How to celebrate Deepavali like you're in Malaysia

The festival of lights is a key Malaysian holiday. To recreate the feeling here, feast on idli, curry and pineapple jam tarts.

Enjoying murukku is a beloved Deepavali ritual. Source: Getty Images

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Deepavali or the Festival of Lights, is a significant festival for many Indian and Hindu communities in Malaysia. It is even a public holiday in the country. However, there are differing views about whether it is the most significant festival, which results in some spirited conversations.  

Thirun Nadason, a Malaysian-Australian who lives in Melbourne provides some context. “My grandparents were from Sri Lanka back when it was still known as Ceylon. For them and many Tamil families, Tamil New Year on 14 April is the most important festival,” he explains. Similarly, other Indian communities may prioritise harvest festivals (Pongal, Onam) instead. Nevertheless, Deepavali became a widely celebrated day for many Hindu communities in Malaysia and the rest is history.

Thirun recalls his early Deepavali memories: “My childhood meant going to the temple with my grandparents and family. The rest of the day would be spent eating and feasting, with rice and curries in heavy rotation," he says. “Deepavali lunch is a big deal. My mum would cook basmati rice with a chicken dish, goat curry, mixed veg like carrots, beans and cauliflower. There would be sodhi, which is a coconut milk dish with fenugreek and mustard seeds.”

After moving to Australia, Thirun learned to cook on his own and has added his twist to the food he grew up eating during Deepavali. “My grandma would have her own curry mix that she used to blend herself. I experiment with five different pre-made curry powder mixes to find something that suits the dish. I’ve learned that the difference between store-bought and homemade curries is the use of cloves and star anise. When you cook at home, you tend to be more generous with it.”

Thirun Nadason's grandma would produce her own self-blended curry mix. Source: Murdoch Books / © Kim Lightbody

Over in Sydney, Priya Gauri Anandan, has a similar but not entirely identical menu for Deepavali. There is the usual South Indian food but fused with Malaysian flavours. “Breakfast is usually idli (steamed savoury rice cakes) and chicken curry, lamb curry and chutney,” she says. “For lunch, we might go to a friend’s place and they would have chicken or lamb biryani and fish sambal. Someone would bring curry puffs and roti jala (flour-based savoury crepes with turmeric).”

A large part of Deepavali food is the array of snacks and titbits such as athirasam (deep-fried rice flour doughnuts) and nei urundai (ghee balls made with mung bean flour). These require extensive preparation but can be eaten for days, if not weeks. One of the most popular savoury snacks is murukku, which is made with rice flour. Thirun calls it "deep-fried shoestring fry with spirals". It's crispy, flaky and if done right, will never be greasy or soggy.

Priya often makes her own murukku at home, but it does require some planning. “In the weeks leading up to Deepavali, most places in Sydney would run out of pre-made murukku batter. I always must remember to stock up!”

Thirun Nadason describes this snack as a "deep-fried shoestring fry with spirals". Source: Getty Images

She also has a very clear view of what constitutes “Deepavali snacks” in her house. “There must be pineapple jam tarts,” she states firmly. Globally, this crumbly biscuit with pineapple jam filling rarely takes centre stage during Deepavali. However, it is a much-loved titbit during festivals in Malaysia, from Lunar New Year to Christmas. It is the very epitome of a food that defies labels.  

In Australia, pineapple jam tarts might be popular in Asian communities, but they haven't yet crossed over into all households. When Priya makes and shares it with Caucasian friends in Sydney, they are often intrigued. “I think it’s because people associate tarts with Portuguese egg tart or the more standard custard tart instead,” she muses.

In the weeks leading up to Deepavali, most places in Sydney would run out of pre-made murukku batter. I always must remember to stock up!

Both Priya and Thirun point out that in Australia, their Deepavali celebration lasts for weeks rather than just one day as it did in Malaysia. This is partly because Deepavali is not a public holiday in Australia. So, rather than try to hastily celebrate it on a work or school day, they celebrate it with friends across a few weekends. It may not have the national festive atmosphere they were used to, but they try to make it special for themselves and their young kids in different ways.

“Back then we knew it was a special occasion because my mum would bring out the Pyrex dishes and the serving dishes that we only saw once a year. We would have a punch bowl with a ladle to scoop the rose syrup drink. Maybe we threw in a can of pineapple and basil seeds to be fancy. I do miss subtle things like that,” Thirun says.

“If I ever did a retro Deepavali celebration, it would have Pyrex plates and a punch bowl.”