Expert Karan Gokani's Sweet Indulgences for Diwali – Tasty Ideas

Diwali, widely known as the festival of lights, symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. It stands as the most extensively celebrated celebration across India and has a similar vibe to the Western Christmas season. It’s synonymous with fireworks, bright colours, non-stop gatherings and tables creaking under the immense load of dishes and sweet treats. Every Diwali celebration is whole without boxes of sweets and dried fruit exchanged between loved ones and relatives. Across the United Kingdom, we keep those traditions alive, wearing traditional clothes, going to places of worship, narrating ancient Indian stories to the kids and, most importantly, meeting with companions from all walks of life and faiths. Personally, the festival centers on community and offering dishes that seems extraordinary, but doesn’t require you in the culinary space for long durations. The pudding made from bread is my version of the rich shahi tukda, while the spherical sweets are ideal for presenting or to enjoy with a cup of chai after the banquet.

Easy Ladoos (Featured at the Top)

Ladoos are one of the most recognizable Indian desserts, comparable to gulab jamuns and jalebis. Imagine a traditional Indian halwai’s shop bursting with treats in various shapes, colour and size, all professionally prepared and liberally topped with ghee. Ladoos often take a prominent position, establishing them as a top selection of present for festive events or for presenting to divine figures at places of worship. This adaptation is among the easiest, calling for a small set of items, and is ready quickly.

Prep a brief 10 minutes
Cook 50 minutes plus chilling
Makes 15 to 20

110g ghee
250 grams of gram flour
¼ tsp ground green cardamom
1 pinch saffron (if desired)
50g mixed almonds and pistachios, heated and broken into pieces
6-7 ounces of white sugar, to taste

Heat the ghee in a non-stick skillet on a moderate heat. Reduce the temperature, mix in the chickpea flour and cook, stirring constantly to integrate it into the liquid ghee and to make sure it doesn’t catch and burn. Continue heating and mixing for 30-35 minutes. Initially, the mix will resemble moist granules, but as you continue cooking and stirring, it will transform into a peanut butter-like texture and emit a delightful nutty aroma. Don’t try to rush things, or neglect the mixture, because it might burn rapidly, and the gradual roasting is vital for the distinctive, nutty taste of the ladoos.

Remove the pan from the stove, mix in the cardamom and saffron, if using, then leave to cool until slightly warm when touched.

Add the nuts and sugar to the room temperature ladoo mix, mix thoroughly, then break off small pieces and form using your palms into 15-20 x 4cm balls. Place these on a dish separated a bit and allow to cool to normal temperature.

You can now serve the sweets promptly, or place them in a tight-lid jar and maintain at room temperature for about seven days.

Classic Indian Bread Pudding

This takes inspiration from the shahi tukda from Hyderabad, a food that is commonly created by sautéing bread in ghee, then soaking it in a thick, rich rabdi, which is produced by heating whole milk for an extended period until it condenses to a reduced quantity from the start. The recipe here is a more nutritious, simpler and faster option that demands minimal supervision and allows the oven to handle the work.

Prep a quick 10 minutes
Cook 1 hour or more
Serves about 4-6 people

12 slices old white bread, edges trimmed
100g ghee, or liquid butter
4 cups of full-fat milk
1 x 397g tin thickened milk
150 grams of sugar, or according to taste
a pinch of saffron, immersed in 2 tablespoons of milk
1/4 teaspoon of ground cardamom, or the insides of 2 pods, powdered
¼ tsp ground nutmeg (if desired)
40 grams of almonds, coarsely chopped
40g raisins

Cut the bread into triangles, spread all but a teaspoon of the ghee over both sides of every slice, then set the triangular pieces as they sit in a buttered, about 8x12 inches, rectangular ovenproof container.

In a large bowl, beat the milk, condensed milk and sugar until the sugar melts, then stir in the saffron and the liquid it steeped in, the cardamom along with nutmeg, if included. Transfer the milk blend uniformly onto the bread in the pan, so each piece is saturated, then let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/390°F/gas mark 6.

Heat the pudding for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre emerges clean.

In the meantime, heat the leftover ghee in a small skillet on moderate flame, then fry the almonds until golden. Turn off the heat, incorporate the raisins and leave them to cook in the residual heat, blending steadily, for a minute. Sprinkle the nut and raisin mix over the dessert and offer heated or cooled, just as it is or accompanied by vanilla ice-cream.