Dussehra, also called Dasara, Dashera, and Dussera, is a festival meant to celebrate the victory of good over evil. Whatever be the religious connotations of this important festival, like many other Indian celebrations, food is a major part of the rituals. Here is a low down of the yummylicious delicacies that are served on this festive occasion...

Dussehra is observed in different parts of India under different names and rituals, but the consistent thing about this festival is that every Indian State has its own delicacies to offer on this day. We take you through the roller-coaster ride of Dussehra dishes, which you can dish out at home and treat your friends and family with this festive season:

1. Panchamrut: Although not exactly a dish, this delicate drink is made as an offer to Gods on any auspicious day. Made with a combination of five ingredients, which are:-  milk, yogurt, dry fruits, nuts, and sugar, the panchamrut literally means “nectar of five ingredients”. This drink, besides considered to be holy, is a good digestive aid, especially if had before meals. You may serve these in tall glasses, right before the meal begins, as an appetizer.
2. Aloo Kachori: This vegetarian delight is a simple fare comprising of spicy potato and legumes filling inside a flour-pastry, deep fried in vegetable oil and served either with a spicy potato curry or with a tangy tamarind or mint chutney. An ideal snack-item, you can serve this with other fillings of your choice too.
3. Khaman Dhokla: This appetizing delight originated in the Gujarat State of India and has been a favorite for quite long now. Made with besan (gram flour), this steamed dish is served after being sprinkled with a mixture of hot oil, sugar, mustard seeds and seasoning. Serve it with a hot green chilli on the sides to counter the salt n sweet flavor.       So much for the snacks and appetizers, now here are some lunch/dinner recipes that you can try for a Dussehra meal:
4. Labra: Bengalis celebrate this festival as the last day of the 10-day long Durga Puja, which means worshipping the Durga, a female deity. Labra is a sumptuous Bengali dish made with a lot of vegetables, cooked over slow flame and lightly spiced, much like the English vegetable stew. This dish is usually served with hot chapattis but you can a bread of your choice to mop it up with.
5. Bandhakopir Dalna:  Basically made with cabbage and potatoes, this is another Bengali delight, which is cooked quickly but is delicious to taste.
6. Pal Payasam: This Keralite version of kheer is made with roasted rice, ghee, nuts and raisins, cooked together in lots of milk till it achieves a thick consistency. Serve this sweet delight garnished with more dry fruits, saffron twigs, and cardamom powder.
7. Kuttu Puri:  This is another version of the Indian puri, made with buckwheat flour or Kuttu atta. Kneaded into a hard dough, you can season this puri with salt, chili, and black cumin, added directly to the flour before the dough is made. Fry these in vegetable oil and serve with any of the dishes described above.
8. Khichdi: Also known as Kichuri in the Eastern parts of India, it is a combination of vegetables, lentils and rice, cooked together. It is usually seasoned with red chili powder, salt, cumin, and hot oil. It is usually served with a brinjal based side dish called Beguni. 
9. Sweetmeats: No Indian festival is complete without a heavy dose of sugary, syrupy, sweetmeats. Therefore, you cannot do without one too. From Bengal’s favorite Roshogulla (cottage cheese balls dipped in sugary syrup flavored with rose essence) to Karnataka’s Mysore Pak, from Punjab’s Jalebi (Spirals of batter, fried golden and slathered in sugar syrup) to North India’s favorite Gulab Jamun (doughballs, deep fried and dipped in sugar syrup), you can try your hand at almost anything and you will have a winner at hand. The recipes are there for you to choose. Some delicate choices can be Badam Kheer (almond pudding, with a runny texture), Kulfi (Indian ice cream on a stick), Moong Dal Halwa (Green gram porridge), go for everything sweet and don’t count the calories please!

Image Courtesy: en.wikipedia.org, ifood.tv