Spiral Jalebis to Alsi ke Laddoo, What other indian sweets Does Haryana Love to Indulge In?

Haryana shares its desserts with many of its North Indian cousins and mostly Punjab and is known for its rich milk-based delicacies to deep-fried ones that are too good to not devour. They also make a unique laddoo touted to lower cholesterol, promote better heart health and also in general very nutritious because of its ingredients. So, here are the indian sweets Haryanvi people love to eat on occasion and also when the craving for something sweet hits.

1.Malpua

These are desi pancakes that are considered a dessert, coming from the Northern part of India. It is made with flour, sugar or jaggery and powdered cardamom. Sometimes semolina, khoya (milk solids), coconut, and fennel seeds are also added to the malpua batter. These are readily available in local sweet shops, but mostly prepared for festivals like Diwali, Holi and Navratri. Depending on the halwai shop and region, the thickness of the malpua can range from thin and crispy to thick and fluffy. They are soaked in a sugar syrup and sometimes served with rabri with a garnishing of chopped nuts.

2.Gulab Jamun

Perhaps one of the most beloved desserts in the state and the rest of the country is a bowl with a ball or two of steaming hot gulab jamuns. It's made from curdled milk solids or khoya with other ingredients like wheat flour, cream, cardamom, baking soda and cream, which is transformed into a dough, shaped into balls and deep fried to a deep shade of brown. They are soaked in a sugar syrup flavoured with rose water, lending the “gulab” or rose fragrance to the sweet. The dessert has Persian roots and traces its origin to the reign of Babur where new cooking techniques and dishes were introduced under the Mughal rule.

3.Alsi Pinni

A kind of laddoo that is also called Also ki Pinni, it's made with flax seeds (Alsi) and is a popular wintertime treat especially in Punjab and Haryana. The flax seeds used are said to be beneficial for cough and colds and bolster strength as well as many beneficial nutrients. This laddoo is made with flour, flaxseeds, ghee, jaggery, choice of nuts, raisins, edible gum and also cardamom. Just like most laddoos, the ingredients are roasted, fried or cooked and combined in a pan then shaped into balls, ready to eat.

4.Meethe Chawal

This sweet pulao is also made in other countries like Pakistan and Persian countries like Iran where it is known as Zarda. It's prepared on festivities occasions in Haryana during Basant Panchami, Diwali and weddings. This dish is made with basmati rice with sugar syrup with an assortment of nuts, dry fruits and spices. The kesar dyes the rice yellow and makes it even more fragrant along with the cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon.

5.Kheer

A classic comfort dish, kheer is also hugely popular in Haryana which by Western definition will be called a rice pudding. The Latin American or Spanish Arroz con leche is very similar to Kheer. It's made by slow-cooking rice in milk with sugar with spices added to the bubbling mixture – cardamom, saffron and dry fruits and nuts like raisins, cashews and almonds. Instead of the rice, vermicelli, tapioca (sabudana) cracked wheat, or semolina can also be used, but then it goes by a different name.

6.Gajar ka Halwa

Grated carrots cooked in ghee, milk and sugar to produce one of the most delicious desserts ever, Gajar ka halwa needs no introduction. It's made during the festive occasions during the second half of the year, when the days are cooler, with its fragrant ghee and cardamom aroma filling the home with warmth. It's best made with whole milk but can be made using condensed milk, powdered milk or khoya for a quicker halwa.

7.Jalebi

A deep-fried sweet delicacy with Persian roots, Jalebi has different names in countries across the Middle East and Arabia. It's made during festive occasions and also during weddings and birthdays. The batter is made with wheat flour, curd, soda, ghee, and sugar and using a piping bag, it's piped directly into a kadhai with boiling oil, made into ring-like shapes that stick to each other. It's crunchy and once fried till it's golden, it's doused in a sticky sugar syrup and sold in local shops.

8.Rabri

Rabri is made with condensed milk by slowly boiling milk over low heat until it starts to thicken and become dense and the colour changes from milky white to a pale yellow hue. Nuts (almonds, pista), spices (cardamom, saffron), and jaggery are added to add flavour to rabri, it's commonly eaten with jalebi in northern India and even in Haryana.