Aside from the shift to heartier meals at the turn of Autumn, October is a particularly exciting time in Indian culture, as it welcomes the festival of Diwali. If you haven’t heard of it, Diwali is the much-anticipated festival of lights that is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains all over the world. Lasting around five days, Diwali symbolises the victory of good over evil, or how light conquers darkness. It is associated with Ganesh and the power of knowledge and wisdom, as well as the goddess of Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity.

In the lead-up to Diwali, which is usually celebrated on the third day of the festive period and the darkest day of the month, followers of the faith spiritually prepare their homes by cleaning and decorating, usually with oil lamps and rangolis, which are traditional and artistic circle patterns. This is a time when people dress to impress, invite their loved ones round and partake in family feasts. As it’s a festival of light, it is in fact considered good luck to leave a light on overnight on the darkest day.

Plenty of traditional dishes are prepared for the festivities, some of which are staples at Shakinah. If you’d like to experience Diwali with us this year, we’ll make sure you don’t miss out on the best treats of the festival. Here are a few family favourites for Diwali:

Cauliflower and Paneer Pakora

Many who celebrate Diwali follow the tradition of not consuming meat during these five days, so you’ll find our selection today to be quite vegetarian. Nevertheless, it is certainly a festival of good eats. After all, it is also a celebration of the harvest. Two such staples are cauliflower and paneer pakora, with each of these ingredients enveloped in a gram flour batter flavoured with Indian spices, then deep fried to perfection.

Paneer Tikka

Naturally, paneer is an excellent alternative filler to meat, and everything about it is delightful. Think of it as a salty Indian cottage cheese. Our paneer tikka merges cheesy goodness with a timeless Indian mise-en-place. Cubes of homemade cheese are marinated in ginger, garlic paste and yoghurt, then garnished with green peppers and fresh onions. Plenty of flavour here.

Palak Paneer

This dish has been a family favourite in Indian homes for generations, and if you’ve only just discovered paneer and can’t get enough of it, this recipe is a must. The paneer is cubed into bite-sized pieces, then smothered and cooked with a purée of fresh spinach and Indian spices.

Aloo Tikki

It’s very much all about the finger food at Diwali household celebrations. Aloo Tikki are an excellent pick-me-up of boiled potatoes which are crumbled and flavoured with fresh coriander and ginger, then breaded and fried in ghee. What’s not to love?

Vegetable Biryani

Don’t be afraid to keep it vegetarian. Biryanis are a staple among family gatherings, as they’re usually made to share. We select the freshest veg, then spice it up for maximum flavour. This is then immersed in a bed of perfectly cooked basmati rice.

Wintery Indian Delights at Shakinah

Our wise chefs come bearing gifts, and the Angel Shakinah has blessed us and our patrons with peace, love and joy. The Shakinah team is looking forward to warming you up this season with a hearty selection of comforting wintery dishes, within the perfect setting that is our restaurant in Ta’ Xbiex.

Indian cuisine, by its very nature, is a decadent and balmy spread of ingredients, making it an ideal choice during the colder months. In truth, the familiar flavours of Christmas are forever present in most Indian dishes, with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamon and star anise perennially punctuating this culinary landscape. Here are some of our recommendations for your next visit this winter:

Our Wintery Indian Meals

Chicken Soup

Never underestimate the restorative powers of a good soup, and there are none quite as nourishing as our much-revered chicken soup. With an organically sourced chicken stock that is made inhouse, our soup gets its velvety warmth from a fusion of butter and cream, with cardamon, cloves and peppercorns delivering a crescendo of seasoning. And if you’re seeking a vegan alternative, our tomato sorba promises the holy grail of flavour and good health in our garlic, ginger and coriander blend.

Stuffed Mushrooms

At Shakinah, we take our seasonal vegetables very seriously, and mushrooms will always be a fresh staple in our menu. Our mighty meaty mushrooms stuffed with minced vegetables and onions are hearty with curry and hot with heat. Served as a sizzling platter, this dish will certainly give you a cosy start to your meal, and it makes for an excellent vegetarian option.

Palak Paneer

This Palak Paneer dish is a more off-the-beaten-track choice, but we’d very much like to raise its profile among our clientele, not just because it’s packed with gloriously nutritious spinach freshly sourced from local farmers, but also because paneer is an unsung hero in Indian cuisine. Paneer is a dense but mildly flavoured non-melting cottage cheese made from buffalo milk, and there is something immensely comforting about its delicate but beefy texture, as well as its creamy and slightly salty flavour. It is a pearly star from the East, and we encourage you to give it a go. You won’t be disappointed!

Beef Vindaloo

This devilishly hot option is a favourite among our regulars, and it’s a wonderful option to raise temperatures. We admit that our vindaloo is not for the faint of heart, but it’s certainly worth the invigorating kick it gives with every mouthful. Our succulent beef is marinated in vinegar, rendering moist and tender against its accompaniment of rich potato chunks. Wash down its aromatic sauce with our infamous mango lassi or our remedial raita.

Lamb Roghan Josh

The explosive flavour of our lamb roghan josh is festive and full of Eastern promise, with our authentic blend of Kashmiri spices. At Shakinah, we deliver not just food, but also a sensory experience, and the wafting aroma of our locally-sourced lamb studded with cinnamon, ginger and saffron is intended to whet your appetite and lift your spirits.

The Local

We couldn’t possibly end our selection without a sweet finale. And what’s Christmas without a hint of tradition and nostalgia? Our take on Malta’s imqaret is festooned with chopped apricots, pistachios, cinnamon and a celebratory helping of vanilla bean ice cream, while the pillows of fried pastry are stuffed with a smooth emulsion of local dates, topped with a good drizzle of honey.

Tag: indian in winter

Diwali-Festival of Lights 🪔

Wintery Delights at Shakinah