Best Sweets of India

[Shuaib Ahmed]

I have lived in America pretty much my whole life but am a South Indian. From Chennai to be exact. As a kid I never really like Indian Sweets but rather chocolate and what not. But having grown up now and having my taste buds mature, I am really liking Indian sweets now. I just eat sweets from mixed mithai boxes but would like to know what specific sweets Indians living in India would usually eat. Besides Kaju Kathri, I love Aflatoon. What about you all?

 

[briannagodess]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

My favourite Indian sweets/desserts would have to be:

• Chakhao Kheer. This is made with kheer or also called forbidden rice, milk, sugar and ghee. The state of Manipur serves the best authentic Chakhao Kheer. Yum!

• Bal Mithai. This is popular in the state of Uttarakhand. It is made using evaporated milk and cane sugar and garnished with small sugar balls. It is almost like a fudge or brownie in consistency and tastes as delicious (if not more)!

• Kubhani Ka Meetha. The literal translation of the name is "Sweet dish made from apricots." This is a famous sweet/dessert in Hyderabad. The recipe just needs dried apricots, sugar, almonds and strained water from the apricots.

• Coconut Ladoo. This can be found almost anywhere in the country but the ones from Assam are the best-tasting ones. The recipe just needs coconut and sugar.

• Pak. This sweet desert from Mysore is loved by many. It's made using gram flour, ghee and sugar.

• Chhena Poda. Odisha serves the best Chhena Poda. If you're a fan of cheesecakes, then this is a must as this is considered the Indian cheesecake.

• Adhirasam. I love doughnuts but there's also an Indian version of it called Adhirasam. Tamil Nadu makes the best Adhirasam made of rice flour, pepper, jaggery and butter.

• Rabdi/Rabri. It is made using condemned milk heated in fire for very long and spices, nuts and dried fruits are added in. North Indian states especially Rajasthani specialise in making this dessert.

• Peda. This is popular throughout the country but believed to have originated from Uttar Pradesh. It is made from milk, mawa and sugar. Flavourings such as saffron and dry fruits are also added in.

• Kulfi. Indian version of ice cream but it is undeniably more creamy and rich. It is made with milk as well and usually flavoured with pistachio and saffron.

There you go. I sure hope others can tell us their favourite desserts or sweets as well. There's lots of sweets to choose from, it's hard to pick really. I think every state/region have their own delicacies that are yummy and worth tasting.

P.S.

I love Aflatoon as well, it's mildly sweet and milky. I do love milky and creamy desserts as you can tell from my list. Lol.

 

[Shuaib Ahmed]

Yes, Kheer is also one of my favorites and Kulfi is probably one of the best ice creams. I love the pistachio one very much. I'm gonna try to find all these sweets you mentioned. They all sound amazing.

 

[EdmondE]

An Indian restaurant with an attached bakery just opened up where I live. It has proven to be very popular with the Indian population here. I have recently developed a taste for Indian cuisine, but when it comes to Indian sweets and desserts, I am completely out of my depth. After reading this list, I won't feel so intimidated to approach the counter and order some of the baked goods. Cannot wait to try some Bal Mithai!

 

[vkar]

I like Rosgulla, but I think it's overrated. Kheer is awesome. I have heard so much about Rabdi, but never had the chance to try it so far. I also like that paper sweet (I forgot the Telugu name) you get in Hyderabad. It's so different than other sweets. Mysore Pak is another favorite of mine.

 

[Blue Betta]

Kheer is wonderful. I am also a fan of gulab jamun. I had a lot of sweets given as prasad when I lived at the ashram, but I never found out the names of most of them, although ladoos were often given. Adhirasam is good- they served it at the ashram on special days, and I always made sure to get some. Burfi is wonderful, and you can find it in grocery stores here in the U.S. sometimes. There was one I had at a temple during Diwali... it was about the size of a golf ball and made from a buttery flour with other things in it, and I never learned the name. There is also a sugar crystal, nut, and dried fruit mix I've often had at the temple, and I'm not sure what that was called. Does anyone know the name of it?

 

[Cwebster]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

My favourite Indian sweets/desserts would have to be:

• Chakhao Kheer. This is made with kheer or also called forbidden rice, milk, sugar and ghee. The state of Manipur serves the best authentic Chakhao Kheer. Yum!

