Newsletter: 🎊 Dishes for Diwali celebrations + getting cosy with our Cookbook of the Month for November 📚

5 November 2026 · ckbk newsletter

Have a delicious Diwali

This year the festival of Diwali runs from November 6 to 10, with Sunday November 8 the central day of celebrations. This five day festival has its origins as a harvest festival in ancient India, but today Diwali extends across cultures and faiths. Diwali is the festival of lights; of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil. Families mark celebrations with lanterns and lights, with gifts, and of course, feasting.

Sweets, or ‘mithai’ are central to Diwali, shared with friends, family, and given as gifts. Explore our collection of Sweet Treats for Diwali, and find sweet syrup soaked Gulab Jamun aromatic with rosewater and saffron, Soft Mango Fudge, cardamom infused Carrot Halwa, Sweet Samosas filled with coconut, nuts and dried fruit, and more.

Of course to handle all that sweet stuff you will want some savory options. Our collection of Savory Snacks for Diwali offers chickpea flour Pakoras, tangy Yoghurt Chat Bombs, and Chanachur Bombay Mix with Onions, Chillies & Lemon.

For more from India explore our Indian Bookshelf.

Find all of our recommended Sweet Treats for Diwali

Pictured above: Gajar Halwa from 52 Weeks 52 Sweets by Vedika Luthra

Our Cookbook of the Month for November is...

the newly added book by chef and TV personality Silvena Rowe: The Food & Cooking of Hungary: 65 Classic Recipes from a Great Tradition. Filled with well photographed step-by-step recipes for comforting Central European classics like Cherry and Almond Cake, and Mushroom and Tarragon Soup, it is the perfect book to accompany cosy nights in.

Look out also for two new books from Silvena that will be added to ckbk in the coming weeks.

If you haven’t taken part in Cookbook of the Month before, all you have to do is join us on Facebook at ckbk, and post your photos and comments. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Join #ckbkclub on Facebook

Ingredient focus: Swiss Chard

Swiss chard—or simply chard as there is no certain reason the ‘Swiss’ was added—is a member of the beet family. Unlike other beets it produces large leaves and fleshy stalks, rather than a bulbous root. The stalk is often wide and much paler than the leaves, or can be a rich orange or deep pink. Both stalks and leaves are good to eat, but need separate cooking as the stalks take longer to become tender.

Swiss chard is delicately earthy in taste, a bit like a cross between spinach and white asparagus, and is delicious cooked simply in a pan with a little olive or butter, a crack of black pepper and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Take a look at our collection of 12 Ways with Swiss Chard for more recipe ideas—try Golden Swiss Chard Gratin, Classic Tortelloni of Emilia Romana with a Simple Tomato Sauce packed with Swiss chard, or this Swiss Chard stuffed with Chicken (pictured above).

6 of the best pork belly recipes

One of the cheapest cuts of pork, yet decadent and luxurious to eat, pork belly is a win-win to feed a crowd. It pairs brilliantly with Asian flavors, and autumn and winter ingredients such as apples, pears, roots and grains. Here are six of the best pork belly dishes to get you started.

Newsletter: 🎊 Dishes for Diwali celebrations + getting cosy with our Cookbook of the Month for November 📚

Have a delicious Diwali

Our Cookbook of the Month for November is...

Ingredient focus: Swiss Chard

6 of the best pork belly recipes

Salt-Cured Pork Belly with Fresh Fava Bean Ragout

Pork Belly with Apple Windows

Honey Buffalo Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Smoked Pork Belly Bánh Mì

Roasted Pork Belly Lettuce Wraps

Sweet and Sour Pork Belly Skillet