Diwali falls on Sunday, November 8 this year, and the sweets are half the celebration. If you have never made mithai before, don’t worry. These seven recipes use a few ingredients, basic equipment and no special technique. Quantities are approximate and make a small family batch.
1. Coconut Ladoo (3 Ingredients)
You need: 2 cups desiccated coconut, about 1 cup sweetened condensed milk, ½ tsp cardamom powder.
Mix everything in a pan on low heat. Stir for 5 to 7 minutes until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides. Cool for 10 minutes, then roll into balls and coat in extra coconut.
Tip: If it is too sticky to shape, cook it a minute longer.
2. Suji (Semolina) Halwa
You need: ½ cup semolina, ¼ cup ghee, 1½ cups hot water or milk, ½ cup sugar, a few chopped nuts.
Roast the semolina in ghee for 5 to 6 minutes until golden and fragrant. Add the hot water carefully, as it splutters, then stir in the sugar. Cook 3 to 4 minutes until thick and glossy.
Tip: Add hot liquid, not cold, to avoid lumps.
3. Milk Powder Peda
You need: 1 cup milk powder, ½ cup condensed milk, 1 tbsp ghee, cardamom.
Cook everything in a pan on low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring until it forms a soft dough. Cool slightly, shape into discs and press a nut on top.
4. Besan Ladoo
You need: 1 cup gram flour (besan), ⅓ cup ghee, ½ cup powdered sugar, cardamom.
Roast the besan in ghee on low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring constantly, until it smells nutty. Let it cool a little, mix in the sugar and shape into ladoos.
Tip: Never leave the pan. Besan burns quickly.
5. Date and Nut Ladoo (No Added Sugar)
You need: 1 cup soft seedless dates, ½ cup chopped mixed nuts, 1 tbsp ghee, a pinch of cardamom.
Warm the ghee and lightly toast the nuts for 2 minutes. Add the chopped dates and mash them in the pan for 4 to 5 minutes until soft. Roll into small balls while warm.
6. Rice Kheer
You need: ¼ cup rice, 1 litre full-fat milk, ⅓ cup sugar, cardamom, nuts.
Simmer the rinsed rice in the milk on low heat for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring often so it does not stick. Add the sugar in the last 5 minutes. It thickens as it cools.
7. Gulab Jamun From a Ready Mix
You need: A packet of gulab jamun mix, oil or ghee for frying, sugar for the syrup.
Follow the pack instructions. Roll the dough into smooth, crack-free balls, fry on low heat until deep golden, and soak them in warm syrup.
Tip: Keep the oil on low heat. Hot oil browns the outside while the inside stays raw.
Beginner Tips for Every Recipe
- Read the full recipe before you start.
- Measure everything first and keep it within reach.
- Cook on low to medium heat. Burnt sugar and burnt flour cannot be fixed.
- Make one recipe a day or two early as a trial run.
- Store dry sweets like ladoos in airtight containers. Milk-based sweets such as peda and kheer should go in the fridge.
The Bottom Line
You don’t need years of practice for a sweet Diwali. Pick one or two recipes, take your time and enjoy the process.
Discover More Recipes with Bangla Pulse
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