It's that time again! For one last dinner to wrap the year, we hosted a belated but fun Diwali dinner! Chatpat was an amalgam of snacks and treats that we have always loved, only to share the love with Thomas who is back from experiencing Mumbai at it's street-food best over the last few months. So Mumbai it was to be!

Hosted at the Entretempo Kitchen Gallery, with an enthusiastic and loving group of friends new and old, Chatpat turned out well (or we think so!). Here was our menu:

I
Apple Celery Pani Puri

II
Tandoori Paneer Samosa Smash

III
Traditional Paav Bhaaji

IV
Butternut Squash Tikkis on Peas Curry

V
Fig & Cashew filled Karanjis with Vanilla-Coconut Cream

We had a few new things this time. Not only did Thomas create craft beer pairings, there was a predominant wine pairing with all the courses this time. As for me, I am beginning to realise I'm letting go of the visits to the Indian store and embracing the bounty of the local markets in their glory. Chatpat's menu had quite a few new additions in the form of local produce that are generally unheard of in India. Of course, Thomas has always helped make a little German stamp on every dinner, but as someone holding the traditional dishes so close to myself, I am now excited about getting comfortable with otherwise unfamiliar vegetables while staying true to the bold dishes!

Karthik serving up the Apple Celery Pani Puri

Not only was Karthik the creative officer for the evening, lending us his illustrations and setting up the space, he broke out his Pani Puri hawking avatar again. We started the dinner with Karthik serving our Apple Celery pani puri at the counter- and as guests gathered to get a share of their mouthfuls, we were delighted to see how many came back for seconds. I mean, there's nothing more exciting to watch at dinner than realising you see eye-to-eye on such matters!

Some more glimpses from the dinner here! Many thanks to Amadeus Lindemann for capturing them for us and Laura, who was a huge help to us at the rather open kitchen!

Tandoori Paneer Samosas ready for a dip.

Butternut Squash Tikkis ready for some light roasting.

The Fig and Cashew Karanjis with the Vanilla Coconut Cream

One of the guests asked us how we celebrated Diwali this year. Well, I say, there’s nothing more hearty about Diwali than cooking and sharing the food we love! Thank you, everyone who came, for giving us the lovely opportunity!

More Dinners