Chef Karan Gokani's Sweet Indulgences for the Festival of Lights – Tasty Ideas

Diwali, frequently referred to as the festival of lights, symbolizes the victory of good over evil. It’s the most extensively celebrated Indian festival and has a similar vibe to the Western Christmas season. Diwali is characterized by pyrotechnic displays, brilliant shades, continuous festivities and tables creaking under the substantial bulk of dishes and sweet treats. Not a single Diwali is whole without packages of confections and dehydrated fruits shared among loved ones and relatives. Across the United Kingdom, we keep those traditions alive, putting on festive attire, visiting temples, sharing tales from Indian lore to the children and, most importantly, assembling with pals from all walks of life and faiths. In my view, Diwali is about community and sharing food that appears unique, but doesn’t require you in the kitchen for hours. The pudding made from bread is my take on the rich shahi tukda, while the ladoos are perfect to gift or to savor alongside some chai after the banquet.

Easy Ladoos (Featured at the Top)

Ladoos are among the most recognizable Indian desserts, alongside gulab jamuns and jalebis. Envision a classic Indian halwai’s shop filled with sweets of every shape, hue and dimension, all professionally prepared and liberally topped with ghee. Ladoos commonly hold a prominent position, rendering them a favored option of present for festive events or for presenting to divine figures at places of worship. This version is among the easiest, calling for a small set of items, and can be made in no time.

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 50 min plus cooling
Makes 15 to 20

110 grams of ghee
250 grams of gram flour
a quarter teaspoon of cardamom powder
1 pinch saffron (if desired)
50g mixed almonds and pistachios, heated and broken into pieces
180-200g granulated sugar, to taste

Melt the ghee in a Teflon-coated pan on a moderate heat. Reduce the temperature, add the gram flour and heat, while stirring continuously to combine it with the melted ghee and to make sure it doesn’t catch and burn. Continue heating and mixing for 30-35 minutes. At the start, the mix will resemble wet sand, but as you keep cooking and blending, it will turn to a peanut butter consistency and smell wonderfully nutty. Don’t try to rush things, or walk away from the blend, because it can burn very easily, and the slow roast is essential to the distinctive, nutty taste of the confectioneries.

Remove the pan from the stove, mix in the cardamom and saffron, if using, then set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

Incorporate the nuts and sugar to the room temperature ladoo mix, stir completely, then tear off small chunks and shape with your hands into 15-20 x 4cm balls. Put these on a plate separated a bit and leave to cool to room temperature.

These are ready to be enjoyed the ladoos immediately, or place them in a tight-lid jar and maintain at room temperature for as long as one 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 created by simmering full-fat milk for hours until it reduces to a reduced quantity from the start. The recipe here is a healthier, easier and quicker alternative that needs much less attention and enables the oven to take over the task.

Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hr+
Serves 4-6

A dozen slices day-old white bread, crusts removed
100g ghee, or heated butter
1 litre whole milk
1 x 397g tin condensed milk
150 grams of sugar, or as preferred
a small pinch of saffron, immersed in 2 tablespoons of milk
a quarter teaspoon of cardamom powder, or the contents of 2 pods, ground
¼ tsp ground nutmeg (if desired)
40g almonds, roughly chopped
1.5 ounces of raisins

Trim the bread into triangular shapes, coat nearly all but a spoonful of the ghee on both faces of each piece, then place the triangles as they land in an oiled, about 8x12 inches, rectangular baking dish.

Within a sizable container, mix the milk, thick milk and sweetener until the sweetener incorporates, then blend the saffron and its soaking milk, the cardamom and nutmeg, if using. Transfer the milk blend consistently across the bread in the pan, so each piece is saturated, then allow to soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6.

Bake the pudding for half an hour or so, until the upper layer is browned and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Meanwhile, heat the leftover ghee in a small pan on a medium heat, then fry the almonds until golden brown. Switch off the stove, mix in the raisins and leave them to cook in the residual heat, stirring constantly, for 60 seconds. Dust the almond and raisin blend over the pudding and serve warm or chilled, simply on its own or alongside a portion of vanilla ice-cream.