Sweeten Your Life: Must-Try Indian Desserts That Will Steal Your Heart!

India’s culinary canvas is like a kaleidoscope- colorful, diverse, and oh-so-irresistible! Whether you’re craving crispy, syrupy jalebis or rich, creamy ras malai, these iconic desserts will make your taste buds dance. The beauty of India is in its diversity and that can be evidently seen in the vast platter of not just savory dishes, but also in Indian desserts.

1. Gulab Jamun:

Gulab Jamun is like eating a fluffy cloud of happiness dipped in sugar, which also happens to explode in your mouth. A Cadbury chocolate cake can be your key to happiness, but Gulab jamun is pure desi bliss.

Ingredients:

• 200 gm khoya (milk solids)
• 50 gm all-purpose flour (maida)
• 5 gm baking soda
• 30 ml ghee (clarified butter)
• 300 gm sugar
• 500 ml water
• 5-6 cardamom pods
• 10 ml rose water
• Ghee for deep frying

Procedure:

1. Doughy dream: Start by crumbling the khoya in a bowl. Add all-purpose flour and baking soda to it. Mix well and knead into a soft, pliable dough. Roll it into small, smooth balls (the size of a ping-pong ball), making sure there are no cracks, because cracks mean they'll fall apart while frying!
2. Golden dip: Heat ghee in a deep pan on medium heat. Gently drop the dough balls into the ghee. Fry them until they’re a beautiful golden brown. This will take around 7-8 minutes per batch. Patience is a virtue, friend.
3. Syrupy heaven: In another pan, bring 500 ml of water to a boil, add the sugar, and stir until it's dissolved. Throw in the cardamom pods and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Add a splash of rose water at the end.
4. The soak: Now, gently slide those golden beauties into the warm syrup. Let them soak for at least two hours before serving. And voila, you’ve got yourself some royal gulab jamun that could make even a maharaja swoon!

2. Rasmalai:

If elegance could be served on a plate, it would be Rasmalai. If you love the creamy goodness of a Mousse Cake, you are going to love this.

Ingredients:

• 1 lt full-fat milk
• 30 ml lemon juice
• 100 gm sugar
• 500 ml water
• 750 ml milk (for the ras)
• 5 gm saffron strands
• 5 gm cardamom powder
• 30 gm chopped pistachios and almonds

Procedure:

1. Paneer power: Boil 1 lt of milk, then add lemon juice to curdle it. Once the whey separates, drain it using a muslin cloth and rinse the paneer (Indian cottage cheese) under cold water to remove any lemony tang. Squeeze out excess water and knead the paneer until smooth. Form it into small, flat discs.
2. Sugar rush: In a wide pan, bring 500 ml of water to a boil and add 100 gm of sugar. Gently slide in the paneer discs and cover the pan. Let them cook for about 15 minutes. They’ll puff up like little clouds!
3. Milk magic: While that’s happening, boil 750 ml of milk in another pan, letting it reduce to about half its volume. Add saffron, cardamom powder, and the nuts. Stir gently until it becomes thick and creamy. This is the ras (creamy milk) that will drown those fluffy paneer clouds.
4. Soak and serve: Gently squeeze the cooked paneer discs to remove excess water, then drop them into the creamy ras. Chill it in the fridge for a few hours. Serve cold, and watch your taste buds do a happy dance!

3. Kheer:

Kheer is the quintessential comforting Indian dessert. It’s the kind of dessert that makes you want to curl up in a blanket and eat spoonfuls of happiness. Fan of Chocolate Pudding? This will be hard to resist.

Ingredients:

• 100 gm basmati rice
• 1 lt full-fat milk
• 100 gm sugar
• 20 gm ghee
• 10-12 saffron strands
• 5 gm cardamom powder
• 30 gm chopped almonds and pistachios

Procedure:

1. Rinse and roast: Begin by rinsing the rice under cold water. Heat a little ghee in a pan and lightly sauté the rice until it's fragrant. This gives it a wonderful nutty flavor that’ll hit you later.
2. Milk magic: In a large pot, bring the milk to a boil, then add the roasted rice. Let it simmer on low heat for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
3. Saffron drama: While the rice is cooking, soak saffron strands in 2 tablespoons of warm milk. Add this to the rice mixture after the rice has softened. Stir in the sugar and cardamom powder, and let it all cook until the mixture becomes thick and creamy.
4. Nutty finish: Garnish your kheer with chopped almonds and pistachios. If you're feeling extra fancy, drizzle a bit of ghee over the top. Serve warm or chilled, depending on your vibe.