‘It’s not Diwali without sweets’
Like any good party, sweets and food are an integral part of the Indian festival. Sapeer Mayron goes in search of options you might find at the celebrations in Auckland today.
One simply does not celebrate Diwali without food. Rich, sweet, hearty – usually vegetarian – food.
It’s the staple of a festival well honoured, and many aromas filled Aotea Square this weekend for Auckland’s first Diwali celebrations since the pandemic.
The Auckland Diwali Festival is the city’s homage to the ancient tradition of Diwali, or Deepavali (row of lamps), celebrated by more than one billion people throughout India and in Indian communities around the world.
For the uninitiated, knowing exactly what to eat in the busy family-friendly affair can be a challenge. You’ll need a savoury dish – hopefully with as many flavours as possible – and sweets are mandatory.
Rakesh Sood is the food and beverage manager of the Terrace Cafe´ , a picturesque establishment overlooking Aotea Square. In honour of Diwali, he and head chef Yogi Subramanian created a thali fit for the exiled King Ram.
A thali (pronounced ‘‘tali’’) is a common lunch option, especially during festivals when dinner isn’t until closer to 10pm.
Sood said he and Subramanian have combined the best flavours of both of their heritages, from north and south India, in their thali.
The dish includes fenugreek potatoes, paneer in spinach sauce, Chettinad sambar, chapati, saffron cumin rice, fresh green apple pickle and papadums.
Sood moved to New Zealand from India in 2002, and has worked in hospitality ever since. When Diwali comes around, he gets to bring his childhood to work, and create an experience full of nostalgia.
‘‘It’s Christmas really. That’s when we get our gifts,’’ he laughed. ‘‘It’s the firecrackers you remember, and the whole family coming together.
‘‘Over a week around Diwali you would go to 20 to 30 of your close family and friends, and they would come to you to exchange sweets and gifts.’’
The team also created two speciality dishes to serve from a Container Cafe´ of food featuring the best of Kiwi and Indian cuisine.
In a Kiwi-fied take on the Indian classic dessert malpua rabdi – which is traditionally served with cardamom, saffron, sweet thickened milk, nuts and dried fruits – Subramanian swapped out bread for fried bread, and topped it with manuka flakes, saffronsweetened milk, and slivers of toasted almonds.
And for a hearty and muchloved Indian snack option, the roti wrap has been redesigned with native spices of Aotearoa:
kawakawa-infused roti, horopito-tossed vegetables with mint yoghurt and tandoorispiced paneer.
‘‘We wanted to bring New Zealand into the event,’’ Sood said.
‘‘It’s an Indian wrap with local herbs that you only really get in New Zealand, instead of the traditional Indian spices like garam masala.’’
Sweets are an essential component of the holiday spirit. Sood said it’s just like cake at a birthday party: all celebrations need mithai (sweets).
‘‘You don’t give out savoury food to celebrate the King – at least not in the custom I grew up in. That’s where the sweets kick in, that’s where the fireworks kick in – the King has returned to the Kingdom.’’
Deepak Solanki and his family have been serving Aucklanders the traditional range of Indian mithai since 2004, in their aptly named cafe Mithaiwala, ‘‘the people who make sweets.’’
‘‘You can’t celebrate Diwali without sweets. Sweets are like happiness,’’ he said. ‘‘We Indians eat a lot of sweets on Diwali.’’
For Aotea Square’s Diwali celebrations, the family has made large quantities of gulab jamun, a beloved dessert of milk solids – or khoya – sugar, rose water and cardamom or saffron. Not everyone can make gulab jamun – loosely translated as ‘‘rose berry’’. It’s a complex recipe and can be tedious to make, so those who want it flock to the experts, especially when it’s Diwali.
The small ball is best eaten all in one go – don’t fuss about trying to taste a small bite. Pop the whole thing, syrup and all, in your mouth and embrace the stickiness, Solanki said. Sometimes the dessert is also eaten with ice-cream, which is a favourite with children. Diwali – the Indian Festival of Lights – signifies the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil and the renewal of life. Those unable to attend can still enjoy an interactive online programme – a popular innovation introduced in 2021.
‘‘It brings India back to us, and allows us to have a Little India in New Zealand,’’ said Ella Kumar, a New Zealand-born Indian and member of the Diwali Advisory Panel. As well as food, crowds can expect cultural performances and multiple stages throughout the weekend. Check out the full programme online to learn more.
You can find all these foods and more at Auckland’s Aotea Square and Queen St today from midday until 9pm.