The festive season is infamous for weight gain, thanks to our gluttonous binging on sugar-laden desserts and deep-fried snacks. But, home chef Soumitra Velkar has a dish that could help you keep your festive snacking light and healthy. The patvad, he says, is a staple at his Pathare Prabhu household. "In Maharashtra, it is commonly known by the name alu vadi and variants are found all over India. While the patvad, which is made during Ganesh Chaturthi is vegetarian, the traditional Pathare Prabhu patvad includes dried prawns," says Velkar.

To make this savoury snack, you need colocasia leaves, soaked chana dal, coriander and cumin powder, ginger, a tablespoon of oil and salt to taste. To enhance the flavours, you can add red chilli powder and turmeric. Velkar suggests using the Pathare Prabhu sambhar masala, but if you can't find it, you can also use any standard garam masala powder. You can also add some finely chopped coriander leaves to the mix, he says.