As an Indian student at UMass, nothing reminds me more of home than Indian food! And what food brings the whole world together? Desserts! Or more popularly known as sweets in India. Here’s a list of seven absolutely irresistible sweets from my wonderful home!
1. Gulab Jamun
Starting off strong with one of the nation’s favorites! Gulab Jamun is that one sweet that is served at all Indian functions, be it family gatherings, festivals, or weddings (especially weddings)! Typically served hot, it goes amazingly well with vanilla ice cream! It is a mouthful of syrupy, gooey goodness!
2. Kalakand
Kalakand is a creamy, highly addictive, mini milk cake! It has a fudgy texture and is loaded with sugar, milk, and cashews. It is perfect for giving loved ones on Diwali! If you like your sweets less messy and juicy, give this one a try! Bonus: This sweet is super easy to make at home!
3. Rasgulla
You can never go wrong with more syrupy sweets! Rasgulla is served similar to Gulab Jamun, in a pool of sweet sugar syrup. This sweet however, is popularly served chilled and is refreshing to gobble up on a hot summer’s day. Look no further for a soft, sweet, and spongy delight!
4. Kaju Katli
A delicious cashew fudge popularly made of sugar, ghee, cardamom powder, and of course, cashews! If you crave something that isn’t big on stickiness or syrup, but still want to satiate that sweet tooth, Kaju Katli is the one for you!
5. Cham Cham
Did someone say more syrup? The next sweet on our list is cylindrical-shaped and comes in a variety of colors – white, yellow, and baby pink! While this sweet isn’t bathed in a bowl of syrup, it is definitely loaded with it! Nothing beats the feeling of the syrup bursting into your mouth.
6. Laddu
Laddu is another Indian classic! Note that this round sweet has a dynamic nature. It can be served sticky as a Motichoor Laddu, or dry as a Boondi Laddu, and in many other variations (including non-edible variations like Hrithik Roshan from K3G)! Made of gram flour, jaggery, ghee, sugar, and cardamom powder, Laddu is an absolute delight to satisfy your sweet cravings!
7. Jalebi
We never get bored of stickiness here! Last but not least, we have Jalebi bringing in the syrupy bliss! It is made by deep-frying Maida flour and is coiled into a circular shape. The syrup oozes out of this mouth-watering sweet with every bite! Pro tip: When served warm, it goes great with vanilla ice cream!
These are just a few of the many more scrumptious Indian sweets out there! Which one is your favorite?
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