The month of October holds importance and auspiciousness for South Asians across the globe. Not only does it mark the beginning of the wedding season, but also the much celebrated Ramadan, Karva Chauth, and Diwali.

Ramadan starts the holy month of fasting for Muslims worldwide, and Karva Chauth follows suit with scores of Hindu women fasting this year on October 20th for the long lives of their husbands. Diwali, the Festival of Lights, displays its glory with the lighting of diyas (often replaced by candles) all over the home. It signifies the homecoming of Rama to Ayodhya, the worship of the Goddess Maa Kali, and the Goddess Lakshmi of wealth.

Each holiday has managed to make it across the seas alongside the vast South Asian diaspora. Each is a shining moment in the year, when family and friends gather to pray, catch up, and of course—eat! All the holidays culminate with great feasts of an assortment of appetizers, several dishes for the main course, but most important of all: mithai! Yes, the sweets handed out to every individual, in a gesture of joyous celebration and happiness, are among the favorite of all. Here is a recipe that is sure to please every sweet tooth and guarantee a great wrap-up to the big day.

Pinnies (South Asian Sweets)

Ingredients

1 cup cream of wheat (Sooji)
Home-made cheese (recipe provided below)
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup dry milk powder
½ cup ground almonds or walnuts
1 teaspoon cardamom powder (optional)

Instructions

1. Melt 1 butter stick in a heavy pan on low flame.

2) Add cream of wheat and cook on low flame for 5 minutes. Turn off the gas.

3) Melt other butter stick in another bigger pan on low flame.

4) Add home-made cheese and cook on low flame for 5 minutes. Cook until all the water dries up. Turn off the gas.

5) Add sugar and mix.

6) Add ground nuts.

7) Add cooked cream of wheat to pan.

8) Add dry milk powder and mix well.

9) Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

10) Sprinkle cardamom powder (optional).

11) Mix well. Form tight fist shaped pinnies. (This is done by taking some mixture and pressing in the fist).

Home-made Cheese

Ingredients

½ gallon of milk
2-3 teaspoons lemon juice or lemon concentrate

Instructions

1) Bring milk to a boil.

2) Add lemon juice gradually, while stirring.

3) When the milk curdles fully, turn off the gas.

4) Cover for 3-4 minutes.

5) Drain into a muslin cloth.

6) Press out excess water.

7) Place cloth under heavy weight for couple of hours before using. This squeezes the water out from the cheese. It is very important not to have any water remaining in the cheese.

Recipe by Virendra Kathuria

Madhurima Chodha is an aspiring journalist and a student at New York University.

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