Share
There’s a reason jalebi occupies the top spot among rainy-day sweets; there’s nothing better than crispy, syrupy, deep-fried jalebis when it’s pouring outside and the weather has cooled down. Made from fermented batter, deep-fried in coil shapes, and then soaked in sugar syrup, jalebis are known for their crispy texture and sweet syrupy taste and are meant to be enjoyed hot and fresh.
The best monsoons mithai are those which have a breaded texture or use a batter of some form since we look for some crisp bite in their texture. Monsoon sweets are also meant to be paired with chaats or flavourful munchies, so something interesting like a malpua or thabdi penda is always a good option. Let’s explore some other interesting monsoon sweets!
Gulab Jamun
These soft, melt-in-your-mouth dumplings are made from khoya (reduced milk solids) or milk powder, deep-fried until golden brown, and then soaked in sugar syrup flavoured with rose water or cardamom. It has an interesting fried texture and the warmth of ghee since the dough is shaped into small balls, fried until golden, and then immersed in sugar syrup until they absorb it completely, which results in their characteristic softness and sweetness.
Peda
These soft, milk-based fudge-like sweets are flavoured with cardamom and sometimes garnished with nuts like pistachios or almonds. Khoya is cooked with sugar and ghee until it thickens and forms a dough-like consistency. Cardamom powder is added for flavour, and the mixture is shaped into small rounds or ovals, sometimes garnished with nuts; their nuttiness and bracing sweetness make them a hit during monsoons.
Malpua
These sweet pancakes are made from a batter of flour, milk, and sugar, deep-fried until golden brown, and then dipped in sugar syrup. The batter is made from flour, milk, and sugar, flavoured with cardamom powder and sometimes fennel seeds or saffron. It is then spooned into hot oil, fried until golden, and soaked in sugar syrup until it absorbs the sweetness.
Ghevar
Ghevar is a traditional Rajasthani dessert that is especially popular during festivals like Teej and Raksha Bandhan, which often coincide with the monsoon season. It is a disc-shaped sweet made from a batter of flour and ghee, deep-fried and then soaked in sugar syrup.
The ghevar batter is prepared from flour and ghee, which is then poured into hot ghee in concentric circles to form a lattice-like structure. Once fried to a crispy texture, it is dipped in sugar syrup flavoured with cardamom and saffron. It is often garnished with almonds or pistachios.
Mysore Pak
Mysore Pak is a popular South Indian sweet that originated in the city of Mysore. It is made from gram flour (besan), ghee, and sugar, giving it a rich and crumbly texture with a hint of cardamom flavour. The amazing, crunchy texture of the Mysore pak comes from the besan which is roasted in ghee until it turns aromatic and golden brown.
Sugar syrup is prepared separately and added to the roasted flour mixture along with more ghee. The mixture is cooked until it thickens and then poured into a tray to set. Once cooled, it is cut into squares or diamonds for serving.
Rasgulla
Although an unlikely monsoon favourite, hot rasgullas can liven up your palate during monsoons. Rasgulla is a beloved Bengali sweet that is enjoyed throughout India during various festivals and celebrations, including the monsoon season. These soft and spongy cottage cheese balls are cooked in sugar syrup until they absorb it and become juicy.
These balls are cooked in a sugar syrup flavoured with cardamom and sometimes rose water until they double in size and absorb the sweetness.