• Bal Mithai. This is popular in the state of Uttarakhand. It is made using evaporated milk and cane sugar and garnished with small sugar balls. It is almost like a fudge or brownie in consistency and tastes as delicious (if not more)!

• Kubhani Ka Meetha. The literal translation of the name is "Sweet dish made from apricots." This is a famous sweet/dessert in Hyderabad. The recipe just needs dried apricots, sugar, almonds and strained water from the apricots.

• Coconut Ladoo. This can be found almost anywhere in the country but the ones from Assam are the best-tasting ones. The recipe just needs coconut and sugar.

• Pak. This sweet desert from Mysore is loved by many. It's made using gram flour, ghee and sugar.

• Chhena Poda. Odisha serves the best Chhena Poda. If you're a fan of cheesecakes, then this is a must as this is considered the Indian cheesecake.

• Adhirasam. I love doughnuts but there's also an Indian version of it called Adhirasam. Tamil Nadu makes the best Adhirasam made of rice flour, pepper, jaggery and butter.

• Rabdi/Rabri. It is made using condemned milk heated in fire for very long and spices, nuts and dried fruits are added in. North Indian states especially Rajasthani specialise in making this dessert.

• Peda. This is popular throughout the country but believed to have originated from Uttar Pradesh. It is made from milk, mawa and sugar. Flavourings such as saffron and dry fruits are also added in.

• Kulfi. Indian version of ice cream but it is undeniably more creamy and rich. It is made with milk as well and usually flavoured with pistachio and saffron.

There you go. I sure hope others can tell us their favourite desserts or sweets as well. There's lots of sweets to choose from, it's hard to pick really. I think every state/region have their own delicacies that are yummy and worth tasting.

P.S.

I love Aflatoon as well, it's mildly sweet and milky. I do love milky and creamy desserts as you can tell from my list. Lol.

ohhhh, love this!

 

[Andrea Crain]

I have lived in America pretty much my whole life but am a South Indian. From Chennai to be exact. As a kid I never really like Indian Sweets but rather chocolate and what not. But having grown up now and having my taste buds mature, I am really liking Indian sweets now. I just eat sweets from mixed mithai boxes but would like to know what specific sweets Indians living in India would usually eat. Besides Kaju Kathri, I love Aflatoon. What about you all?

Hello,

It was nice to know that you have liking for Indian sweets. Also known as mithai, Indian sweet is an important element in Indian Cuisine and is universally popular. It covers all kind of laddoos, barfis and halwas. I am a big big fan of Kaju Katli and Ras Malai. And for you, here is a list of some best indian desserts that you may like-

Agra Petha - Made with firm white pumpkin, sugar, kitchen lime, alum powder etc.
Badam Halwa - Ingredients include almonds & ghee
Balushahi - This is made using maida flour, yogurt, oil & sugar
Besan Laddu - This is made with gram flour (besan), ghee & sugar
Motichoor Laddu - Main ingredients include besan flour & sugar
Gajar ka Halwa - Made with carrots, milk, sugar, ghee, cashews & raisins
Ghevar - Includes flour, ghee, kewra, milk, clarified butter, sugar, almonds, pistachio, saffron & green cardamom
Gulab Jamun - Ingredients include flour, ghee, kewra, milk, clarified butter, sugar, almonds, pistachio, saffron & green cardamom
Jalebi - Dough fried in a coil shape dipped in sugar syrup
Kalakand - It’s made with milk & cottage cheese
Malpua - Ingredients include wheat or rice flour & sugar syrup.
Mung Halwa - This is made using milk, mung bean, dal (lentil) & dry fruits
Rabri - Made with sweet, condensed milk, sugar, spices & nuts
Ras Malai - Includes chhena, reduced milk & pistachio

Hope you find them!

 

[iamawriter]

Then there are rice ;laddoos. This is with boiled rice or red rice as it is called. Wash and roast the rice and prepare flour out of it. Pound jaggery and scraped coconut, gently add rice flour little at a time and pound again, adding cardamom powder and raisins. These need to be eaten fresh as long time storage is not recommended.

Image source: ruchikrandhap