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Bay Leaf Menu Items 22 Celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, at Bay Leaf with a limited-edition menu until Nov. 15 — Chef Z at Bay Leaf’s Five Points South Location. Photo via Hannah Chambley for Bham Now

Bay Leaf Modern Indian Cuisine & Bar is cooking up something good to celebrate Diwali. Chef Z, Bay Leaf’s Executive Chef, has created a limited-edition menu for the week featuring colorful and unique dishes and you don’t want to miss it. Keep reading to find out more about the celebration and must-try menu items.

Experience Diwali with delicious + colorful Indian fare from Bay Leaf 🎇

Bay Leaf food — Bay Leaf’s Five Points South location is decorated and ready for Diwali. Photo via Hannah Chambley for Bham Now

Diwali, also known as the Indian festival of lights, is one of the most popular festivals of Hinduism. Observed each year on the 15th day of Kartik—the holiest month in the Hindu lunar calendar—Diwali symbolizes the “victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.”

This year, Diwali falls on November 14, and Bay Leaf has planned the perfect way to celebrate: by enjoying colorful eats that reflect the spirit of the festival.

Whether you’re experiencing Diwali for the first time or just looking for a unique way to celebrate, consider spending a night under the twinkle lights at Bay Leaf indulging in Chef Z’s flavorful creations.

Feast your eyes on their limited-edition Diwali menu ✨

Diwali is typically celebrated with Diya (clay oil lamps), fireworks, gifts, feasts, sweet treats, and so much more. These ways of celebrating are reflected in Bay Leaf’s colorful limited-edition menu. From fiery appetizers to delectable dessert plates—the menu features dishes that honor Diwali, but also match with an American palate.

You’ll find familiar dishes on the menu like Chicken Angara and Patiala Chicken, as well as unique creations from Chef Z. Here’s a look at each dish you can devour this week:

Firecracker Nachos 🧨

An American favorite with an Indian twist, the Firecracker Nachos are a must-try before your main meal. You can order the nachos with chicken on top if you’re a meat-lover or paneer if you prefer a veggie option.

P.S. Be prepared for an actual sizzle when you take a bite because the nachos will actually have pop rocks on top.

Colorful Chaat 🌿

Chaat is a popular savory Indian snack typically made of potato pieces, chickpeas, and tangy spices with colorful garnishes. Chef Z’s take will be topped with a tamarind raspberry sauce and sweet yogurt. In the middle will be chickpeas, potatoes, tomatoes, Indian herbs and spices, and citrus juice for a sour kick.

Chicken Angara + Patiala Chicken 🥘

Chicken Angara and Patiala Chicken are more familiar dishes, but Chef Z is elevating them both by adding his unique flair. The Chicken Angara will be somewhat spicy, red in color and will go out to the table with a flame.

Additionally, the Patiala Chicken—inspired by a town in northern India with the same name—will consist of chicken breast roasted and served on a bed of Patiala sauce made from onion, tomato, nuts and herbs.

Chakri Salmon 🌟

A Diwali Chakri is a spinning firework popular for kids celebrating the festival. Chef Z’s Chakri Salmon will be rolled to look like a pinwheel, marinated and cooked to perfection on the flat top grill and served on a bed of spicy coconut sauce. YUM!

Paneer Bomb 💣

Paneer, also known as Indian cottage cheese, is a popular cheese in India. The Paneer Bomb is made of grounded paneer with nuts, herbs and spices, molded into a grenade shape and served on bed of nut-based sauce.

Lentil Fondue 💫

Chef Z graduated from the Business and Hotel Management School in Luzerne, Switzerland, so he wanted to bring a unique dish to the special menu: Lentil Fondue.

He’s giving the dish a twist by using black lentils with a touch of white wine and cheese to form a fondue. It’s served with garlic naan so you can roll it, put it on the skewer and dip it in.

Dessert Plate 🎊

The Dessert Plate will include a mix of sweet treats including:

Sweet balls made from chickpea batter and fried in pure ghee (clarified butter)
Gujia, (similar to an empanada) that is sweet and soaked in sugar syrup, with coconut and sweetened condensed milk inside of it
Pistachio rolls consisting of cooked pistachios rolled with cashews + raisins inside
Imarti made out of chickpea batter shaped into a ring that is sweet and red