Dussehra, a festival that symbolizes the triumph of good over evil, brings with it a grand celebration of lights, joy, and most importantly, sweets! Whether you're celebrating the slaying of Ravana by Lord Rama or the victory of Goddess Durga over Mahishasura, there's no better way to mark the occasion than with some lip-smacking, traditional sweets. Ready to explore the Dussehra sweets? Let’s dive into a quirky and delicious lineup of sweets that will add that extra sweetness to your Dussehra celebrations.
Kesar jalebi
Think of the fairs that take place in your neighborhood and the sweet jalebis that are served by the vendors along with other sweets. The jalebis dipped in syrup with a hint of saffron will be the ultimate celebration. Pair them with a delicious Mysore pak recipe or a Sandesh recipe.
Ingredients:
- 250 gm flour
- 50 gm cornflour
- 150 ml yogurt
- 500 ml ghee for frying
- 500 gm sugar
- 250 ml water
- A few strands of saffron
Procedure:
- In a bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, cornflour, and yogurt. Then add water to make a smooth batter. Let it ferment for six to eight hours.
- In a deep-bottomed pan, prepare the syrup by heating sugar and water until you get a one-string consistency. To get the best flavor out of the saffron, you can ground the strands. Then add the saffron to the syrup for a golden hue.
- Now heat ghee in a deep pan.
- Pour the batter into a piping bag and pipe out spirals into the hot ghee. Fry until they become crisp.
- Keep the pot of syrup nearby. Just when the jalebis are mad, dip the hot jalebis immediately into the syrup and let them soak for a few minutes. Then take them out of the syrup and serve.
Puran Poli
Puran Poli is one of the most famous Maharashtrian sweets that’s often made during festivals like Dussehra. With a sweet lentil filling, this flatbread is a beautiful marriage of tradition and taste.
Ingredients:
- 250 gm whole wheat flour
- 150 ml water
- 200 gm split chickpeas
- 200 gm jaggery
- 1 gm cardamom powder
- 0.5 gm nutmeg powder
- 10 ml ghee
Procedure:
- Boil the split chickpeas and then cook them in a pan with jaggery, cardamom powder, and nutmeg powder. Mash them very well while cooking and then let them cool.
- Knead the wheat flour dough with the ghee and water. Make a smooth dough and then make small balls out of it.
- On a flat surface, roll the dough ball out. Add small chickpea lentil filling in the center and fold the dough. Then roll it out again.
- On a hot griddle, add some ghee and fry the puran polis until they become golden on both sides. Serve them warm and add a few drops of ghee on top of the dish to keep it moist.
Badam halwa
Want to indulge in something warm and rich during the dusshera festival? This badam halwa will be perfect for a dusshera recipe. Packed with rich and crunchy almonds, this is a royal treat that you can serve your friends and family. Made with only a few ingredients, this rich dessert flaunts a great texture that is loved by everyone.
Ingredients:
- 200 gm almonds (soaked and peeled)
- 150 ml ghee
- 300 ml milk
- 200 gm sugar
- 2 gm cardamom powder
- 1 pinch of saffron
Procedure:
- First, soak the almonds overnight in water. In the next morning, peel them and grind them into a coarse paste. This will be your base of the halwa.
- Heat the ghee in a large pan and add the almond paste to it. Then fry the almonds until the raw smell of almonds disappears.
- Then add milk to the almond paste and cook on low heat. Keep cooking until the mixture thickens.
- Now add the sugar and keep cooking until the sugar dissolves. This will add a glossy finish to the halwa.
- Once the ghee starts to ooze out, you will understand that the halwa is almost ready.
- Now add the saffron and cardamom powder. You can ground the saffron strands to enhance its flavor. Mix everything well and then serve it warm on a plate.