Copyright timesnownews
You must be familiar with sweets like Rasgulla, Gulab Jamun, and Jalebi, which are enjoyed across the nation, right? Sweets holds a special place in everyone's heart. If it's a wedding or festival or any auspicious day, desserts are a must in every households in India. But there are countless regional sweets that remain largely unknown outside their state or local areas. These sweets are not just tasty but also carry stories, history and unique preparation methods behind them that showcase the culture of many regions. Many of these traditional sweets don't require any fancy ingredients; just simple items like milk, coconut, sugar, rice flour, and a few more. From crispy layers of Khaja to soft syrupy Chhena Jhili, each of these seven sweets offers a glimpse into India's diverse culinary heritage. Patoleo A flavourful, steamed sweet with Portuguese influences, this dessert is a traditional favourite in Goan homes. It is prepared using rice flour, coconut, jaggery, ghee and powdered cardamom, salt and turmeric leaves. These turmeric leaves add a distinctive flavour and aroma to the Patoleo. These parcels are steamed to perfection after adding the coconut-jaggery stuffing. Anarsa Anarsa, a sweet made from rice flour, jaggery, and poppy seeds. These small discs are fried until they turn golden brown. This sweet has a deep, caramel-like sweetness from jaggery and a nutty flavour from poppy seeds. In Maharashtra it's mostly made during Diwali to offer to Goddess Lakshmi. The dough of Anarsa is first fermented for a few days, which gives the sweet a distinct aroma and sweetness. Some even prefer to add sesame seeds instead of poppy seeds. Many Indian states have their own version of this sweet: hilsa in Bihar, kajjaya in Karnataka, aarse in Garhwal and arisa pitha in Orissa. Patishapta Patishapta is a very popular Bengali dessert made usually in winters. This dish is prepared on many celebratory occasions. These soft crepes are made with refined flour, rice flour and semolina and stuffed with a tasty coconut and jaggery filling. During Poush Sankranti, Bengali households smell of freshly made pithe, with Patishapta being the most loved among them. It is mostly eaten with a drizzle of thickened milk, which gives it a smoky sweetness. Khaja Khaja is a traditional layered sweet that is popularly consumed in Odisha. The dough is made of flour, sugar, and ghee, which is later deep-fried to make it have a flaky, sweet texture and taste. It is dipped in sugar syrup before serving, and make sure to fry it on low or medium heat so that all layers of Khaja are cooked well. It is also served as Prasad in Jagannath Temple in Puri. Belagavi Kunda Belagavi Kunda is a sweet delicacy having its origin in Belagavi city of North Karnataka. Milk or khova and sugar are the main ingredients. It is prepared by reducing milk slowly over low heat until it thickens into a fudge-like consistency. Even cardamom is added to give it flavour. It also has the slightest grainy texture and a subtle sweetness that is far less overpowering than many desserts. Today, Kunda shops line the streets of the city, and each claims to have the original recipe. Chhena Jhili Chhena Jhili is a traditional signature dish from Nimapada in the Puri district of Odisha. It is a soft, syrupy dessert made from fresh chhena (Indian cottage cheese) and semolina. These chhena balls are deep fried until they turn golden and then soaked in a delicate sugar syrup, which gives them a melt-in-the-mouth texture. Unlike Rasgulla, Chhena Jhili has a caramelised flavour because it's fried before being soaked. Sel roti Sel Roti is a traditional Nepalese sweet fried ring-shaped bread prepared during the Dashain and Tihar festivals. Its popularity stems from the combination of its crunchy exterior and fluffy interior. The main ingredient is rice flour. Other ingredients include sugar and ghee, and sometimes even spices like cardamom and cloves are added. The use of ghee and oil adds a rich flavour, while frying gives it a crispy texture. It is often eaten with aloo achar or milk tea; it sounds unusual, but that helps in balancing the sweet and savoury flavour.
