Come Navratri and you will find colorful hues and catchy beats filling the air. It is the perfect time to let yourself indulge in various sweet dishes without an ounce of guilt. If you are looking for beautiful Navratri sweets to make your celebrations more vibrant, you can easily try out these recipes, and surprise your family members and friends.
Sweet Kalaadi (Sweet Ricotta Fudge):
Ingredients:
- 501 gm ricotta cheese
- 202 gm sugar
- 103 ml milk
- 54 gm ghee
- 2 tsp cardamom
Method:
- For this traditional yet genuinely unique dessert, you first have to combine the milk, ricotta cheese, sugar, and ghee in a large bowl until no big lumps remain in the mixture.
- After that, you need to transfer this mixture to a medium-sized saucepan and let it cook over low flame for around 20 to 30 minutes.
- During this time, the mixture starts to become a little thick in its consistency.
- You can adjust the consistency according to your preference and once it is cooked, you can take it off the flame and let it cool down before giving it any shape of your choice.
- Before serving this dessert, you can top it with some roasted almonds to give it a crunchy mouthfeel.
Kesar Shrikhand (Saffron Yogurt Dessert):
This is one of the most convenient dishes for Navratri fast. The Kesar Shrikhand is essentially a dessert that combines the richness of saffron with the sweet kick of yogurt into a delectable sweet dish.
Ingredients:
- 501 gm yogurt
- 202 gm sugar
- 53 ml milk
- 1 tsp saffron
- 2 tsp cardamom
Method:
- In a large bowl, you first need to combine the sugar, yogurt, saffron, and milk, and whisk everything together with a hand whisk until there are no lumps left in the mixture.
- After that, you can prop this mixture into the refrigerator and let it sit for at least an hour.
- Once you take it out of the refrigerator, your Shrikhand will be ready to eat.
- However, before serving, it is highly advisable that you dust it with some cardamom powder or some cinnamon powder because these spices will greatly accentuate the flavors of this beautiful dessert.
Shakarkandi Ka Halwa (Sweet Potato Pudding):
Ingredients:
- 3 sweet potatoes
- 501 ml milk
- 202 gm sugar
- 53 gm ghee
- 2 teaspoon cardamom
Method:
- For this dessert, you have to first wash, peel and dice the sweet potatoes, and let them boil until they are soft.
- Once boiled, you can mash them up nicely until there are no lumps.
- Then, in a separate saucepan, you need to add the sugar, milk, and ghee and bring everything to a boil.
- To the boiling milk, you can carefully add the mashed sweet potatoes, and cook it well until it reaches a thick consistency.
- Before serving this tasty Halwa, you can garnish it with some raisins and chopped pistachios because these nuts will greatly bring out the flavor of the caramelized sweet potato in the dish.
Gulab Jamun:
Ingredients:
- 251 gm milk
- 102 gm ghee
- 53 gm sugar
- 2 teaspoon cardamom
- 150 gm milk powder
Method:
- For this classic dessert, you need to combine the ghee, milk powder, and sugar in a medium-sized bowl.
- Once your mixture has started to take on a crumbly texture, you need to use your palms to give them the shape of dumplings or round balls.
- In a deep dish, you have to add the oil and deep fry these dumplings until they are brown and look cooked from the outside.
- On the side, you need to make the sugar syrup by adding water and sugar and letting it boil until it's sticky and a little thick.
- Into the sugar and water concoction, you need to allow the Gulab Jamuns to soak and perfectly absorb all the sweetness.
- Before serving, you can always garnish the Gulab Jamuns with some powdered sugar or chopped pistachios.
Some of these desserts are an integral part of the Navratri Prasad for nine days. You can add chopped nuts and dried fruits to make the recipes more nutrient-dense. If you are in the mood to introduce a modern twist to traditional desserts, you can experiment with flavors like orange or rose water. If you are making these desserts for someone who is lactose intolerant, you can easily replace the milk with almond milk.
These Navratri sweets are sure to make your festivities that much sweeter. And the best part is that you can store them in the refrigerator for up to seven days without any worries. If you are looking to make them visually appealing, you can add in a few drops of natural food coloring, and can also use different dessert molds to give them interesting shapes.