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Diwali, often called the celebration of illumination, symbolizes the victory of positivity over negativity. It stands as the most broadly observed celebration across India and resembles the atmosphere of Christmas in the west. Diwali is characterized by pyrotechnic displays, brilliant shades, endless parties and countertops straining under the immense load of food and desserts. Not a single Diwali is whole without containers of mithai and dehydrated fruits passed around loved ones and relatives. In the UK, the practices are preserved, dressing up, attending religious sites, reading Indian mythology to the kids and, most importantly, gathering with friends from every background and religion. Personally, Diwali represents unity and sharing food that appears unique, but doesn’t keep you in the cooking area for extended periods. This bread-based dessert is my interpretation of the decadent shahi tukda, while these ladoos are perfect to gift or to enjoy with a cup of chai after the banquet.

Simple Ladoos (Featured at the Top)

Ladoos are some of the most iconic Indian sweets, right up there with gulab jamuns and jalebis. Envision a classic Indian halwai’s shop overflowing with confectioneries of all forms, hue and dimension, all skillfully made and abundantly coated with traditional butter. Ladoos commonly hold a prominent position, establishing them as a top selection of present for festive events or for presenting to divine figures at places of worship. This particular recipe is one of the most straightforward, calling for a small set of items, and can be prepared in minutes.

Prep a brief 10 minutes
Cook 50 minutes along with cooling
Makes 15 to 20

110g ghee
250 grams of gram flour
a quarter teaspoon of cardamom powder
a pinch of saffron (if desired)
2 ounces of assorted nuts, heated and broken into pieces
180 to 200 grams of granulated sugar, according to preference

Heat the ghee in a nonstick pan on a moderate heat. Reduce the temperature, mix in the chickpea flour and simmer, with constant mixing to blend it with the liquid ghee and to ensure it doesn’t stick or scorch. Persist with cooking and blending for 30-35 minutes. To begin with, the combination will appear as moist granules, but as you keep cooking and blending, it will become similar to peanut butter and smell wonderfully nutty. Do not attempt to speed it up, or neglect the mixture, because it may scorch quickly, and the gradual roasting is essential to the characteristic, nutty flavour of the sweet balls.

Remove the pan from the stove, blend the cardamom and saffron, if using, then allow to cool until just warm to the touch.

Mix in the nuts and sweetener to the room temperature ladoo mix, combine well, then pull apart little portions and form using your palms into 15-20 spherical shapes of 4cm. Place these on a dish separated a bit and allow to cool to ambient temperature.

They can be served the ladoos right away, or store them in an airtight container and store in a cool place for up to a week.

Traditional Indian Bread Pudding

This is inspired by Hyderabadi shahi tukda, a dish that’s typically made by cooking bread in clarified butter, then soaking it in a thick, rich rabdi, which is made by boiling whole milk for an extended period until it condenses to a reduced quantity from the start. My version is a healthier, easier and quicker alternative that needs much less attention and lets the oven do all the heavy lifting.

Prep a quick 10 minutes
Cook 60 minutes plus
Serves 4-6

12 slices stale white bread, crusts cut off
100g ghee, or heated butter
4 cups of full-fat milk
One 397-gram can sweetened condensed milk
150g sugar, or to taste
a pinch of saffron, immersed in 2 tablespoons of milk
1/4 teaspoon of ground cardamom, or the contents of 2 pods, ground
a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg powder (optional)
40 grams of almonds, broken into pieces
1.5 ounces of raisins

Slice the bread into triangles, apply almost all except a teaspoon of the clarified butter on each side of each piece, then arrange the triangles as they land in an oiled, approximately 20cm by 30cm, rectangular ovenproof container.

Using a big bowl, whisk the milk, sweetened milk and sugar until the sweetener incorporates, then mix in the saffron and the liquid it steeped in, the spices including cardamom and nutmeg, if added. Transfer the milk blend consistently across the bread in the dish, so it all gets soaked, then let it sit for a short while. Set the oven temperature to 200 Celsius (180 fan)/390 Fahrenheit/gas 6.

Bake the pudding for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a pick stuck into the center emerges clean.

Meanwhile, liquefy the rest of the clarified butter in a little pot over medium heat, then cook the almonds until lightly browned. Turn off the heat, mix in the raisins and leave them to cook in the residual heat, mixing continuously, for a minute. Scatter the nut and raisin combination over the pudding and serve warm or chilled, plain as it is or with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.