Until November 8, Whole Foods Market stores in Florida are celebrating Diwali, the five-day Hindu “festival of lights,” with special Indian cuisine offerings and pop-up Indian street foods carts in select stores.
On Diwali, holiday observers light clay lamps filled with oil, a symbolic representation of the triumph of good over evil. Lamps are kept on overnight, while houses are cleaned to welcome Lakshimi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity. Firecrackers are set off to ward off evil spirits as families gather for celebrations that include festive dress, candy and traditional Indian cuisine.
In celebration, Whole Foods Market stores are offering authentic Indian fare and a cultural cooking demo, teaching patrons how to make healthy, flavorful Indian dishes at home. The hot food bars include Punjabi Large Potato & Mixed Vegetable Samosas – deep-fried pastries with savory vegetarian filling; Goan pork vindaloo – a popular, fiery curry dish from the Indian coast; Hyderbadi Chicken Biryani – a rice dish made with traditional Indian spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg; Firangi kale dale – a hearty kale stew; and Mumbai Bhaji – Indian vegetable fritters. The cold salad bars offer Kovalam cole slaw and curried Madras Potatoes. Dheli Dal Saag – a curried stew of spinach and split pigeon peas, is available as a specialty soup, while chef cases display tender tandoori chicken satay; a light Madurai mango & coconut chicken salad; and delicate farm-raised tandoori salmon. Kovalam beach wraps and playful tandoori pizzas made of tandoori chicken and mango chutney are also being offered.
Sanjog Sikand, owner of Sukhi’s Natural Authentic Indian Cuisine, one of Whole Foods Market’s spice vendors, will host A Tour of India, a cooking demo on how to prepare the authentic, healthy Indian dishes in celebration of the autumn holiday. The demo will take place at Whole Foods Market Coral Gables on Thursday, October 24 at 7 p.m. and will be free and open to the public. Space is limited and guests must pre-register. Please call 305-421-9421 to pre-register or visit Whole Foods Market – Coral Gables customer service.
For more information about Whole Foods Market, please visit www.wholefoodsmarket.com
