Art of preserving festival fare: How food experts and home chefs keep the party going

Festivities in India often bring with them a whirlwind of experiences. There is the sparkle of the diyas dotted on a windowsill, the buzz of giddy laughter from a living room, the warmth of togetherness (or, as some might call it, poker!), plenty of nostalgic music and, of course, food.

The saffron-infused aroma of sweets and spice-laden goodness of savouries unfailingly greet us the moment we step into an Indian household, and especially, during the last three months of the year.

However, from celebrating nine nights of Navratri to hosting that lavish, weeklong Diwali extravaganza, there’s no denying that our homes often end up with more food than we can possibly eat in one sitting.

In fact, your kitchen counter is often reduced to a colourful battlefield of half-empty sweet boxes and partially consumed savoury snacks. And, let’s not forget the fridge which is often bursting at the seams.

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But that said, kitchens today, whether humble or grand, are going over a quiet revolution – one where tradition meets technology, and age-old recipes find new life through modern preservation techniques.

Whether it is clever refrigerator organisation tips, or surprising microwave hacks, food enthusiasts and experts today have a bunch of go-to tips up their sleeves to keep homemade delicacies fresh and tasty for days after the festivities.

So, if you’re stuck in your very own culinary mess, this is an opportunity to tighten your apron and grab a pen to take notes – because we have tips from food influencers and home chefs who are about to spill the tea (ghee?) on how to make your homemade feast last longer than ever before.

Mandavias' secret to preserving festive grub

In the heart of what is recognised today as North Mumbai’s bustling food scene, a mother-son duo has been quietly working their way up with a smile. Harsh and Heena Mandavia are a powerhouse team behind Harsh Thali and Parathas, a beloved establishment in Kandivali. The restaurant and cloud kitchen has been serving up homestyle comfort food since 1999 with a simple tagline – ‘Mom makes, Son sells’.

Most of their daily fare focuses on simple, sumptuous meals, but it is during the festive season that their expertise truly shines. Faced with the challenge of creating large batches of homemade sweets without resorting to preservatives, the Mandavias have had to master an approach that not only keeps traditional flavours intact but also addresses a growing demand for healthier, additive-free festive treats that can be enjoyed well beyond the celebration day.

“Traditionally, sweets that we’ve enjoyed, courtesy of our forefathers, would contain gud (jaggery), sugar and ghee,” Heena tells us. “But anything made using peanuts, coconut or sugar syrup could only last for four to five days.” Keeping in mind the limited lifespan of milk and khoya sweets, the duo today only serves preservative-free, gud-based sweets that can be stored for a longer time.

When asked about their most popular sweet, Harsh mentions how a lot of customers come in asking for Sukhdi (Gud Papdi) during the winter months. “Churma Laddoo and Khajur Roll are all festive favourites and we see a steady demand during Diwali and Ganpati time,” he tells us.

“Us Indians are well-known for going a tad overboard during festivals, especially when we know someone’s visiting,” Heena states. “But before the (festive) season begins, I try to keep everything ready and in place to avoid wastage. For instance, I usually keep Churma ready and in the fridge before the orders start coming in. When refrigerated well, it stays fresh without a problem for a couple of weeks,” she says. Once the duo begins receiving orders, Heena mentions how all she has to do is defrost the dough in a microwave and start cooking.

ALSO READ: 5 healthy Diwali recipes to try out this festive season

She mentions how the nature of the sweet may cause it to lose some flavour after 15 to 20 days. However, Heena goes on to recommend heating it up on a cooktop or microwave for 10 seconds is enough to bring it back to its original taste. She also throws in how the fridge and microwave make her go-to appliances for large and small orders alike.

While Diwali stays synonymous with sweets, there’s no denying that savoury food also makes up a large part of the fare. “Dealing with savoury items is not very cumbersome. When we talk about snacks, sealing leftovers well can help ensure they last for up to eight days with ease,” Heena advises. “For those with a storage problem, salty items can also be divided into smaller portions and vacuum packed to help them last longer.”

Manjusha's recipe for lasting freshness

For Manjusha Chaskar, the creative force behind ‘Homemade Bakes by Manjusha’, it is only considered ‘festive’ when the luxurious hamper orders start flowing in. “A lot of people today are seen requesting a fusion of traditional and new, and for festivals like Raksha Bandhan, we make sure to introduce coconut-based sweets, cakes and cookies that stay in line with the flavours of the festival,” she tells us.

Manjusha, who turned her passion for baking into a thriving small business, solely operates via Instagram. “While we have regular orders every now and then, festivals require a lot of backtracking and preparation,” she says. Since Manjusha, like Heena and Harsh, doesn’t believe in using artificial colouring and preservatives, it significantly impacts the shelf-life of her baked goodies.

“I personally love using frozen fruits, which is great for times something is not in season, like say, strawberry,” she mentions. She goes on to add how storing baked goods in an air-tight container can help retain their freshness for longer periods. “We also use cling wrap and oxygen absorber packets to prevent moisture damage to the food,” she says.

Manjusha also believes in working backwards and has a batch of dough prepared and frozen well in advance for herself or her clients. “Whether it is cake or cookie dough, if frozen well can be used anytime within the next 10 to 15 days,” she states. If you’re a brownie lover, Manjusha mentions how the sweet treat can be preserved in a freezer for up to three months!

“Whenever you plan to use your frozen food, make sure you move it from a freezer to a fridge, one day prior. On D-Day, once it comes down to room temperature, you can begin cooking with it,” she advises. While the shelf-life of home-baked sweets, when compared to commercially produced food, will always be lesser, Manjusha has a handy tip that ensures no sogginess.

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“It’s always a good idea to pop a batch into an oven anytime you feel it going soggy,” she says. “Whether you pre-heat your oven a little before you put them in or microwave them for a minute or so, they should be good to go,” she says.

Lastly, she also mentions how using an air fryer can help bring back freshness when required. “Lightly toasting your baked items in an air fryer can bring back its texture,” she concludes. When asked about a tip to store our festive treats safely, she states how “cling wrap” and “air-tight containers” are the mantras to live by.

Home appliances and modern tech today have certainly played a crucial role when it comes to preserving food. Whether we’re talking about smart refrigerators with accurate temperature controls, humidity-regulated compartments that maintain food freshness, or even vacuum packaging, which are our unexpected allies in extending shelf life – keeping food fresh is as much an art as it is science for many today.

As festivals continue to bring an abundance of flavours to our tables, it’s clear that the right combination of culinary knowledge and modern appliances can help us minimise waste and maximise enjoyment, keeping the flavours of celebration alive so much longer after any of our festivities end.