Celebrate Diwali with these 3 traditional sweets you can ace at home

Diwali is around the corner cautious preparations are in full swing Festivities in India are incomplete without sweets and Diwali is no different From the Bengali sandesh to Punjabi gajar ka halwa a plethora of traditional mouthwatering treats are on offer across India Regardless of whichever is your favourite we can all agree that Diwali is a festival of indulgence If you are someone who prefers to treat your family to homemade delicacies we have rounded up three traditional recipes shared by home chefs across Mumbai to sweeten your Diwali celebrationsKaranjiThe deep fried sugary goodness is a Diwali staple across India PicLeela ShirgaonkarldquoYou could never think about enjoying Diwali without karanji and shankarpali in every Maharashtrian house Itrsquos a traditional recipe which requires a perfect measurement of every ingredientrdquo says chefLeela ShirgaonkarShirgaonkar Puranpoli IngredientsFor the fillingSemolina Barik rava 750 gms powdered sugar 750 gms dry shredded coconut 250 gms cashews 1 cup golden raisins frac34 cup white poppy seeds 2 tbsp and cardamom powder 1 tspFor the doughMelted ghee 1 cup allpurpose flour 1 kg pinch of saltMethodMelt 2 tablespoons of ghee in a pan over medium heat Now add the rava and roast until it turns slightly brownTake shredded dry coconut and roast it in a pan until it slightly changes colour Allow it to cool before grindingRoast cashews in a small amount of ghee Roast white poppy seeds and set asideIn a large mixing bowl combine roasted rava and coconut To the mixture add gheeroasted cashews white poppy seeds and golden raisins Now combine the refined sugar and cardamom powder in a large mixing bowl and mix well The filling is readyTo make the dough combine allpurpose flour a pinch of salt and powdered sugar as per taste Remember to also pour 1 small bowl of melted ghee mohan into it and mix itIn proportion add half milk and half water Remember that the dough must be smooth but also tight and hard When the dough has thickened set it aside for 1 hour by covering it with a moist clothAfter 1 hour cut the small pieces of dough Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out into a 3 to 5 inch diameter circle with a rolling pin Fill the middle of the circle with 1 to 2 teaspoons of the coconut stuffing leaving the borders unfilled Apply some milk to the corners to help it stick Bring both edges together and stick them with care Gently press it so that it is sealed all the way across To cut the edges use a karanji cutterHeat the oil over medium heat and gently place the karanji in the pan for deep frying Once it turns slightly golden fry it over a low flame Fry until golden brown and puffy flipping as requiredTo remove excess oil remove karanji immediately and drain on paper towels Karanji are now ready to eat You can store it for a month in an airtight jarKesar Malai PedaNative to Uttar Pradesh pedas are now available in many variations Pic Librina DsouzaThis kesar malai peda is Indias dearest traditional Indian sweet which is made using milk solids and flavourings Make this for your next festival gathering during Diwali and become a star shares chef Librina Dsouza 23eat street kitchen IngredientsGhee 2 tbsp sugar frac12 cup khoya 250 gms kesar milk frac12 cup optional pistachio 56MethodIn a pan add ghee along with khoya Cook it on a lowmedium flame until the khoya starts to separate from the panAdd sugar kesar milk cook until the mixture thickens Allow the mixture to cool down a bitThen take small portions of the mixture and shape them into delicious pedasGarnish with pistachios and kesar strandsKaju KatliEasy to make Kaju Katli is loved by one and all Pic Rajeshree KothariIt is so versatile that you cannot restrict kaju katli to just Diwali but it still is every Indians favourite Diwali sweetMithai is just a name butkaju katli is an emotionrdquo shares Rajeshree KothariIngredientsCashews 100 gms sugar 70 gms handful of silver verak leavesMethodWash and soak cashews for 56 hours remove all the water and grind into a smooth pasteIn a pan add sugar and 12 tbsp of water and make thick syrupAdd the cashew paste and cook till it leaves the sides Let it cool down to room temperature and knead it well till smoothGrease a flat surface and roll it evenlyApply verak all over it and cut it to your desired shapeAlso ReadJagerbomb laddoo pleaseYou can preorder these delicacies via Lokal Kitchen a food app