Divali series on a sweet note and offering you three recipes for some Divali favourites – parsad, jelabi, and sweet rice. Enjoy!

Recipe – Parsad (Serves 6)

Recipe courtesy Natasha Laggan of Trini Cooking with Natasha

Ingredients

1 cup cream of wheat

1 cup flour

1 cup ghee

2 tbs ginger, grated or puréed

½ tsp cardamom powder

¼ cup raisins

¼ sliced almonds (optional)

1 cup sugar

2 cups full cream milk

Directions

1) Add the milk and sugar to a saucepan, place on a low heat and bring to a simmer.

2) In a separate pot (large pot), add the ghee and melt on a very low heat.

3) Add the flour and cream of wheat to the ghee and allow to parch for about 30 minutes while constantly stirring and turning with a wooden spoon. Make sure that the heat is kept on low during this process.

4) Add ginger, cardamon and raisins to flour and mix in well for 5 mins.

5) Set heat to high and add milk a little at a time, mixing in after each addition until the parsad it's fluffy.

6) When all the milk has been absorbed using your spoon fluff up the mixture. Empty into a dish, cool and serve.

Jelabie (Makes 15)

Recipe courtesy Natasha Laggan of Trini Cooking with Natasha

Ingredients

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

2 tbs plain yoghurt

½ tsp orange food colouring

2 tbs corn starch

2 ¼ cup lukewarm water

¾ cup water

2 cup white sugar

4 cups oil, for frying

Directions

1) To the flour add yoghurt, corn starch, food colouring and water to create a thick paste. Cover the paste and leave on your counter overnight.

2) Heat sugar and water to create a thick syrup ad set aside

3) Heat oil on medium-low heat. Place batter into a squeeze bottle or a small ziplock bag with a hole cut from the corner.

4) Squeeze the batter into the oil creating overlapping circles. Fry until light brown on both sides.

5) Immediately dip the jelabies in the sugar syrup and set aside to cool.

6) Continue to fry until you have used up all the batter. Cool and serve.

Recipe - Sweet rice

Recipe courtesy of Annmarie Rambally of Annie's Culinary Cuisine Ltd.

Ingredients

1 cup Jasmine or Basmati rice washed and soaked for 30 minutes.

1 large cinnamon stick

¼ tsp elychee (cardamom)

1 ½ tsp ginger (you can add more or less to your taste)

8 oz evaporated milk

1 ½ cups water

½ cup powdered milk

¼ – ½ cup condensed milk (depending on how sweet you want it)

Directions

1) In a heavy bottomed pot add 1 ½ cups of water. Bring to a boil and add the soaked rice, cardamom, ginger, and evaporated milk. Cook on slow heat while stirring regularly.

2) When the rice is completely cooked add the condensed milk and powdered milk. Stir until well incorporated and turn off the heat. The rice will thicken as it cools. Enjoy!