Updated, November 2012: This year’s Diwali is around the corner and I have posted sweet recipes for Deepavali from previous years.

Wish you a very happy Deepavali!

Diwali has just started in India and it’s raining crackers and lights all over the sky. It’s time again to strengthen relationships and create new bonds of friendship.

What better way than to share sweets among loved ones? Here are a few sweets you can prepare today and enjoy over this festive weekend..

Recipes featured here are Cashew Burfi, Rava Laddoo, Shankarpare and Suji Halwa. You can also look for more sweet recipe links at the end of this post.

Kesar and Kaju Burfi (Saffron-Cashew Nut Burfi)

Ingredients:

• 500 gms Kaju (Cashew Nuts)
• 300 gms Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Kesar(Saffron)
• a small strip of edible silver foil

Method:

Soak the cashewnuts in water for three hours. Then, drain the water and grind the nuts to a fine powder. In a pan, mix sugar and cashewnuts and roast on low heat, stirring continuously.

Put in the saffron color in it and coninue stirring for a while. Roast till done. On the rolling board, place a butter paper and pour the mixture on it.

Now place another butter paper sandwiching the mixture between the two papers. Roll this using a rolling pin. Remove the butter paper from top and place the silver foil (edible), and cut it into triangular burfi pieces.

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Rava Laddoo (Semolina/Sooji Laddoo)

Ingredients:

• Rava (Sooji or Semolina) – 1 cup powdered
• Chutney Dhal (fried gram) – 1 cup (powdered)
• Ghee (clarified butter) – 1/2 cup
• Cardamom – 5 (powdered)
• Cashew Nuts – 10 to 15, boken into small pieces
• Kishmish – 10
• Chilled Milk – 1 bowl

Method:

Heat ghee in a kadai and fry kishmish and cashewnuts to a golden colour. Keep this aside. Add 1 more tablesoon of ghee and fry the powdered rava until it turns light gold in colour.

Heat 1 cup of sugar, adding 1/2 cup of water in the same kadai. Bring to one string conistency. Add powdered rava, cashew bits, kishmish and powdered caradamom. Mix it well and quickly.

Remove from the fire immediately. Use the rava sugar mixture, make small balls and dip it into the chilled milk and make small laddus. (chutney dal can also be substituted for rava).

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Shakkarpare (Shankarpale / Shankarpali / Shankarpare)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cup maida (plain flour)
• 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon saunf
• Ghee / Oil for deep frying

Method:

Mix the ingredients with a little water and knead it into a soft dough. Divide the dough into equal parts and roll out into thick chapathis, Cut with a cookie cutter or a knife into small diamond shapes (about 2 inches on each side).

Lift the cut diamond pieces with a spatula and keep it aside in a dry cloth for about an hour. Deep fry in hot ghee or oil over a slow flame till it becomes light golden brown. Drain well and keep it aside till it cools. Store it in clean and dry containers.

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Sooji da Halwa (Rava or Semolina Halwa)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 Cup sugar
• 1-1/2 Cup whole milk
• 1 Cup sooji (Semolina or Rava)
• 1-1/2 Cup water
• 1 tsp Cardamom
• 2 tbsp Raisin
• 3 tbsp Ghee
• 2 tbsp Cashew nuts

Method:

In a skillet, heat ghee. Mix Cardamom and heat it for few seconds in a medium heat. Pour Semolina into the cardamon-ghee mixture and stir-fry for few minutes.

Add sugar and half of both cashew and raisin and continue to heat for few more minutes in low-medium heat. Add milk and water; stir well and heat until you are sure of the desired consistency.

Now, garnish with remaining cashew nuts and raisin. Serve hot or cold, as you desired.

More Sweets and Desserts for this Diwali and other festive occasions:

1. All posts for indian sweet recipes from this blog are here
2. Watch these videos to make Diwali Desserts like Gulab Jamun, Jalebi, Halwa and more from this blog
3. From the Indian Food Kitchen main site, look for traditional sweets, occasional sweets, Burfis, Halwas and more sweet treats (Links will open in a new window)

Photo credits: Danburg, GopalaKrishnaKarthik, dhyanji, vkn