Traditional sweets prepared on Vijayadashami not only keep food recipes and memories alive but also establish everlasting sweet relationship bonds
Dussehra is incomplete without mithai. Golden laddoos, syrupy jalebi, and ghee-laden Mysore pak embody celebration. Shared with family, offered in temples, and savoured at home, these timeless recipes continue to sweeten Vijayadashami today.
Dussehra Flavours Across India
Dussehra shows how one festival carries different food memories across Indian homes. “In Maharashtra, puran poli with chana dal, jaggery, and ghee is central. Across North India, boondi and motichoor laddoos accompany puja, prasad, family visits, and the post-Ravan Dahan sweet box. Rajasthan favours hot, crisp jalebi, while in the South, payasam made with rice, vermicelli, or lentils brings milk, jaggery or sugar and nuts into the celebration,” says Chef Neelam Saini Sircar, Dilli Mithai Co., Delhi.
Sweet Bonds of Dussehra
For Bengaluru food blogger Radha Shrinivas (@veg_by_nature_r), sweets are joy, love, and togetherness. “In Karnataka, Mysore Pak, obbattu, kajjaya, payasa, and laddoos mark celebrations. My fondest memory is of my mother making Mysore Pak during Dussehra for prasad. Even today, preparing it together revives childhood moments,” she says.
With worries about adulteration, families now turn to homemade sweets. Beyond health, the reason is emotional. “Nothing compares to sharing a sweet made with love. Cooking together becomes a bond, carrying traditions forward,” says Radha.
Mithai & Celebration
On Vijayadashami, commemorating the triumph of good over evil, mithai embodies joy, abundance, and the sharing of good fortune with family.
“Renewed curiosity surrounds sweets beyond familiar favourites, with chefs reviving recipes while preserving context. Malpua, part of India’s fried sweet cake tradition, appears as amalu in Odisha’s Jagannath temple, while Bihar’s pua may include chhena or banana, and Rajasthan enriches it with rabri.In Kumaon, Bal Mithai, caramelised khoya fudge coated in sugar pearls, anchors local culinary heritage, while Singori, khoya and coconut set in fragrant maalu leaves, offers a distinct identity. Across regions, rediscovered gems include Thekua from Bihar and Anarsa from Bihar and Maharashtra carry the imprint of local ingredients and customs,” says Chef Kamlesh Gupta, Executive Chef, Naukuchia House, Naukuchiatal – IHCL SeleQtions.
Crafting Festive Flavours
Consistency, temperature, and timing define syrup. “For jalebi, a light one-string syrup lets it absorb inside yet stay crisp outside. For boondi laddoo, syrup must bind without crystallising — absorbed, not pooled. Once rested, the texture reveals itself. We use jaggery, dates, and fruit where they belong, but not every mithai needs a sugar substitute. In jalebi or motichoor, sugar shapes sheen, binding, and texture.” Says Sircar. A little spice makes sweets more festive. “Cardamom lends aroma, saffron adds fragrance and richness, and nutmeg brings warmth. Used sparingly, these accents transform homemade sweets into something truly special,” says Radha.
A Perfect Balance
Festivals are for joy, not guilt. Stick to regular meals, add vegetables and protein, stay active, and don’t skip meals to offset sweets. “Mindful eating and portion control are key: swap fried jalebi or gulab jamun for lighter picks like kheer, payasam, rasgulla, dry fruit barfi, or besan halwa. One small piece 30–40 g of jalebi, laddu, or puran poli carries 120–200 calories. Have it after a meal, not on an empty stomach. Two small servings a day is a sensible limit,” says Anshul Singh, Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics, Artemis Hospitals.
Jaggery has trace minerals but is sugar — swapping doesn’t cut calories, only reducing sweetener does. “Healthier” ingredients don’t cancel out overeating; portion control is key. Lighter tweaks help: laddoo with roasted besan, measured ghee, and nuts; puranpoli with more whole wheat and controlled jaggery; baking or air-frying instead of deep-frying. Even lighter versions add calories, so moderation matters. Those with diabetes or metabolic issues should watch portions and seek personal advice,” concludes Singh.
