For a shakkar-cut Diwali

On Masterchef 2023 yoursquoll find a bit of an anomaly in the form of 26yearold Harsh Kedia For the majority of his teenage years Kedia was forbidden from indulging in sweets typically adored by kids his age The cause was his diagnosis as a type 15 diabetic patient at the age of fourteen Ever since then his birthdays consisted of ldquoformality cakesrdquo which he cut but could unfortunately never haveDried Orange squaresHowever 2016 was a turning point in his life He made his first sugarfree cake and started his cloud kitchen A Diabetic Chef which catered to those who much like himself wished to indulge in traditional dishes but never had the option to Today Kedia is onto his second venture Conscious Mithaiwala Speaking about the 101 crore diabetic patients in the country Kedia says ldquoThis Diwali I want to ensure that they are all happyrdquo He adds ldquoWe have over fifty types of mithai which are completely sugarfree including kajukatli motichur ke ladoo and Rajasthani pedasrdquo His store in Juhu also offers vegan keto protein and oilfree dishes as well as Diwali hampers Of course his menu would be incomplete without some unique wacky recipes including redvelvet ladoos amongst other thingsBlueberry squaresFurther south in the city taking a sweeter turn yoursquoll find the renowned Eastern Sweets For fifty years this store based at Peddar Road was known for its delectable wholemilk kesar pedas and mango barfis It was after COVID that they revamped and launched sugarfree options ldquoPeople became more alert about what they consume and we wanted to stay relevantrdquo says owner and CEO Vidhi Thakkar ldquoThatrsquos when we started experimenting with our recipes We swapped sugar for nuts berries and jaggery and introduced oats and fruit peels as ingredientsrdquo Thakkar adds that their new take on traditional recipes has really resonated with the audience especially the younger generation They can now enjoy the guiltfree indulgence of cranberry sugar free squares dried orange squares the timeless classic kaju katli and the irresistible lotus biscoff crunchies You can get the best of these in their curated Diwali hamper which also contains roasted and baked namkeens as yang to the sweetness of the yinMixed millet pancakeSpeaking of namkeens therersquos Snackible a Mumbaibased venture by Aditya Sanghavi He says they aim to provide healthier options that will make you munch better With over 80 products on their site Snackible has healthified traditional Indian snacks Sanghavi says ldquoThis Diwali we are reshaping the art of festive gifting with hampers that are both tempting and healthy including some exciting new additions like the new range of nut jars and healthy chocolates that have no refined sugarrdquo The standout in their collection is perhaps the cheese dosa khakhra It departs from its traditional oily self and emerges as a roasted delight crafted with ragi rice and urad In addition to their repertoire they offer popped chips with intriguing subcategories such as the chickpea popped chips or popped chips made with brown rice quinoa and chia seeds creating a super snack that is low in calories Their Diwali hampers include items such as diyas scented candles and uniquely flavoured nut jars Among the latter you can find enticing varieties like kimchi cashews smoked BBQ almonds to name a fewHarsh KediaFor those who wish to enjoy the festive treats at home there is Gourmet Kitchen and Studio Started in 2014 they offer gourmet catering as well as takeaway services CEO Harsh Shodhan says ldquoPeople have a perception that Gujarati dishes are typically fried and unhealthy However for centuries we have had healthier options which were hidden away We have banked on these and made them into flavourful healthminded snacks that you can enjoy at a gathering with friends and familyrdquo Their dhoklas and vatas are steamed kuttis are made of buckwheat along with glutenfree pancakes A recommended item would be the lokivata which contains great dietary fibre or the handvo chipotle which adds a South American flavour to the Indian roots You can hire them for your allvegetarian Diwali soiree or get a taste of what they offer in their scrumptious Diwali boxes which also contain the muchloved Gujarati farsan