Cooking Carnival

Chutti Lapsi, also known as Kansar, is a traditional Gujarati sweet made on auspicious days like Dhanteras, Diwali, housewarming, and weddings. It uses just a few ingredients: whole wheat flour, jaggery, oil, and ghee. This easy pressure cooker version is quick, healthier than most festive sweets, and has no burnt bottom. Give the moin, keep...

Planning a party or gathering and need easy mocktail recipes that actually taste like something? You’re in the right place. I’ve pulled the 25 best virgin drinks from my blog into one list: fizzy lemonades, spicy margaritas, creamy tropical sippers, Indian summer coolers, and big-batch holiday punches. Each one is a non-alcoholic drink that holds...

The Ultimate Diwali Potluck Survival Guide: What to Bring When You’re Low on Time or (and High on Panic) or you want to bring something different. Every year it starts the same way. Someone drops a message in the group chat: “Diwali potluck coming up! What is everyone bringing?” And you freeze. You want to...

Creamy pink beet dip. Fiery peanut thecha. Crispy papdi. This Diwali party appetizer gets everyone crowding around the table. The dip is silky, lightly sweet, and tangy; the thecha brings the heat and crunch, and you can make both ahead, so you're not stuck in the kitchen when guests arrive. Add some lime juice and...