Complete Festival Menu Planning Guide - From Appetizers to Dessert
Deepa ShahShare
By Deepa Shah | Stone-ground spice expert & founder of Phoran Masala
Your Complete Diwali Feast: From Appetizers to Desserts
Diwali is the festival of lights, family, and food. The table is as important as the diyas. Whether you're hosting a large gathering or cooking for close family, this guide gives you a complete Diwali menu — every dish spiced with Phoran Masala's pure, small-batch spices that make festive cooking genuinely special.
Planning Your Diwali Menu
A well-planned Diwali menu balances flavors, textures, and effort. The key is to identify which dishes can be made ahead (chutneys, dry snacks, some sweets) and which need to be made fresh (fried snacks, rice dishes, fresh curries). This guide is structured to help you do exactly that.
Appetizers & Snacks
1. Crispy Samosas
The quintessential Diwali snack. Spiced potato filling in a flaky pastry shell. Make the filling a day ahead; fry fresh on the day. Full samosa recipe here. Key spices: Phoran Jeera, Phoran Garam Masala, Phoran Ajwain.
2. Tandoori Paneer Tikka
Marinate paneer cubes in yogurt, Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder, and Phoran Tandoori Masala. Grill or bake until charred at the edges. Can be marinated overnight.
3. Spiced Roasted Nuts
Toss mixed nuts with Phoran Turmeric, Kashmiri Chilli Powder, salt, and a little ghee. Roast at 180°C for 12 minutes. Make 2–3 days ahead — they keep well in an airtight jar.
Main Course
4. Paneer Butter Masala
The vegetarian centerpiece. Rich, silky, and deeply spiced with Phoran Garam Masala. Full recipe here. The gravy base can be made a day ahead and reheated.
5. Hyderabadi Dum Biryani
The showstopper. Fragrant, layered, and cooked on dum with Phoran Premium Biryani Masala. Full recipe here. Marinate the meat the night before.
6. Dal Tadka
A comforting, crowd-pleasing dal that balances the richness of the other dishes. Full recipe here.
Accompaniments
- Jeera Rice: Fragrant basmati rice tempered with Phoran Jeera and ghee
- Raita: Yogurt with roasted jeera powder, salt, and fresh coriander
- Green Chutney: Fresh mint, coriander, green chili, lemon — blend smooth
- Pickled Onions: Sliced onions with lemon juice, salt, and a pinch of Kashmiri Chilli Powder
Sweets & Desserts
7. Cardamom Kheer
Slow-cooked rice pudding fragrant with Phoran Green Cardamom and saffron. Make a day ahead — it tastes better chilled overnight.
8. Gulab Jamun
Soft, syrup-soaked milk dumplings spiced with cardamom and cloves in the sugar syrup. Can be made 2 days ahead.
Diwali Cooking Timeline
- 2 days before: Make dry snacks, roasted nuts, gulab jamun
- 1 day before: Marinate biryani meat, make paneer butter masala gravy base, make kheer
- Morning of: Make samosa filling, prepare chutneys, soak rice
- 2 hours before: Assemble and cook biryani on dum, fry samosas, make dal tadka
- 30 minutes before: Finish paneer butter masala, make jeera rice, set the table
