A stack of boxes from Khauwala & Co, an online laddoo store, sit on our kitchen platform. A glitzy textured box, the print on it is an old school celebratory illustration that reminds us of childhood, and in turn our nani, who rolled out the best besan laddoos. We dig in for a few bites and are treated to a peanut and khajur ball that has no sugar; the ragi is rolled in jaggery, and the besan laddoo opens a memory box on the palate. The seven-grain laddoo packs in the powerhouse energy of wheat, maize, rice, barley, oats, rye and sorghum.

Devangi Patankar started Khauwala & Co with her mother Soniya last year to cater to a new-age audience between 35 and 50 years of age that wants to savour Indian mithai, but doesn’t want the baggage of excess sugar. “The laddoo market has seen a sea change. The old school Indian mithai has a new life,” says Patankar, whose mother has curated all the recipes.