A meal served at a social event, festival, celebration, or business function is incomplete without a dessert. In India, the dessert means a mithai or sweet beverage. Indian desserts are a wide range of sweets (mithai) made from milk, nuts, sugar, and spices like saffron and cardamom.
As a traveller or native resident, you might have a question, which is the greatest dessert of India, on your mind. Note that there is no such thing as a single sweet, as it represents a wide array of sweets or beverages. However, this post has briefly explained 10 sweets or beverages that you can try:
Gulab Jamun
As a timeless Indian sweet, Gulab Jamun leaves a person delighted with every bite. Its primary ingredients are thickened milk, refined oil/ghee, and sugar syrup. Thickened milk is used to make balls. The balls are fried in oil or ghee until golden, then soaked in sugar syrup.
The syrup is flavoured with rose water, cardamom, or saffron to give the golden balls a rich flavour. Their outer side is slightly crunchy while the inner side is soft. Gulab Jamun, the golden-brown balls, tastes best when warm and syrupy. It gets melted in your mouth with each bite.
- Taste – Soft, sweet, and syrupy.
- Origin – Came to India from Turkey (the Republic of Türkiye) and Persia.
Kheer
Kheer is a rice pudding slowly cooked with milk, rice, sugar, and dried fruits such as raisins, cardamom, and cashews. For a dairy-free version, you can use coconut milk instead of milk (buffalo or cow milk). It tastes better when it is served chilled.
- Taste – Creamy, sweet, and nutty.
- Origin – It is one of the oldest Indian desserts. It dates back thousands of years. It has been a key dessert for festivals and family celebrations.
Barfi
Burfi is a milk-based, creamy sweet. It melts in your mouth and leaves a rich, indulgent flavour. This Indian sweet has saffron or cardamom flavour. It is available in several varieties, as follows:
- Kaju Barfi
- Pista Barfi
- Coconut Barfi
It is easy to make this Indian sweet. You can prepare this delicious dish within an hour and serve it to add sweetness to any family celebration.
- Taste – Rich, creamy, and nutty.
- Texture – Smooth
- Origin – The word Barfi comes from the Persian word barf, which means snow or ice.
Halwa
As a traditional dessert of India, Halwa is made from lentils, suji, carrots, pumpkins, and allied ingredients. With ghee and sugar, it is slowly cooked and has a smooth, rich texture. It is a primary dessert for any gathering, whether you love enjoying the nutty lentil or gajar ka halwa.
- Taste – Rich, sweet, and smooth.
- Origin – It originated in India and is a favourite dessert for people across the country.
Peda
Made from khoya (reduced milk), Peda is a delightful Indian sweet. In the preparation of Peda, khoya is infused with cardamom. This Indian sweet has a dash of saffron and crunchy nuts on top. It is available in several different varieties, like:
- Kesar peda
- Mawa peda
Its varieties have distinct flavours. Peda melts in your mouth due to its smooth texture. Its crunchy taste makes it a beloved treat, particularly during religious and festival events.
- Taste – Mild, rich, and crunchy sweet.
- Origin – It is deeply rooted in India.
Rasgulla (Rasogolla or Roshogolla)
Rasulla is a favourite dessert for Bengalis and has become famous across India for its airy, soft, and spongy nature. It is made from curdled milk (fresh chhena). Chhena is used to make delicate white spheres that are boiled in light sugar syrup. The use of cardamom gives extra flavour to these spheres. These spheres are refreshing, sweet, and light.
- Taste – Juicy, spongy, and sweet.
- Texture – Smooth.
- Origin – Indian states West Bengal and Odisha are the birthplaces of rasgullas.
Ladoo (Laddu, Laddoo)
Ladoo is a round-shaped Indian dessert. It is made from flour, ghee, sugar, and nuts. Laddus are usually made during festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi and Diwali. Used in worship, they symbolise prosperity and joy. Ladoos are available in wide variations like besan ladoo, coconut ladoo, and boondi ladoo.
- Taste – Sweet, nutty, and rich.
- Origin – Ladoos have been part of Indian tradition for thousands of years.
- Preparation time – 30 to 40 minutes.
Rasmalai
Rasmalai is a soft, spongy, and delicious Indian dessert soaked in creamy, sweet milk. Its patty-type shape is made from fresh paneer (chhena). The patties are soaked in a thickened milk mixture flavoured with saffron or cardamom. They have pistachios and almonds at the top.
- Taste – Creamy, soft, and mildly sweet.
- Serving – Chilled.
- Origin – Due to its origin in Bengal, it is nicknamed the royal dessert of India.
- Preparation time – 40 minutes.
Jalebi
Jalebi is a favourite dessert among many people in India. It is golden, crispy, and sweet. Jalebis are usually deep-fried sweet spirals that are made from gram flour and dipped in sugar syrup. They are available in saffron or cardamom flavour.
These spirals are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. People enjoy it with a samosa or a rabri (a thickened milk dessert). Some people pair jalebis with curd. It tastes better when served warm.
- Taste – Surly, crispy, and sweet.
- Serving – Warm.
- Origin – Persia.
Falooda
Falooda is a favourite summer drink and fulfils your sweet cravings. This concoction combines all beverages, desserts, and sundaes with ice cream on top. It came from Persia and is a delicious summer beverage for all Indians.
Conclusion
The greatest dessert of India is not a single beverage or sweet (mithai). It represents several sweets and beverages, from Gulab Jamun to Falooda and Rasmalai.
These Indian desserts come in several distinguished textures and flavours. Each of them is unique and has its own importance. These desserts are enough to fulfil your sweet cravings or great for common to specific celebrations. Try them as per your wish and convenience.
FAQs
What are the most popular Indian desserts?
The most popular Indian desserts are jalebi, rasgulla, gulab jamun, kheer, and gajar halwa.
What desserts of India are easy to prepare or cook?
Kheer, peda, gulab jamun, rasgulla, and gajar ka halwa are the desserts of India that you can easily cook in your home kitchen. Most of them require 40 minutes to an hour.
What are the five most famous desserts in India?
The five most famous desserts in India are ice cream, apple pie, jalebi, kheer, and gulab jamun.
Which is a sweet Indian dish?
Gulab jamun is a sweet Indian dish.
Which is the greatest dessert of India?
There is no single greatest dessert of India. It usually refers to a collection of beverages, sweets, etc. and differs from one person to another. The most popular Indian desserts include kheer, gulab jamun, jalebi, ladoo, rasmalai, and rasgulla.
