Divali @ Middle East, Doha...

Its the time of the year where Hindus all over the world celebrate Divali or Deepavali with lots of food, sweets, new clothes and etc.. Divali this year will be on Wednesday, October 26, 2011.  There is no public holiday or any feeling of the festival mood over here in Qatar, but am not to going to let this dampen our festival mood..

For me Divali is more of a time for family members to gather and enjoy the festivity.  I have always managed to celebrate with either side of family members except for the one year when me, hubby and kids celebrate Divali in Nanjing, China...It was still fun as we were together as a family.

This year however, Varsha will be away on a school trip to Cyprus for a week.  Looks like we will be celebrating without her. (Well looks like we have to get used to the idea of the kids may not be able to join us during celebrations or festivals as soon they will be leaving the home for further studies etc).

What is Divali without murukus...So as Mr Hubby was on shift off day, got him to help me with the making of murukus.  thanks Mr Hubby for spending your time making muruku  with me - you make our day. 

Making murukus used to be an elaborate preparation.  I remember my parents busy at least a month before Divali itself.  The whole idea of getting the ingredients like rice, urad dhall, ajwain, sesame  seeds, wash thoroughly, lay out on newspapers at the balcony of our flat house where we used to live.  I remember seeing my mum changing the papers everynow and then ensuring that the ingredients are dried thoroughly.    Then, it will be my dad's turn to take them over to the grinders to have them grinded to powder form, after which the whole process starts, with mum and dad taking an afternoon of a weekend just a week or so before Divali to make murukus, achi murukus and ommupadi (fine murukus mixed with dhals and nuts).

When we were kids, we were never allowed to be in the kitchen when my parents are making murukus - why their fear that we might get ourselves burnt.  The only thing we are allowed to do was making sure they are cooled and packing them in big cream cracker tins.  Those were the days.  (Emm when making the murukus I went on memory lane with my kids and Mr Husband).

Now it is simple - go over any grocery store - pick your choice of the many distributors who sells all sorts of readymade indian palagarams (tidbits).  My mother sent me via a friend 2 packets of Lingams readymade muruku powder. Just add roasted ajwain(omum) and sesame seeds, water and mix into nice dough enough to press them out of muruku press...voila you have murukus..

Now Varsha will have some murukus to take with her to Cyprus...atleast she will have the Divali mood with her....

Enjoy the pictures - Happy Deepavali (p/s -  I have Varsha requesting me to make achi muruku a sweet tidbits made out of rice powder, sugar, coconut milk and Mr Hubby said that he is willing to help out again....Might as well I take this opportunity - we will see)

Mr Hubby in action....

muruku waiting to be fried

muruku and sizzling oil.....

And murukus ready to be eaten