Sweetness & light
Chef Romy Gill shares her favourite Diwali memories and recipes
“DIWALI FOOD IS FOOD MADE FOR SHARING, WITH LOTS OF DIFFERENT FLAVOURS AND TEXTURES ON THE TABLE”
Words: Romy Gill / Images: Stuart Ovenden
Diwali for me has always been about home, food and community. Growing up in Burnpur, a small town in West Bengal built around a steel plant, the preparations would begin well before the festival itself. My parents would have the flat painted, everything would be spring cleaned, and new steel utensils would be bought for the kitchen. There was always a sense of making the home feel fresh and ready for the celebrations.
Diwali has many meanings and traditions, but at its heart are stories of light overcoming darkness and good triumphing over evil. It is also a time to honour Lakshmi, the goddess associated with fortune and abundance. Every year my sister would create the most incredible rangoli floor art at the entrance to welcome Lakshmi and all the guests who came through the door. The intricate patterns, filled with beautiful bright colours, made the house feel especially festive.
It was very much a community celebration. People shared food, visited one another and celebrated together. Religion never felt like a barrier. As children, we would make little mud houses called gharondas, decorate them and surround them with diyas – small oil lamps. My brother was always most excited by the fireworks and could hardly wait for the celebrations to begin, but I was always frightened by the noise. So while everyone else was outside enjoying the explosions, I was much happier staying close to the kitchen, the food and the people. What I loved most was watching my mum cook.
Food is central to the celebrations. For us the table was largely vegetarian, but it never felt as though anything was missing. In fact, it felt abundant. There would be vegetables cooked with spices, paneer, pulses, potatoes, chutneys and flatbreads followed by something sweet. Diwali food is food made for sharing, with lots of different flavours and textures on the table at the same time: something crisp, something soft and comforting, something spicy and tangy, and always something rich and sweet to finish.
Life was very different then. We had much less than we have today, and I am aware of how privileged we are now. But one thing has never changed for me. Diwali is still about cooking, sharing food and celebrating with friends and neighbours. It means a great deal to us that my daughters embrace where we come from. Keeping these traditions alive is important to us as a family, not because everything has to be done exactly as it was when I was growing up, but because it connects us to our roots and to one another. For all of us, Diwali is about family and food. About light, generosity and spending time with the people we care about.
Romy Gill is executive chef of Romy Gill at The Pem
1. Aloo tikki
Aloo tikki always reminds me of celebrations and gatherings. Crisp, hot potato patties served with chickpeas have everything I want in a festive dish. Warmth from spices, freshness from coriander and chillies, and that lovely contrast between the crisp tikki and the soft, comforting chickpeas. Potatoes are humble and familiar but cooked like this they become celebratory. It is the sort of dish people gather around and keep going back to, which is exactly how I like to eat at Diwali.
2. Sweet potato curry
I love sweet potatoes with chillies, spices and coconut and the creamy, nutty flavour of white poppy seeds. Sweet potato feels particularly right for Diwali here in Britain because it suits the autumn season so beautifully. Its natural sweetness works with the heat of the chilli, while a poppy seed and coconut paste provides richness and texture. It is warming and comforting but still feels vibrant, and it shows how a seasonal British ingredient can sit naturally within the flavours of an Indian celebration.
3. Moong dal halwa
No Diwali celebration is complete without something sweet. Sweets, made at home or brought from the sweet shops and offered to family and friends, are such an important part of the festival. Moong dal halwa is one of those dishes that feels truly celebratory. Slowly cooking the lentils in ghee until they become rich, golden and aromatic takes time and patience, and that is part of what makes it so special. It’s nutty, warming and wonderfully indulgent, and served warm, and a beautiful way to finish a Diwali feast.
