Cookbook author shares festive Diwali menu with tamarind chicken wings

Cookbook author Rachel Gurjar has created a Diwali menu designed to bring joy and ease to holiday hosting, Bon Appetit reported. Her spread includes tamarind-glazed chicken wings, a sweet potato chaat, and brûléed rice pudding, among other dishes.

Gurjar associates Diwali with abundance and graciousness, and she started sharing the holiday with her chosen family in New York through food, many experiencing Diwali for the first time.

She prefers dishes that can be prepared ahead, such as her homestyle chicken kari, which tastes better the next day and allows her to spend more time with guests. The menu also includes items that add a theatrical touch, like a creamy rice pudding that is torched before serving.

The tamarind chicken wings are a crowd-pleasing appetizer, marinated in tamarind purée, fish sauce, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and cumin, then finished with fried onions for extra crunch. The sweet potato chaat uses Japanese sweet potatoes cooked ahead with spicy toppings added just before serving.

Gurjar highlights mushrooms in a creamy masala as an underrated ingredient in Indian cooking, showcasing their earthy flavor in her festive menu.