Easy Diwali Snacks

There is no perfect festival without snacks (both sweet and savory). I thought of celebrating this diwali with some easy snacks due to lack of time and not able to prepare. Finally, I made Chakali (Muruku), Sweet Somas and Badam Halwa. You don't believe that these are just so easy to make and tastes great. You can impress your family with these minimal items.

Chakali (Muruku):

I made this crispy muruku with rice flour and urad dal. My mom makes white muruku by not adding chilli powder or by adding 1 or 2 red chillies while grinding. I have added chilli powder to make it more spicy.

All you need:

Rice flour - 2 cups
Urad dal - 1/2 cup
Butter - 2 to 3 tbsp
Jeera - 1 tbsp
Hing - a pinch
Salt, Chilli pwdr - Acc. to taste
Water, Oil

Method:

1. Fry the urad dal until it turns red without adding oil and allow it to cool.
2. Grind the urad dal to make nice powder from it.
3. Mix rice flour, urad dal powder, salt, chilli powder, melted butter and jeera (cumin seeds) in a bowl.
4. Add water to make a dough. Set aside for 10 minutes by covering the bowl with a wet cloth.
5. When the oil is hot enough, place a hand full of dough into the murukku press and squeeze the dough to make circles.
6. When they are golden brown, dry them in a tissue paper.

Sweet Somas:

Great sweet snack in minutes for Diwali. We can make both spicy and sweet somas. Base is same, only the filling differs.

All you need:

All-Purpose flour (Maida) - 2 cups
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Salt, Water, Oil

For the filling:

Dalia (split roasted gram) - 3/4 cup
Poppy seeds - 1/4 cup
Dry shredded coconut (Copra) - 1/2 cup
Cardamom - 4 pods
Sugar - 2 cups

Method:

1. Mix the flour, ghee and little salt along with required amount of water to make a dough. Set aside in an air tight container for 30 minutes.
2. Dry fry the poppy seeds, coconut flakes and dalia separately and allow it to cool.
3. Keep 2 tbsp of dry coconut and poppy seeds aside.
4. Grind the rest of the roasted ingredients and cardamom pods into a coarse powder.
5. Add the remaining coconut flakes, poppy seeds and sugar to the grounded mixture and combine well. Now filling is ready.
6. Take a small portion of dough and knead it little bit thicker to make a small circle.
7. Place the filling inside the dough and close the edges by pressing them with wet fingers.
8. Repeat the same procedure to make more.
9. Heat the oil and fry them in batches (atleast 3 or 4 at a time).

Badam Halwa:

It takes some time for peeling the skin from almonds but remaining preparation is very easy. If you need delicious taste, then there must be some extra work, right?

All you need:

Almonds (raw) - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Milk - 1/4 cup
Few Saffron strands
Ghee - 3 tbsp

Method:

1. Soak the almonds in hot water for 1 hour.
2. Peel the skin completely and grind them into a paste by adding less milk.
3. Mix almond paste, sugar, saffron strands and 2 or 3 tbsp of milk in a bowl.
4. Heat the pan and add a tbsp of ghee and the almond mixture.
5. Stir it continuously by adding remaining ghee in between.
6. Soon the mixture will get thickened by leaving the sides of the pan clearly and gathering at the center.
7. Remove from heat and let it to cool.
8. You can make desired shapes out of it.

Wishing you all a Very Happy Diwali.