3 Superb Gluten-Free Indian Desserts for Diwali

To start something new you need a purpose and my purpose in life is to ensure that my children get the healthiest food to eat. I need to be very careful and carry out a lot of experiments to ensure that Mannat, my oldest son who has Celiac Disease gets to enjoy everything his heart desires. Last year, around Diwali his school an Indian Sweet Day and I was challenged to come up with some delicious Indian dessert that should be gluten free.

I wasn't really sure if I could come up with anything but then I spoke to a friend who also has a child with a food allergy and she advised me that you could definitely tweak some of the most popular Indian desserts and make them gluten-free. The whole process was a bit time consuming and involved many trials and errors but the results were absolutely delicious and gluten-free!
The good news is that you don't have to go through the trouble as I'm sharing my top Indian dessert recipes that are gluten-free and loved by one and all.

1. Rasgulla

This soft and spongy milk based sweet is soaked in sugar syrup and is totally addictive. I made a gluten free version with no flour. The Rasgullas turned out to be super soft and tasty, though they were a bit delicate without the gluten.

Ingredients:

1. 1 Liter milk

2. 3-4 Tbsp lime juice

3. 1 cup sugar

4. 3 cups water

5. Few drops of rose water

6. ½ tsp cardamom powder: Grind your own cardamom and make a powder

7. Few saffron threads

Method:

1.Make channa out of milk: Boil milk and curdle it by adding lemon juice and curd. Allow it to boil while you stir it. Place this in a muslin cloth and hang it. Soak it tightly till all the whey is removed. While it is still warm but can be touched put it in a flat dish and rub it and make smooth, removing all the water. Make small balls out of this and place it on the side.

2.Make a sugar syrup in a vessel that has a tight lid. The water and sugar ratio should be 2:1. Don't open it as the steam is important. It should be cooked to a syrupy consistency. Add rose water and cardamom powder to it.

3.Quickly open the syrup lid and place all the rasgulla balls in it. Leave it over the flame for 15 minutes and then turn off the gas. Keep the lid shut at all times.

4.Allow it to cool for 2 hours only then place it in a dish and refrigerate it.

2. Besan Ladoo

My grandmother used to make the best ladoos when I was growing up. Later, my friend Rabani's ladoos became my favourite. She used to serve them at all her dinner parties. She inspired me to try my very own version.

Ingredients:

1.1 kg besan (Besan available in the market may be adulterated with maida unless it is stamped gluten free. I grind my own besan. It is super easy. Just take channa dal and grind it. Remember all freshly ground stuff has shorter shelf life but it is cleaner and safer.)

2. 1 kg castor sugar

3. 5 Tbsp ghee

4. 2-3 tsp cardamom Powder

5. Few saffron threads

Method:

1. In a thick pan, add the ghee and besan along with the cardamom powder and start cooking over a low flame. Keep stirring till its colour deepens to a pale brown. Add a few saffron threads.

2. Take it off the flame and add the castor sugar. Stir it quickly and begin making balls the minute you can touch it.

3. Place the balls in a flat dish which is lined with ghee. Let it cool for a while and you're ready to serve.

3. Kalakand

Kalakand is a popular Indian Sweet made out of solidified, sweetened milk and paneer. I used condensed milk and just removed the milk powder.

Ingredients:

1.1 tin sweetened condensed milk

2. 500 gms fresh paneer, crumbled

3. 1 -2 tsp cardamon Powder

4. Few saffron Threads

5. 8-10 nuts - pistachios, optional

Method:

1. Mash the paneer coarsely and mix it with sweetened condensed milk.

2. Heat the mixture in a thick bottom pan. Cook on medium heat with constant stirring till the mixture becomes thick and starts leaving the sides of the pan.

3. Remove from the fire and spread onto a greased plate. Sprinkle cardamom powder and crushed pistachio.

4. Cool at room temperature and then place in the refrigerator till completely cool and then cut into squares.

This year, I plan to make coconut ladoos and gulab jamun and someday I'd definitely like to try my hand at making gluten-free jalebis! Till then, give these recipes a shot and enjoy a sweet gluten-free Diwali!

About the Author:

Aarti Sarin Jain is an avid baker and runs an exclusive gluten-free test kitchen. She discovered the joys of a gluten-free living after her elder kid was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. She often experiments with new forms and varieties of gluten-free food without compromising either on taste or quality. You can read more on her blog, www.bakingfrommyheart.com.

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