Bhai Dooj is a Hindu festival that is celebrated two days after Diwali and honors the bond between brothers and sisters. On this day, the sisters pray for their brothers’ health and prosperity, whereas brothers give gifts in return. They also apply a ceremonial tilak on the brother’s forehead, share festive sweets, and spend quality time together. Here are some scrumptious sweets to celebrate Bhai Dooj :
1.Rasmalai
Chenna is made by curdling milk, draining, and kneading until smooth. Shape the chenna into medium sized balls and cook it in a sugar syrup. In another pan, boil milk till it reduces to half its volume. Next, add sugar, cardamom, and saffron. Soak the cooked chenna in this milk so that it absorbs the flavors. Garnish with chopped pistachios and serve chilled.
2.Bread Kalakand
In a pan, boil milk and add crumbled bread slices into it. Stir continuously so that the bread absorbs the milk and the mixture thickens. Then, add sugar, cardamom powder, and chopped nuts into it. Cook until the mixture starts to leave the sides of the pan. Spread it onto a greased tray and refrigerate. Garnish with some more chopped nuts.
3.Coconut Ladoo
Roast grated coconut until it turns very slightly golden. Keep stirring until the sugar melts and forms a sticky liquid. You could also include condensed milk for added sweetness. Once the coconut is coated with the sugar, remove from the heat. While still warm, shape into small balls. Garnish with sliced nuts and roll it in fresh coconut flakes.
4.Kesar Kheer
Soak a handful of rice for about thirty minutes. In another pot, boil milk till it reduces in volume. Then, simmer and add the soaked rice. Cook on low heat until the rice softens and the mixture thickens. Next, add sugar, cardamom powder, and some saffron strands into it. Garnish with chopped nuts on top. Serve either warm or chilled.
5.Anjeer Kaju Roll
Soak dried figs in some warm water in order to soften them. Blend the figs into a smooth paste. Grind cashews separately into a fine powder. In a pan, add ghee, the fig paste, chopped nuts, the cashew powder and cook until it thickens and starts to leave the sides of the pan. Shape the mixture into a roll. You can also decorate it with silver leaf. Once fully cooled to room temperature, slice the roll into pieces.
6.Kaju Katli
It is a popular choice of sweet for all the festive celebrations in India. Grind cashews into a fine powder and mix it with sugar syrup and ghee. Keep stirring until a smooth dough is formed. Roll out the dough and cut into diamonds of medium thickness. You can also add a thin layer of edible silver leaf on top for decoration.
7.Sooji Halwa
In a pan, add ghee and roast semolina till it is a light golden brown. Take another pan and boil water, sugar, and cardamom pods together. Next, gradually add this hot sugar syrup to the roasted sooji. Keep stirring to avoid lumps and cook till the ghee separates. Garnish with nuts and raisins, and serve warm.
8.Gulab Kheer
Soak a handful of rice and then cook it in milk so that the grains become tender. Once the mixture thickens, add sugar, cardamom powder, and rose water. Simmer this mixture until the kheer reaches the desired consistency. Finally, add a handful of rose petals, either fresh or dried. Garnish with chopped nuts.
9.Peda
In a pan, cook khoya till it turns golden and begins to detach from the sides of the pan. Then, add the required amount of sugar. Mix thoroughly to blend it into the khoya. Once it has reached the consistency of a dough, turn the heat off and shape it into the classic peda shape. After it has cooled, garnish with chopped nuts.
10.Gulab Jamun
It is the most famous dessert in India. To make the dough, knead khoya and flour. Shape it into small balls and deep-fry until brown. Soak the jamun in a thick sugar syrup flavored with cardamom so that it absorbs all its flavors. Serve the jamun along with the syrup and garnish with sliced nuts.
11.Gujiya
The dough is made using all-purpose flour and ghee. Roll it out into flat, circular discs. Fill it with a mixture comprising khoya, grated coconut, nuts, and cardamom. After filling it, seal the edges by crimping them thereby forming a crescent shape. Deep-fry until golden brown and garnish with chopped almonds. You could also soak it in sugar syrup for extra sweetness.
12.Gajar Ka Halwa
In a pan, melt ghee and add grated carrots. Saute for a few minutes and pour in enough milk to cover the carrots. Simmer the mixture and keep stirring. After the milk reduces and the mixture thickens, add sugar and cardamom powder. Mix well and cook until the halwa reaches the desired consistency. Garnish with chopped nuts and dried fruits.
13.Besan Ladoo
In a pan, roast gram flour in equal parts ghee until golden. Let it cool slightly and then incorporate sugar and ground cardamom powder. Knead till it achieves a dough-like consistency and then shape it into small balls. You could also incorporate chopped nuts in the dough for an added crunch.
14.Khaja
The dough is made using all-purpose flour, ghee, and water. Knead until smooth and let it rest overnight. Flatten the dough into thin layers and brush each individual layer with ghee. Stack the layers into a cylinder. Cut this into pieces and roll each piece into a small disc. Deep-fry in hot oil till golden and crispy. Soak the discs in a warm sugar syrup to absorb the sweetness.
15.Moti Chor Ladoo
Mix gram flour, orange food coloring, and water together. Deep-fry this batter in hot oil in order to form small round droplets. Soak in a sugar syrup so that it becomes soft. Then, drain the excess syrup and press the boondis together with your hands to form ladoos. Garnish with chopped pistachios and a silver leaf.
16.Anarsa
Soak a handful of rice overnight and grind into a fine paste. In a bowl, add the rice paste, jaggery, cardamom powder, and white sesame seeds. Mix well and shape it into small discs. Deep fry till brown and crispy. You could also drizzle some sugar syrup on top for extra sweetness.
17.Moong Dal Halwa
Soak some moong dal for a few hours and grind into a coarse paste. In a pan, add ghee and cook this paste until golden brown. Then, incorporate sugar, cardamom powder, and milk into it. Keep stirring until the halwa thickens well. Garnish with ghee-roasted nuts and serve warm.
18.Lauki Halwa
Grate an entire bottle gourd and squeeze out all the excess water. In a pan, add ghee, the grated lauki, and cook until soft. Then, add milk, sugar, and cardamom powder into it. Stir continuously so that the mixture thickens and attains a halwa-like consistency. Garnish with chopped nuts, dry fruits, and serve warm.
19.Boondi Ladoo
Mix chickpea flour and water to make a smooth batter. Pour it through a slotted spoon into hot oil to form little balls. Fry until golden and crisp. Then, soak it in a thick syrup comprising sugar, water, and cardamom powder. After all the syrup is absorbed, combine it with the chopped nuts and shape into ladoos while still warm.
20.Chandrapuli
The dough comprises all-purpose flour, salt and water. Section the dough into small portions and roll it out into thin discs. For the filling, cook grated coconut, jaggery, and cardamom powder in a pan for a few minutes. Place a spoonful of the filing on half of each disc. Fold it over to form a crescent shape and seal the edges well. Deep-fry in hot oil until it is golden brown.
