It’s the season of warm dishes, hot drinks, and holidays. But is it really winter if your home doesn’t reek of freshly grated carrots or flour, roasted in sizzling buffalo butter with the wholesome help of dried fruit, ready to be served as halwa dishes? The only confusion is, meet to have from a best kind of season! Eating sweets sounds like a sin to many people, but traditional Indian desserts not only satisfy your sweet tooth but also help keep the body warm. With the temperature steadily dropping, we bring you a plate full of delicious winter sweets.
Sweet and warm
Indian winter desserts are traditionally filled with ingredients that will keep you warm on the coldest days. “Ingredients such as black and white sesame seeds, fenugreek seeds, edible gum, jaggery are widely used in the majority of winter candies. Bombay Sweet Shop chef Girish Nayak says winter-specific nuts, raisins, figs, fruits/vegetables like carrots and radishes and woody spices like cinnamon, mace and ghee are other important ingredients.
Halwas, laddus and more
In winter, there are halwa and laddu ceremonies for everyone, in addition to other regional offerings. “All types of halwa are popular across India, including gajar ka halwa which is made from crushed red, white or black carrots. However, each region in our country has its own version of winter dessert, such as ice cream dessert in Uttar Pradesh; nolen gurer sandesh candy melts in the mouth in West Bengal; rich churma bajra and moong dal barfi in Rajasthan; Crispy til patti in Madhya Pradesh and crumbled panjiri in Punjab. “The growing popularity of regional dishes has reduced the availability of most desserts around the country,” adds Nayak. Bihari desserts like thekua, tilkut, rabri and malpua are perfect for winter. “Malpua is the sweet dish that all Bihari people believe in in all special events and festivals and is indispensable in winter. Its dough is made by mixing flour, milk, sugar and mashed banana and is deep-fried so that the edges are crispy while the middle is soft, said Manjari Singh, founder of The Chhaunk.
Gur naal ishq mitha!
Think of winter desserts and gur (jaggery) that springs to mind. Although it is the main ingredient of many sweets, its proper use is not everyone’s cup of tea. Culinary expert Reetu Uday Kujagi shares tips against failure. “If it is jaggery, peel or grind it and mix it with water to make syrup. Continue stirring occasionally and remove, removing foam/dirt with a ladle. Strain the syrup with cheese cloth or muslin cloth. Use on demand,” she said.Fancy a merge?
For lovers of global Indian desserts, things like gajak mille-feuille, panjiri tart/cheesecake, etc. Chef Tarun Sibal, Street Storyss, Bengaluru, shares: “Adding orange peels , citrus or marmalade ingredients enhance the flavor of the gulab I make,” he shares. For the chef and founder of the House of Millets, Natasha Gandhi, it’s the panjiri base for cheesecake, to the chikkis like praline for garnish and the like, adding fusion flavors. She sums it up with some tips. “Use ingredients in moderation because they have heating properties. Avoid overcooking and keep the flavors light and simple,” she adds.
Panjiri Tart
Element:
Bajra cup
ghee 4 tbsp
jaggery 2 tablespoons
water 1 tbsp
edible gum 1 tbsp
nuts and seeds 50gm
dried ginger 1 teaspoon
Wheat flour 3/4 cup
jaggery 2 tablespoons
Method:
-For the tarts:
In a bowl, mix 1/2 cup of bajra powder along with 1 tablespoon ghee, 2 tablespoons jaggery, and 1 tablespoon water as required to form a paste.
Press the tart mold and shape
Bake for 13-14 minutes at 150 degrees C
-For panjiri
Add 1 tablespoon ghee to the pan and fry some gum or edible gond until puffy
Remove and set aside
Now stir-fry some seeds and poppy seeds
Use a mortar and pestle to crush the nuts and edible gum along with 1 teaspoon of dried ginger
In a pan heat 1 tablespoon ghee, 3/4 cup flour and jaggery and cook until brown
Add ground nuts and edible gum and fill the tart shell
By Chef Natasha Gandhi
