When life becomes harsh and bitter, add a little sweetness to it with delectable desserts. Whenever there is a celebration at home, share your happiness with a little dessert. When you are simply tired and bored, level up your energy with the sweetness of desserts.
So, no matter what the occasion is, a little bit of dessert may improve the day and bring a smile on your face. While talking about desserts, Indian sweets deserve a special mention for its unmatched aroma and taste. For the sweet tooth, India is a great destination, since it has a great variety of desserts and sweets that surprises all with the use of unimaginable fusion of spices as well in the confectionery. Wondering where can you experience such wonderful taste? Well, in any Indian vegetarian restaurant, you can enjoy the exotic taste of Indian sweets.
Gulab Jamun: Unbeatable in Taste
Undoubtedly, the most famous sweet from India and the one that we will find in all the Indian vegetarian restaurants is the Gulab Jamun. It is made of what they call Khoya, in the West, it is known as ricotta (cottage cheese could be used). It is a dairy product, so, milk is heated in a pan until condensed by evaporation, to which is added a little flour, not much if you do not open the balls, and these are fried in vegetable oil. Finally, they are left to soak in a cardamom seed syrup with rose or saffron water. These spices add a nice lingering aroma, which is highly adored.
Jalebi: Sweetness Hidden in Circles
Jalebi, one of the most common sweets found in India, is a pretzel-shaped sweet, made from a dough composed of all-purpose flour, a little rice flour, yeast and water, which is fried a lot with some type of vegetable oil, and left to soak in a syrup made of sugar, yellow and red dyes, tartar cream and rose water. It can be served hot or cold, and despite its appearance, it has a softer than crunchy texture. Served as a delicacy in many vegetarian restaurants, it is a must-try dessert.
Burfi: Joy in Every Bite
To make Burfi, one can mix cottage cheese with sugar and cardamom, which could be substituted with other spices such as cloves, ginger or cinnamon. The mixture is fried with a little butter until golden brown. They are given time to cool, then cut into rhombus shape and they are ready to eat. Although there are many forms of Burfi, it is usually flavoured with cashews, mangoes or pistachios. Easily found in any vegetarian restaurant in India, Burfi is a great option if you like the punch of exotic flavours.
Kheer: Pudding at its Best
The extensively relished dessert called Kheer is an undetachable part of Indian cuisine as well as Indian customs. Before beginning any important work or in any joyous occasion, Kheer is prepared and enjoyed by the common folks. To prepare it, the rice is washed first, then milk is added and cooked until the rice completely absorbs the milk. The rice is pureed with a spoon, a little boiling milk is added, sugar is added and when it is quite thick it is served and decorated with pistachios. After a handsome meal in an Indian vegetarian restaurant, try a small serving of kheer, you would just love it.
Ras Malai: Royal Taste of India
Everyone’s favourite, Ras Malai, not only sounds great, but it tastes extraordinary too. A dough of powdered milk, an egg white and yeast is created, with which small balls are made and left to rest for about thirty minutes. Meanwhile, the milk is boiled with sugar, strands of saffron and cardamom. Then, the balls are added, which are boiled until they come to the surface. After that, just have to let them cool for a few hours in the fridge and decorate it with slivers of pistachios. This dainty dessert literally melts in mouth. So, I would say your journey of Indian food would remain incomplete if you miss the chance to taste Ras Malai. So, wherever you are, visit your nearest Indian vegetarian restaurant and explore the flavours of this royal delicacy from India.
India is a vast country with eclectic options in food and desserts. So, all the foodies out there in Melbourne, don’t forget to feast on these awesome desserts and for more on Indian food, keep reading us!