Every Indian meal starts with the main course and ends with a dessert. The tradition of eating sweets after a meal is quite popular in Indian families and it is widely believed that desserts are the perfect ending to any meal. Be it a festival or an occasion of happiness, Indians always savour sweets first as sweets are the best symbol of merry-making. From street vendors to luxurious hotels, a variety of sweets is always found on the menu card. Apart from eating at restaurants, Indian families love to cook sweets in their home kitchen. Everyone is deranged after Rasgullas and Gajar Ka Halwa, but there are so many Indian desserts that need your attention. Here is the list of lesser-known Indian Desserts that you must try once in a lifetime.
Lesser-Known Indian Desserts to Enjoy
1. Mysore Pak
Mysore Pak hails from Karnataka and is quite famous in Southern India. The taste of the sweet is incredibly delicious and is made of a variety of ingredients such as ghee, sugar, and besan. The yellow-brown color of the sweet is obtained after frying gram flour in a generous amount of ghee and sugar. Mysore Pak is usually prepared at weddings and festivals in Southern India and is quite famous for baby showers.
2. Imarati
The round sweet dish looks more like a Jalebi and the flower-like appearance makes it even more captivating. The famous sweet dish of Uttar Pradesh has numerous names and contains a good amount of magnesium, iron, and potassium. The main ingredients that contribute to making this heavenly sweet dish are ghee, saffron, sugar, and urad dal.
3. Modak
The favourite sweet dish of Lord Ganesha has its origin in Maharashtra. However, it can be eaten at any time but during Ganesh Chaturthi, the demand for the sweet touches the sky and often runs out of supply. The sweet filling of the modak contains grated coconut and jaggery. The outer shell of modak is soft and made of rice flour. The sweet dish feels light on the stomach as it comes in two versions – fried and steamed.
4. Kesar Badam Halwa
Suji Ka Halwa is quite famous in every Indian household but this version will surely excite the gourmand inside you. Kesar Badam Halwa is exceptionally popular in North India and tastes as good as any other sweet dish. The Kesar Badam Halwa is highly beneficial for health as it is made of almonds and saffron. Almonds are rich in proteins and fibres whereas saffron contains antioxidant properties.
5. Bhapa Doi
Well, Mishti Doi has no comparison but Bhapa Doi tastes amazingly good and is enough to satiate the craving for a sweet dish. Just like any other Bengali sweet dish, bhapa doi is made from condensed milk, yoghurt, and dry fruits. Bhapa Doi is usually adorned with finely chopped pistachio and almonds.
6. Bombay Halwa
Made with corn flour, ghee, and sugar syrup, Bombay Halwa is a super delicious and authentic sweet dish. Bombay Halwa is often known as Karachi Halwa because it originated in Karachi. The process of making Bombay Halwa is quite arduous as the corn flour and sugar are stirred consistently on low flame until the rubbery consistency is obtained. If you are still unaware of the taste and flavours of Bombay Halwa then give this sweet dish a try.
Read More: Indian Office Lunch Party Food Ideas To Try Out
7. Malpua
Malpua is believed to be the oldest sweet dish in India, which is popular not only in India but also in neighbouring countries like Nepal and Bangladesh. Malpua is generally small pancakes made from wheat flour that is fried in ghee and later drenched in sugar syrup. The delectable sweet dish is incomplete without fresh nuts and is offered as the first thing to Lord Jagannath in the Jagannath Puri Temple. With unmatched taste, Malpua continues to carry the legacy of Indian dessert forward.
8. Coconut Barfi
A perfect blend of coconut and milk brings out a heavenly taste in the mouth leaving the eater mesmerized for life. The popular sweet dish of East India is made tastes even better when garnished with cardamom powder and dry nuts. Well, sugar is mainly used to make this sweet dish but sometimes jaggery is inserted to give it a healthier stint.
9. Kharwas
Another sweet dish of Maharashtra is nothing but a treat as it looks more like paneer in texture and is a milk pudding made of colostrum, sugar, saffron, and ghee. From boosting immunity to reducing fat, Kharwas offers numerous health benefits to the body.
10. Puran Poli
With divine taste, Puran Poli contains nutritional value and is a good source of fibre. Puran Poli, a sweet dish of Maharashtra is stuffed with aromatic ingredients such as jaggery, cardamom powder, and fennel powder. The stuffing is then packed in the stiff dough made using flour. The sweet dish is usually savoured during festivals and special occasions.
