Introducing the celebratory Diwali dish at Soho House Mumbai
Head chef, Gautam Mehta, has created a traditional Mithai dessert box to be served throughout the festival of lights
Tuesday 31 October 2023 By Soho House
With Diwali just around the corner, Soho House Mumbai Head Chef, Gautam Mehta, has created a dish that celebrates and captures the essence of this key Hindu holiday.
Naturally, there are many classic Indian dishes on the menu at Soho House Mumbai, such as Butter Chicken, Dal Makhani, Kerala Fish Curry and Gulab Jamun, so Mehta wanted to create something that would complement the current offering, while bringing something special to the table.
He decided on a Mithai box, ‘Mithai’ meaning ‘sweet’. Originating from India, this is traditionally an assortment of confectionary often shared around Diwali or special occasions. Mehta chose to include four classic sweets with a modern twist in his box, to be enjoyed as a dessert or an afternoon pick-me-up.
Read on to find out more.
What was the inspiration behind the dish?
‘During Diwali, there is a tradition of exchanging homemade sweets, “Mithai”, with family and friends, and these childhood memories inspired me to come up with the idea of a Mithai box.’
What will be inside the box?
‘Our four-piece Mithai box has a delicious mix of classic sweets and reimagined treats. It includes an Anjeer Roll, a rich dried fig rolled in condensed milk and seeds; Kalakand, a Mithai made with rose-flavoured reduced milk and silver leaf; Kala Jamun, deep-fried dumplings made of whole dry milk, scented with cardamom and nutmeg, and Mysore Pak, a rich sweet made of cardamom-scented gram flour, clarified butter (ghee) and sugar.’
How does this connect to Diwali?
‘Each Mithai showcases the richness of culture, ethnicity and diversity of Diwali from various parts of India.’
What do people traditionally eat during Diwali and why?
‘Diwali is a Hindu festival celebrated across India, and the food is plant and dairy based. The most famous dishes served during the family gatherings are Mathri, Gujia, Pakoras, Indian sweets and Sharbat. There are also many more dishes prepared in different regions.’
How have you created dishes that celebrate Diwali in a Soho House way?
‘In the main, Indian sweets are made with nuts and dried fruits. We have used a variety of seeds to reimagine the dishes, and included flavours from different regions of India to celebrate its diversity.
‘The Diwali dessert box is a very special addition to our offering during Diwali and we want our members to really enjoy it when they receive it.’
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