Lesser-Known Regional Diwali Sweets Prepared Across India

Diwali is the official excuse for many people to indulge in sweets. Everyone is happy, everyone is celebrating, who can say no to food, especially sugary delights, around this time? From gulab jamun or nayyappam, countless regional sweets are prepared across India to make this auspicious occasion.

From offering them to Gods to distributing them among friends and family, sweets take the festivities up a notch. While everyone knows about the popular desserts prepared during the festival of lights, this article acquaints you with lesser-known regional sweets.

Mandige, Karnataka

Mandiges are desi crepes made with ghee, sugar, and khoya. They are thin and often prepared during Diwali. In some regions, this dish is also called obbattu. When serving it, you must pair this sweet with powdered sugar, ghee, or hot milk. Your guests will be impressed if you recreate this delight at home.

Chhana Poda, Odisha

Channa poda is a baked cheese dessert that is prepared during Diwali. Chhena or paneer is the star ingredient which is combined with cardamom powder, sugar, and a handful of dry fruits. The dish boasts a crispy crust and juicy insides that make it a speciality of Odisha. This Diwali, you can also try to prepare it at home.

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Kharwas, Maharashtra

Kharwas is a Maharashtrian recipe which people prepare on many festive occasions, including Diwali. It is prepared with the first milk of the cow. Kharwas is a sweet steamed pudding flaunting refreshing flavours of cardamom powder. This custard-like dish can be a unique addition to your festive spread.

Also Read: What Foods To Buy And Bring Home On Your Next Uttarakhand Trip

Malido, Gujarat

If you are searching for regional Indian sweet recipes, you will stumble upon malido from Gujarat. It is a wheat bread preparation that boasts a crumbly texture. It is a Parsi dish in which ghee, crumbled wheat bread, dry fruits, aromatic spices, and jaggery are combined. Serve it to your guests to leave them guessing the ingredients of the recipe.

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Pori Urundai, Tamil Nadu

Pori urundai refers to ladoos made from puffed rice. Indians believe that these ladoos are good for health, especially when the season is changing. Most people use jaggery to bind puffed rice together. Many households in Tamil Nadu serve these delicious and delightful ladoos as a part of the Diwali spread.

Patishapta, West Bengal

Patishapta is a rice flour crepe stuffed with jaggery and coconut. These are soft and satisfying amid heavy and deep-fried delicacies that are usually consumed during Diwali. This dish is traditionally associated with Poush Sankranti but many Bengalis prepare it while celebrating the festival of lights because of its delicate flavour.

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Pootharekulu, Andhra Pradesh

Pootharekulu from Andhra Pradesh has a recipe quite similar to pathishapta. The wafer-thin starch layer is prepared using rice sheets. These are stuffed with ghee, nuts, sugar or jaggery, and dry fruits. It is a compulsory dish prepared by people during weddings and auspicious occasions and Diwali is one of them.

Singori

Originatinating in the Kumaon region, Singori is a khoya-based sweet. After roasting milk solids till they turn brown, flavours are enhanced using dry coconut and raisins. The mixture is filled inside the cones of malu leaves to settle overnight. Since the preparation is time-consuming, the dish is rarely prepared on special occasions like Diwali and weddings.

Image Credit: Priyavrat Badoni