With the festival of lights around the corner, dna speaks to two chefs and a designer on celebrating Diwali in a unique way
Shopping for brand new clothes, meeting up with family and friends and indulging in tasty treats, be it sweet or savoury—Diwali brings with it the perfect excuse to ditch the disciplined routine for a day or two.
It is also the perfect occasion for designers to unveil their unique creations, which are lapped up by fashion connoisseurs. Diwali is also that time of the year when the health-conscious among us forget that they are on a weight-loss regimen and bite into that extra sweet treat, only to wonder why they gained a few inches around the waist three days later. Given that the festive season is at its peak now, we decided to catch up with a couple of chefs and a fashion designer to see how they intend to make Diwali different for us, this year.
Chef Ranveer Brar, who hosts Health Bhi Taste Bhi on the channel Zee Khana Khazana, says that if food doesn't make an individual happy, then it isn't healthy, irrespective of the ingredients used in it. "Deep frying can be substituted with baking or double cooking to give the same effect—the food is still tasty. During Diwali, if we consciously substitute larger portions with smaller ones, we can enjoy good food without consuming too many calories," he adds. To learn similar tips like these, watch Health Bhi Taste Bhi on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.m. on Zee Khana Khazana.
Chef Gautam Mehrishi, the executive chef at Sun-N-Sand, who hosts Food Ka Mood on Zee Khana Khazana, believes that preparing Diwali savouries at home can up the health factor. "Pure ghee is good fat, which the body needs, so you need not avoid it completely; instead, cut down your portion size. When making samosas, substitute a carbohydrate source such as potato with a green source. Moreover, since you'll be making the delicacies at home, you have the option of serving smaller sizes," he says. Watch Food Ka Mood on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 2 p.m. on Zee Khana Khazana.
Nepean Sea Road-based Sweta Jain, who owns Sparsh Diva, has created outfits for Diwali, which she says are "innovative yet with a touch of tradition". "My collection includes Indo-western lehengas, churidars, sarees, jumpsuits and pallazos to name a few. The colours used are festive and the garments are ethnic with a modern twist. Lucknowi Chikan, which is an evergreen fabric, is used in pastel shades," she adds. The outfits are priced at Rs. 60,000 onwards and can be customised depending on the customer.
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