Question:
I would like to celebrate Diwali within my restaurant at work & would like any recipes that you could suggest I put on my menu. I am not sure whether there are only certain meats which can be eaten within this celebration. Any information and help would be gratefully received.

Answer:
Your idea sounds like fun. Generally, meat is not eaten during the festival of Diwali because it�s a Hindu festival; however, you could offer chicken to waiver that custom slightly.

I don�t know whether you have either of my cookbooks but I do have some simple chicken recipes in them. One is the jubilee curry on p 29 of Brit Spice and the other is a Kerala Chicken Curry on p121 of India with Passion. Potatoes with Dried Red Chilli or Cabbage with Coconut make great side dishes. Fish curries can also be eaten during Diwali.

Mango Crumble is a good one for dessert or even Bread and Butter Pudding with Papaya and Saffron.