Lamb trotter soup, ‘tough’ ladoos and spicy biscuits: Tamil Nadu’s chefs on their Deepavali specials

Tamil Nadu’s celebrity chefs share their favourite Deepavali recipes

With Deepavali coming up soon, conversations are either about firecrackers, or food. And with festive cooking now the preserve of caterers, stocking up on new clothes takes precedence in most families.

But what do chefs like to eat during Deepavali? We asked some seasoned professionals to elaborate on their favourites.

Chef K Damodaran, known more popularly as Chef Damu, is looking forward to some quality time this Deepavali with over 20 members of his extended family set to join him in Chennai for the celebrations.

“We usually celebrate Deepavali over three days, and yes, I do a lot of the cooking at home too. It is a task that I enjoy,” he says.

The festivities begin the night before Deepavali, with lamb trotter (aatu kaal/paaya) soup that is set to cook over a firewood stove. “We season the rich soup lightly with pepper in the morning, and have it with kal dosai or aapam. For lunch, there’s bound to be a biryani, either mutton or chicken. We call it saapidra Deepavali (eating Deepavali), because we are munching on something or the other the whole day,” he laughs.

A fast is observed on the second day, that is broken with freshly fried adirasam. “I think I must have made at least 100 to 150 adirasams for Deepavali.”

Traditional preparations of sooyiam,ukkarai and vada curry are also part of the chef’s menu. “By the third day, everyone is busy packing up the leftovers and returning home. The adirasams last us for nearly 10 days after Deepavali,” says the chef.