Indian sweets are popular gifts in the Indian culture. They
are served at Indian weddings, parties, get togethers and Indian festivals of Diwali, Eid
and Vaisakhi.
Indian sweets are different from western sweets. Mitha is sweet in Hindi & Sanskrit
and all Indian sweets are collectively called Mithai. Mithai come in the following forms
or varieties.
Barfi - Sometimes called Burfi or Barfee, made from milk which
is cooked down and sugar making a simple white barfi which is rich and crumbly . More
elaborate barfis will be studded with dry fruits or have nut butters added to the sweet.
The varieties include Kaju (Cashew) Barfi, Pista (Pistachio) Barfi, Besan (roasted lentil
flour) Barfi, Fruit (dry fruits) Barfi, Coconut Barfi, Chocolate Barfi.
Jalebi - Similar to a Spanish Chura, Persian Zlebia and made
with wheat flour , saffron, ghee and sugar flavored with keora or rosewater.
Ladoo or Laddu - This sweet is beloved and most popular Indian
sweet. Its round shape is auspicious as it denotes a circle of life. Ladoo are typically
made from gram flour, ghee, sugar, milk, cardamom powder, chopped almonds and pistachios.
The popular varieties are motichur ladoo or boondi ladoo and besan ladoo.
Peda - Peda is a sweet which is circular and is like soft milk
fudge. It’s main ingredients are khoya (cooked down whole milk) sugar and cardamom
seeds, pistachio nuts and saffron.
Halwa - Halwa, also called halva, halveh, helwa, or halvah is a
sweet usually made with wheat or carrots, ghee and milk fudge and whole nuts or nut
pieces.
Mithai (Indian Sweets), Mithai (sweets)
