Diwali is around the corner! What a time for celebration, family, and let’s get real... sweets! After all, that’s the best part of the festive season. And every corner of India with its hundreds of cultures and traditions has something new to offer. Join us on a culinary journey across the 29 states of India and try these amazing sweets for Diwali:
1. Paramannam, Andhra Pradesh
Paramannam or rice payasam is a creamy and delicious pudding made with rice, milk, ghee, jaggery and nuts. This rich dish is made on special occasions like religious ceremonies, celebrations, and festivals, including Diwali.
2. Bresi, Arunachal Pradesh
We have three words for you: rice and butter. Bresi is a gorgeous sweet dish prepared in Arunachal Pradesh on special occasions like Diwali. Butter is poured on cooked rice and then it’s seasoned with dry fruits, saffron and sugar. So mouthwatering!
3. Pithas, Assam
Pithas are a special rice preparation that can be baked, steamed or deep fried and they’re delicious! These are sweets made for special occassions with special types of rice: bora saul and xaali saul.
4. Thekua, Bihar
Source: Amarujala
Khajuria or thekua is a simple but delicious sweet snack made with atta and jaggery and then deep fried. In Bihar, it’s served to the gods, so it’s literally the food of the gods!
5. Dehrori, Chhattisgarh
Source: enveetukitchen
Dehrori is one of the most famous sweets in Chattisgarh and it’s prepared in every house on special festivals like Holi and Diwali. It’s made with a batter of curd and rice that’s fermented overnight, deep fried and then soaked in sugar syrup. Slurp!
6. Bebinca, Goa
Source: Wikimedia
If a modern dessert is more your jam, you’ll love bebinca from Goa. This traditional Goan dessert is a layered cake with coconut milk and nutmeg. Give it a twist with ice cream and chocolate.
7. Fada ni Laapsi, Gujarat
Fada ni Laapsi is like a no-frills healthy halwa from Gujarat, the land of amazing sweetened food. Made with broken wheat, sugar, ghee, cardamom, and dry fruits, this rich dessert is a Diwali delight.
8. Aloo ka Halwa, Haryana
Source: dishesguru
Did a double take? So did we. This unconventional dessert is a halwa made out of mashed potatoes and ghee. Great for festive occasions!
9. Dabbroo, Himachal Pradesh
Source: foodbetterbegood
Dabbroo looks a lot like a dosa, but it’s really a DESi version of a pancake. This Himachali dish is a combination of wheat, ghee, milk, and sugar and it’s delish!
10. Tilkut, Jharkhand
Source: Wikimedia
Tilkut is one of the most well-loved Indian sweets everywhere, brought to you with love from Jharkhand. It’s especially popular on festivals like Diwali. Made with condensed milk, sugar, milk powder, sesame seeds and cardamom, it’s easy to see why this sweet is one of the popular kids.
11. Mysore Pak, Karnataka
Source: Flickr
This is by far the most popular sweet from Karnataka. Mysore Pak is just amazing. It’s melt-in-your-mouth goodness made with gram flour (besan), ghee, and sugar. Oh man, our mouths are watering.
12. Unni appam, Kerala
Source: Wikipedia
This lip-smacking dessert is a Kerala favourite for festive occasions. It is made by deep-frying balls of rice, jaggery, banana, and roasted coconut. Together, these ingredients taste fabulous.
13. Khoya Jalebi, Madhya Pradesh
Source: Pakwangali
At the time of writing this, we are salivating. Khoya jalebi is just something else. This is an amazing variation of jalebi that everyone should try.
14. Modak, Maharashtra
Like momos? So did Lord Ganesha - except for him, these were sweet dumplings called “modak”. Modak is a steamed dumpling made with rice flour and filled with jaggery, coconut and a touch of cardamom. They’re offered to Lord Ganesha as prasad.
15. Madhurjan Thongba, Manipur
Manipur created this amazing delicacy. These delicious gram flour dumplings are plopped into sweetened and thick milk along with coconut.
16. Pukhlein, Meghalaya
Pukhlein is a combination of rice and jaggery deep fried until it’s honey brown. It melts in your mouth and is friggin’ delicious
17. Chhangban leh Kurtai, Mizoram
This dish from Mizoram is sweet and simple but still delicious. It’s made with jaggery and rice steamed in leaves.
18. Nap Naang, Nagaland
Nap Naang is as delicious as it is beautiful. This dish is made by cooking sticky black rice in milk, water and sugar. When cooked, it takes on this beautiful purple colour.
19. Chenna Poda, Odisha
If New York has cheesecakes, Odisha has chenna poda! This is made with paneer or chenna and baked into a cake along with suji, sugar and cardamom. It’s extremely popular on Diwali and Durga puja.
20. Phirni, Punjab
Source: Wikipedia
Rich creamy goodness is phirni. Made with ground rice, milk, sugar and a touch of saffron or rose petals, phirni is a Punjabi essential at any important celebration. It’s too good to miss.
21. Ghewar, Rajasthan
Ghewar is a honeycomb-textured disk made with flour and sugar and it’s super popular in Rajasthan. It can also be made with mawa and malai.
22. Sel Roti, Sikkim
Sel roti is kind of like a donut. It’s a sweet bread made with ground rice, banana and sugar. It’s sold as street food in Sikkim.
23. Paal Poli, Tamil Nadu
Source: craftlog
Want to eat heaven on a plate? Try pal poli from Tamil Nadu. These are deep fried maida rotis that are immersed in condensed milk and saffron. Yum!
24. Qubani ka Meetha, Telangana
Qubani ka Meetha is a special dish from Telangana that will make your mouth water. It’s made with dried apricots. Ice cream is optional.
25. Awan Bangwi, Tripura
Source: Pinterest
This delicious dish is made by combining sticky rice, raisins, and cashews sauteed in ghee. This mixture is put into cones in leaves and then steamed. Healthy and delicious!
26. Malaiyo, Uttar Pradesh
Source: Wikipedia
Light as air, but creamy and delicious. That’s malaiyo for you. This yummy dish is found in UP in the winters and it’s made with - you guessed it - malai.
27. Bal Mithai, Uttarakhand
Source: Wikipedia
Bal mithai is a favourite with the kids, and they’ll love it on Diwali. It’s a chocolate like fudge of mawa coated with sugar. Great for people with a serious sweet tooth.
28. Darbesh, West Bengal
Source: YoutubeImage
Darbesh is a different take on laddoos coming from West Bengal. It’s like boondi laddoo, but with cashews, almonds, nutmeg and tooti frooti. It’s a Diwali and Durga puja specialty!
Have these sweets got your mouth watering? We bet they have! And we have a quick fix for all your sweet-tooth desires. Check out GODESi’s modern twist on traditional flavours with our DESi POPz. We promise you’ll love them. Great for you and your loved ones this festive season. Grab them now!
