Favorite Foods For the Indian Festival of Lights are Shipping Nationwide
Diwali is the Indian Festival of Lights, a celebration that brings families together to celebrate the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. Homes, temples, and streets are illuminated with oil lamps (diyas) and candles to symbolize the triumph of inner light and hope. And like all great celebrations, it’s not complete without food!
Chef Maneet Chauhan is one of Food Network’s biggest stars; not only is she a frequent “Chopped” judge, she’s also won Guy Fieri’s all-star “Tournament of Champions” twice. But Chef Maneet is more than just a TV star: She’s also one of America’s most exciting and dynamic Indian chefs, a James Beard Award winner, bestselling cookbook author, and owner of a Nashville-based restaurant group that includes her game-changing Indian fusion restaurant Chauhan Ale & Masala House. Diwali is also one of her most beloved holidays.
“Diwali is to Indians what Christmastime is to the Western world,” she told us. “Growing up, we’d always look forward to it because the house would be decorated with marigolds and lamps. But my favorite part was always the food. The cooking would start days before, with lots of sweets and desserts.”
Maneet’s signature dishes are shipping nationwide on Goldbelly, including these:
Signature Desi Indian Dinner Kit
A multi-course feast of potato & pea samosas, tandoori chicken, chicken tikka masala, masala-roasted cauliflower in coconut miolee curry, and syrup-soaked gulab jamun for dessert, with rice and chutneys on the side!
“One of my favorites is gulab jamun. When I was younger I’d always indulge by having it a la mode, heated up and topped with ice cream.” – Chef Maneet
Naan + Chutneys & Whipped Pimento Cheese Paneer
Classic Indian bread service, with Chef Maneet’s signature Southern flare! It includes both classic and garlic naan alongside Garlic Achar, Coriander Honey, Tamarind and Mint Chutneys, and the piece de resistance: a play on Southern pimento cheese with Indian paneer!
“This bread service naan with pimento whipped paneer tells my story. It’s a reflection of where I came from and where I am now, combining the flavors of both into one delicious dish.” – Chef Maneet
Biryani Bol: Homestyle Biryani Claypot
New York City
With critically-acclaimed, always-packed New York restaurants including Adda, Dhamaka, Masalawala, and the Michelin-starred Semma, the Unapologetic Foods restaurant group has changed the way New Yorkers think about Indian food. Now, with Biryani Bol, they’ve turned their attention to the ultimate Indian comfort food – the homestyle, slow-cooked rice dish biryani. Marinated meats, basmati rice, fresh seasonal vegetables, and classic seasonings like saffron are all sealed into the pot with bread dough before cooking, and once you reheat the clay pot at home and take that first bite you’ll understand the difference.
“We would always make biryani, rice casseroles layered with rice, meat, saffron – Everything decadent!” – Chef Maneet
Malai Ice Cream x The Chutney Life: Diwali Ice Cream Dessert Collection
New York City
Celebrate Diwali with a joyful and flavorful frozen dessert collection created by Malai and The Chutney Life’s Palak Patel. This special lineup blends nostalgic Indian favorites with playful, modern twists, inspired by the sweets cherished growing up and the flavors craved today. From layered ice cream cakes infused with classic mithai to kulfi pops inspired by beloved childhood candy bars, each dessert is crafted to be shared, savored, and celebrated.
“It’s sacrilege to celebrate Diwali without sweets” – Chef Maneet
Sukhadia’s: Tiered Diwali Sweets Gift Set
New Jersey
The home of some of America’s most beloved handcrafted traditional Indian sweets and delicacies, Sukhadia’s can trace its roots back five generations to recipes that were developed in the 1880s in Cambay, India. This tower consists of two pounds of assorted premium mithai, one pound of fresh Suterfeni, nine pieces of dry fruit mewa bites, and eight ounces of premium masala nuts and cashews. All contents are packed in red traditional bandhani boxes of various sizes to create a beautiful basket.
“We always celebrate with flowers, sparklers, and lots of food!” – Chef Maneet
Curry Up Now: Indian Street Foods & Burritos
San Francisco
What started as a San Francisco food truck in 2009 has since grown into a beloved Indian concept with locations all across the country. Founder Akash Kapoor is giving Indian food a modern and innovative twist, with fun spins on traditional Indian favorites like tikka masala burritos and “Sexy Fries” (an Indian play on poutine), but they don’t mess with taste: only traditional ingredients go into their expansive menu of Indian street foods, thali platters and all-time favorites. As seen on David Chang’s “Ugly Delicious” on Netflix!
And while you’re celebrating Diwali, be sure to turn on this curated Diwali Playlist of all of Chef Maneet’s favorite Diwali party songs!
