Diwali Mithai: Health Expert Shares Low Sugar Sweet Recipes

Have you got into the Diwali spirit and started the cleaning spree and making sweets? Diwali does call for all the light, colours, and lip-smacking desserts. But since the festive season goes on for about a month, which includes having Diwali mithai, eating fried food, and experimenting with your all-time favourite ingredients, it’s natural to be worried about your diet.

While you don’t want to go overboard with sweets, it doesn’t mean you cannot have the traditional Diwali sweets. To get some low-sugar sweet options, Slurrp interviewed Dr Mickey Mehta. With more than 40 years of experience and a celebrated author, he has shared some guilt-free sweet recipes that you can enjoy on Diwali.

Also Read: Diwali 2024: 5 Healthy Drinks You Should Make At Home

Khajoor Pak

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of dates (khajoor), pitted and finely chopped or pulped
• 1/2 cup almonds, chopped
• 1/2 cup pistachios, chopped
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
• 1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)

Instructions:

1. Heat a pan on medium and add the ghee.
2. Add the pulped dates in the pan, stirring the mixture constantly for a period of five minutes until it becomes soft or pliable.
3. Add chopped almonds, pistachios, and walnuts. Mix everything.
4. Switch off the stove and spread the mixture on a flat plate or tray.
5. Cool slightly before shaping it into small balls or flattening and cutting into barfi shapes.
6. Cool it completely and store it in an airtight container.

Anjeer Laddu

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped dried figs, (anjeer)
• ¼ cup sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon ghee or clarified butter 
• A pinch of saffron, optional
• ½ teaspoon cardamom powder, optional

Instructions:

1. Dry roast the sesame seeds on low flame for 23 minutes, while keeping the pan in motion to ensure all particles are roasted evenly. Let it cool.
2. Put the ghee and chopped figs in the same pan. Stir on a low flame for 57 minutes until the figs are soft.
3. Mix the roasted sesame seeds, saffron and cardamom powder in the fig mixture.
4. Let the mixture cool down a little and mould it into small laddus.
5. Store them in an air-tight container and enjoy your healthy, nutrient-packed snack.

Coconut Barfi

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh grated coconut
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1/2 cup dates, pitted and pasted
• 1 tablespoon ghee (optional)

Instructions:

1. Lightly heat the ghee in a pan. Mix in the grated coconut.
2. Stir the coconut mixture on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Once it gives out a sweet aromatic smell, you can cease mixing.
3. Mix in the coconut milk and the paste of the dates to the mixture and well mix.
4. Let it cook in the pan till the mixture thickens and leaves the sides of the pan (takes about 10 minutes).
5. Pour it onto a greased tray and let it cool.
6. Cut it into any shape of barfi or, if you like, roll into small balls for easy snacking.
7. Store in an airtight container.

Nachni Gudd Khakhra

Ingredients:

• Ragi (nachni) flour 2 cups
• Jaggery, grated 1 cup
• Sesame seeds 1 tablespoon
• Using warm water, as required to knead

Instructions:

1. Mix ragi flour, jaggery, and sesame seeds in a large bowl.
2. Add warm water gradually and knead into soft dough.
3. Roll them into small balls, and flatten them a little to thin rotis.
4. Toast the roti on hot tawa placed on medium heat, pressing it down with a spatula till crisp.
5. Once roasted, let them cool down completely and store them in an airtight container.
6. These crispy sweet khakhras are so fulfilling for munching and rich in iron and calcium.

Peanut Ladoo

Ingredients:

• 2 cups raw peanuts
• 1 cup jaggery powder
• 2 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

Instructions:

1. Dry roast the peanuts over a medium flame till it gets golden brown and discoloured in some parts. Let them cool, and remove the brown cover.
2. Grind the roasted peanut into a coarse powder in the blender or food processor.
3. Mix jaggery powder, sesame seeds, and cardamom powder in the blender, and blend again for a comprehensive mixture.
4. Once cool you take a portion and roll it into a small round ball like laddu.
5. Store in an airtight tin for a good, healthy snack that is rich in proteins and nutrients.