Eat Your Way Through Six Yummy Diwali Destinations of India

Diwali is going to be a treat this year, with these six yummy mithai from the different states of India.

(This story was first published on 7 November 2015 and is being republished from The Quint’s archives on the occasion of Diwali.)

Colourful rangolis adorning the entrances, houses lit with beautiful diyas and dessert tables decked with myriad sweets – if there’s one thing that is at the heart of this festival, its food. After all, a family that eats together stays together, right?

With Diwali round the corner, its time to soak in the festive spirit and partake in some elaborate spreads.

Topping everyone’s list this Diwali are the sweets. Perfect fix for your sweet tooth?

So while you are busy sprucing up your house, make sure to stack these regional mithais that will have your guests craving for more!

Lets take a look at some of these regional mouthwatering delicacies that will send your sweet tooth on a joy ride:

Gujia in UP and MP

Gujia is a fried pastry filled with mawa and coconut mixture and then glazed with sugar syrup. This crunchy delicacy is replete with the creamy goodness of mawa, the soft shavings of coconut and oodles of flavourful nuts.

It is a traditional North Indian delicacy that is a must have during Diwali. Gujias are also known as karanji in Maharashtra and pack as much punch with their crispy, crunchy texture as the gujia. Probably the only difference between a gujia and a karanji is that the latter is sometimes made without mawa and is not coated with sugar syrup.

Easy to prepare and great to taste, the gujias are your best fix this Diwali.

Gajar ka Halwa in the North

One of the most popular Indian desserts, the gajar ka halwa is said to have originated in the rich land of Punjab.

Prepared with cream and nuts, this high calorific dessert is a delight during winters. Best enjoyed when piping hot and sometimes with a scoop of ice-cream to take your indulgence levels to a new high, there is absolute decadence to be found in this delightful mixture of carrots, sugar and cream. Drizzled with crunchy nuts, just one bite of the gajar ka halwa and we assure you, you won’t be able to put your spoon down.

Besan ka Laddoo in Maharashtra

Ask any Maharashtrian and he will swear by the aromatic and flavourful besan ka laddoo. This dish is synonymous with Diwali in Maharashtra. Trays of neatly laid out besan ke laddoos can be seen outside sweet shops and there are usually co-operatives making tons of laddoos for the festive season.

Besan is roasted in ghee till it gives a nutty fragrance – after which sugar and cardamom are added to it. This mixture is then cooled and made into balls. Sometimes, almonds and cashews are also added to the laddoos to make them more appealing.

The besan ke laddoos make for the perfect Diwali sweet along with the sugary, spicy poha chiwda on the eve of Lakshmi Pujan.

Mohantaal in Gujarat

This signature sweet from Gujarat is prepared using gram flour, milk and saffron. It is almost like a gram flour fudge flavoured with saffron and topped with nuts. The interesting flavours of the besan sautéed in ghee is a treat for the palate. It’s no wonder that the mohantaal continues to be a favourite in most Gujarati households during Diwali.

Mysore Pak in the South

If you thought only the North Indians were used to having generous amounts of ghee, this dessert will compel you to change the way you think. This popular sweet from the South of India is prepared with oodles and oodles of ghee. If you were to heat the Mysore pak, you would know how much ghee was used to prepare a small sinful piece. This soft, melt-in-the-mouth confection of gram flour, sugar and cardamom is sure to leave you craving for more.

Cham Cham in Bengal

The succulent cham cham or chom chom is a popular Bengali sweet prepared during Diwali. It comes in various flavours and colours and is an absolute delight to bite into. Concocted with freshly prepared cottage cheese, the chom chom is similar to the rasgulla – albeit much more versatile than the conventional rasgulla.

There are various ways in which you can serve this delicacy. One is to serve them plain or coat them with desiccated coconut and garnish them with nuts. Another interesting option is to slit them through the middle and stuff them with khoya and nuts.

So while you dazzle in your new clothes and look your festive best, make sure to tuck into the comforts of the piping hot gajar ka halwa or a melt-in-the-mouth besan ka laddoo that is sure to inject some much needed sweetness to your Diwali.

And for those with an aching sweet tooth, there’s no better time to chime “kuch meetha ho jaye” – for no celebration is complete without sweets!

(A freelance food blogger, Pranjali Bhonde Pethe aims at getting people and their favourite food closer through her blog moipalate. Email her at [e-mail] or follow her on @moipalate.)