The spicy cyclone that is the north Indian cuisine demands its sweet rescue. This is where the dessert menu popped up because, let’s be honest, a craving for spice is always followed by “kuch meetha ho jaye?”
The Northern expanse of India has always been the centre for global trade. The Persians, the Turks and the Mongolians have all found their way to the rich lands of India and intrinsically evolved the Indian food culture. India is the guardian of spices that come together in perfect harmony. To balance the heat that is brought by spices, northern India is also home to a number of sweets, usually referred to as mithai.
Types of North Indian dessert:
To calm all the nerves and to ease the gut, north Indian desserts play the role of the savior. They’re made with loads of milk and come in a varying range of sweetness to ensure you have the perfect antidote to your spicy adventure. Some are claimed by a particular region while others are loved too much to belong to one particular state. With perfect sweetness and textures designed to melt right in, you’re in for a unique treat with every sweet dish.
Gulab Jamun
Gulab Jamun is the poster child for Indian dessert. It can only be described as a brown donut ball which is soft and spends a lot of time in a sugar syrup bath. The cardamom brings in the unique flavor, the saffron adds a soft color and the rose water adds to the whole spectacle. Variations of gulab jamun are found across the Middle East and it resembles Luqmat-Al-Qadi.
Rasgulla
Or Roshogulla as the Bengoli would say it is one of a kind dessert that needs to be tasted to fully comprehend. It’s made with chhena dough and is found in sweet shops in a container floating above the sugar syrup. A rasgulla is light, soft and airy. It’s made to be a sponge-like dessert that soaks in the syrup and oozes out the same upon the first bite. With sugar syrup dripping on every bite, a rasgulla promises to give you a sugar rush like no other.
Jalebi
The jalebi has to be enjoyed warm, straight off the heat, with some rabri or curd. It’s a beautiful orange-colored sweet which is made by pouring the batter skillfully over hot oil with the slightest twist of the wrist to form the perfect twisted circles. Watching the jalebis being made and eating them are a treat for the eyes and the mouth.
Ghevar
These are easy to spot when you enter a sweet house. They’re yellow, round and usually have a hole right at the centre and have these intricate textures all along. It’s a Rajasthani speciality. The texture is achieved to ensure that the sweet is soft and airy. You could find it in other flavors like malai and mawa too. Ghevar is garnished with dry fruits and is often popularly demanded to celebrate the festival of Teej.
Kulfi
Thanks to the white revolution, we now have an abundance of dairy which is immensely celebrated across the countries through sweets such as the kulfi. Kulfi is the desi take on ice cream. Unlike ice-cream, kulfi is not whipped, which results in a solid frozen dessert. Kulfi became popular in Delhi during the Mughal times. It’s taken from the Persian word qulfi which translates to – covered cup. It’s flavored with different elements such as malai (cream), cardamon, pistachios, saffron, mango etc. Kulfi is slow-cooked and once the milk is creamy and thick with flavour, it’s poured into matkas to cool and enjoy later.
Gajar ka halwa
A nostalgic dessert for Indians everywhere and an easy way to increase your carrot intake. Gajar ka halwa translates to carrot pudding. It’s made with grated carrots softened with milk and ghee. The spices fill aroma pockets that burst with every bite.
Phirni
Phirni is a milk-based dessert that is flavoured with saffron and cardamom. It also includes fruit pulp and is eaten cold. It may look very similar to the well known kheer but phirni uses broken rice and is slow-cooked as every bite is packed with the aroma of saffron and the refreshing kick of cardamom.
Conclusion
These are some of the handpicked North Indian desserts from the sea of sweet dishes that have been created through the years. While new flavors are being added to the desserts to give them a modern twist, the essence of the sweets continue to be celebrated across all cultures and globally. These desserts are made with locally sourced ingredients to give everyday meals a satisfying end.
Also read – Exploring Exciting Herbs and Spices Trends in Food
A food enthusiast and a blogger – someone who likes to eat and write about it. I’m passionate about exploring different cuisines and challenging my palette. I give into my food craving regularly and am often on the hunt to find my new favorite food place in town.
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