THREE food influencers from diverse backgrounds have shared the ingredients they swear by to make Diwali a hit.
Supermarket retailer ASDA has teamed up with Madhurima, Nitisha Patel and Nisha Parmar to find out the dishes and ingredients that are essential to make their Diwali menu a success.
Madhurima believes the versatility of semolina makes it a perfect ingredient for sweetmeats as well as savouries.
“Semolina, a versatile ingredient which I usually add to savouries for crunchiness – be it the cutlets, the fritters or croquettes and it is also the base of many sweet meats, my favourite being the Rava Laddoos," she said. "I can’t resist a Diwali without Rava Laddoos, I have already started making for all my friends and family. Stocking up semolina has become a must for every occasion as there’s so much I can do with it."
Meanwhile, for Patel, the author of cookbook titled My Modern Indian Kitchen, cans of chickpeas, kala chana and kidney beans are must-haves.
“With so much going on during Diwali, I prefer using the canned beans and peas as it makes the cooking process quicker and it’s so convenient to dish up a fancy meal without spending hours in the kitchen. Kala chana masala with rotis are loved by the whole family and I can remember feasting on it as my fondest childhood memory.”
Diwali is never a quiet affair in Parmar's household and her cooking inspiration is driven by the yearning to share the opulence of the festival with her kids.
Every year, they have a special feast where a large spread of food is laid out, comprising of party food and not the regular curry and roti. Her family favourites are the Indian street food flavours.
From L- Jasvir Singh, MPs Diedre Costigan, Catherine West, Sarah Coombs , Kanishka Narayan, Cllr Sunny Brar and Vidhya Alakeson during the event. 
