Sweets and Snacks
Food
There cannot be a better gift this Diwali than Diwali Sweets. What’s Diwali anyway without mouthwatering sweets and snacks such as Kaju Katli, Rava Kheer, Badam Barfi and Shahi Tukda, to name just a few? You can prepare the sweets at home yourself, or just buy them from the market.
Sweet shops across India are particularly busy during Diwali; that’s when they make most of their money. Traditional Diwali Sweets include Besan Ladoos and Kheer, which are made from gram flour. Diwali heralds the onset of winter, which is why sweets that are hot and crisp are in great demand. Every region in India has its favorite Diwali sweet.
What’s popular in western states Gujarat and Rajasthan, such as Mohanthal, may not even be available in southern states such as Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. There, Mysore Pak is the hottest selling sweet during Diwali – which is probably not available elsewhere in the country. That’s what makes Diwali such a unique festival – it is celebrated by all states, cultures and regions in India, but in their own style. It is this diversity and complexity that makes India such an exciting country to visit – especially at the time of the Festival of Lights.
Here’s a look at the most popular Diwali Sweets and Snacks
Kaju Katli is a delectable sweet made with cashew nuts. This sweet is particularly popular in Delhi. It is crisp and tasty and has a very nice flavor. It is by no means the cheapest of Diwali Sweets – as the main ingredient, cashew nuts, is quite expensive - but there’s always a lot of demand for it regardless.
Rava Kheer is another yummy Diwali sweet made from a unique combination of dry fruits, milk and sooji (semolina). It is one of the most popular Diwali giveaways in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Diwali is celebrated with the same vigor in South India as in the North and West. But each state in South India has its own way of celebrating Diwali. This extends to Diwali sweets as well. In Karnataka, the most popular Diwali sweet by far is Mysore Pak. Mysore Pak is a tasty, mouthwatering concoction of ghee, sugar and gram flour. It is called so because it was first created by the talented chefs in the Royal Mysore Palace.
You know what Besan Ladoo is, don’t you – it is perhaps the most common of all Indian sweets. What’s Diwali without Besan Ladoo? Besan Ladoo is called so because it is made from Besan (gram flour), desi ghee, sugar or boora. It is easily one of the bestselling sweets in India, but it’s so easy to make and so common that nobody really pays much attention to it. It remains the staple of every festival or celebration in India.
Badaam Halwa and Barfis are among the most expensive Diwali sweets you can buy. The reason for that is their main ingredient is almond, one of the priciest nuts on the market. Badaam Halwa and Barfi are an incredibly tasty concoction of almonds, milk, khoya and poppy seeds. For added effect, Badaam Barfis are covered with special silver leaves.