FESTIVE SWEET TREATS:
Mysore Pak
(Courtesy: Radha Shrinivas, food blogger @veg_by_nature_r, sweets)
• 1 cup gram flour
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup ghee
Method
1. Grease a tray with ghee. Heat the sugar with a little water until it forms a syrup.
2. Warm the ghee separately. Add gram flour to the syrup, stirring to avoid lumps. Gradually add warm ghee, stirring till mixture thickens and leaves the sides of the pan.
3. Pour into a tray and spread evenly; cut into squares when slightly warm. Cool before serving.
Bal Mithai
(Courtesy Kamlesh Gupta, Exec Chef, Naukuchia House, Naukuchiatal – IHCL SeleQtions)
• 500 g mawa
• 200 g sugar
• 2 tsp ghee + extra for greasing
• 100 g small white sugar balls
For coating: 2 tbsp sugar + 2 tbsp water
Method
1. Grease a tray with ghee; crumble khoya. Heat ghee in a heavy pan; add khoya and cook on low till deep brown and caramelised.
2. Add sugar, stir till dissolved, and the mixture thickens. Spread in a tray (2 cm thick), cool, and cut into squares.
3. Make coating syrup, cool, brush lightly on each square, then roll gently in sugar balls. Let the coating set before serving.
Malpua
(Courtesy: Kamlesh Gupta, Exec Chef, Naukuchia House, Naukuchiatal – IHCL SeleQtions)
For the Batter:
• 150 g maida,
• 40 g semolina,
• 250 ml milk,
• 50 g curd
• ½ tsp fennel seeds.
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• Ghee for frying
For the Syrup
• 200 g sugar,
• 150 ml water,
• 2 cardamom pods
Method
1. Mix flour, semolina, fennel, and cardamom. Whisk in the curd and milk to make a smooth batter. Rest for 30 minutes.
2. For syrup, heat sugar, water, and cardamom. Simmer for 5 minutes, until lightly sticky. Keep warm.
3. Heat ghee in a wide pan. Pour 2 tbsp batter for each pancake. Fry until golden on both sides. Dip in warm syrup for 20 seconds, then plate. Serve warm.
Jalebi
(Courtesy: Chef Neelam Saini Sircar. Dilli Mithai Co., Delhi)
• 250 g maida
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 3 tbsp thick curd
• ½ tsp baking powder
• Pinch of orange food colour
• 180 ml water
For Sugar Syrup
• 500 g sugar
• 250 ml water
• A few saffron strands
• 2 cardamom pods
• ½ tsp lemon juice
Frying & Garnish
• Ghee
• Pistachios
Method
1. Mix maida, cornflour, curd, and water. Ferment for 8 hrs. Add baking powder and colour.
2. Boil sugar + water to one-string syrup. Add cardamom, saffron and lemon juice. Keep warm.
3. Pipe spirals into medium-hot ghee. Fry till crisp, golden-orange. Dip hot jalebis in warm syrup for 20 sec. Drain, garnish, serve warm.
4. Chef’s note: Colour comes from food-grade orange; natural alternatives may be explored.)
“Swap fried jalebi or gulab jamun for lighter picks like kheer, payasam, rasgulla, dry fruit barfi, or
besan halwa.”
Anshul Singh, Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics, Artemis Hospitals
“Nothing compares to sharing a sweet made with love. Cooking together becomes a bond, carrying traditions forward.”
Radha Shrinivas, food blogger, @veg_by_nature_r
“Across regions, rediscovered gems include Thekua from Bihar and Anarsa from Bihar and Maharashtra carry the imprint of local ingredients and customs.”
Kamlesh Gupta, Exec. Chef, Naukuchia House, Naukuchiatal – I HCL SeleQtions.
