A traditional Hindu festival that celebrates and honors the bond between siblings, Raksha Bandhan is celebrated every August. One of the most important celebrations in Indian culture, Raksha Bandhan is also a prime opportunity to indulge in sweet treats and delicacies. As part of the Raksha Bandhan celebration, many siblings will prepare each other’s favorite desserts, all to show their family members how much they respect and honor their preferences.
If you want to recreate the festive atmosphere of Raksha Bandhan at home, consider preparing traditional Indian sweets. If you want to try making these treats, International Fresh Market, your Naperville Indian market, has you covered, with a list of six essential ingredients required in many top Indian sweets.
Key Ingredients for Indian Sweets
Milk and dairy products
A few common ingredients include khoya, paneer, and condensed milk, which add decadence to every recipe. A few dairy-centric Indian recipes include peda, a fudge-like concoction sweetened with saffron and or cardamom powder, and gulab jamun, a soft dessert that’s made with milk solids, sugar, and rose water.
Ghee
Ghee is clarified butter made from cow’s milk. With a nutty flavor and a high smoke point, ghee is used in everything from sweet to savory recipes. While many recipes use ghee to complement other flavors, several dishes highlight ghee, including laddu, a round dessert that is a central part of many traditional Indian celebrations.
Flour and grains
Flour and grains like besan, sooji, and maida are all central to many traditional Indian desserts. Barfi is one popular treat, a quick and easy fudge-like dessert made with ghee and milk powder. Jalebi is a crispy treat made with all-purpose flour and served at all manner of festivals and special occasions.
Popular Traditional Sweets and Their Ingredients
India has no shortage of sweets and desserts. At any Raksha Bandhan celebration, you might find treats like gulab jamun, which is enjoyed by people throughout Nepal, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. The dish is made by reducing milk solids over low and slow heat. Once the milk has been reduced, it is kneaded with flour into small dough balls and then soaked in a sweet, sugary syrup. Decadent and perfect for all ages and tastes, gulab jamun is often served with ice cream or whipped topping.
Rasgulla is a dumpling-like dessert that features simple ingredients like paneer, rose water, and sugar. The texture is important to achieving the perfect rasgulla. Don’t allow the dough balls to soak in the syrup for more than a few minutes to keep the texture light and fluffy.
A traditional Indian cashew fudge, kaju katli is made with sugar, ghee, and cashew nuts. With a rich, nutty flavor, kaju katli should be closely attended while it’s cooking, to allow all the ingredients to blend perfectly.
Specialty Ingredients for Unique Sweets
Saffron
Saffron is a spice known for its health benefits and distinctive red-orange color. It not only adds this autumnal color to sweets and other dishes but a subtle flavor as well. Lots of Indian sweets use saffron, including kesar peda and kesari bath.
Rose water and edible rose petals
Roses aren’t just beautiful to look at. Rose water and edible petals add a touch of luxury to desserts, elevating every special occasion and celebration. Rose water is used in sweets like gulub jamun and rasgulla, while edible rose petals make a perfect topping for cookies, cupcakes, and other desserts.
Nuts and dry fruits
If you want to add texture and additional flavor to your Raksha Bandhan treats, consider including some nuts and dried fruits. Almonds, cashews, and pistachios are the most commonly-used nuts in Indian cuisine, with desserts like badam halwa and pista barfi all using some variation of chopped nuts.
Sweet Recipes to Try at Home
If you’re ready to try your hand at preparing traditional sweets at home, here are a few simple recipes to try:
Gulab jamun
To make gulab jamun, combine milk powder, baking powder, all-purpose flour, and ghee in a bowl. Mix until a stiff dough forms. Let the dough rest for five minutes while you prepare the syrup, which includes sugar, water, and cardamom pods. Cook the syrup until the consistency is sticky and thick. Roll and fry the dough balls, rolling them in the sugar syrup while the fried dough is still warm.
Kaju katli
To make traditional Indian cashew fudge, heat sugar and water over low heat, adding powdered cashews once the mixture achieves a syrupy consistency. Add cardamom, ghee, and rosewater, cooking low and slow until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and allow it to cool before rolling it out and cutting the fudge into diamond shapes.
Besan laddu
Easy to make and not too sweet, besan laddu is ideal for everyday indulgences. To make besan laddu, dry roast besan on low to medium heat. Add ghee and mix thoroughly, until the mixture thickens and the color darkens. Remove from the heat and add sugar and cardamom powder, stirring well until allowing the mixture to cool. You can also add chopped nuts. Shape the laddu into small balls and store them in an airtight container.
These delicious treats are all easy to make and full of rich flavors that allow you to experience the joy of international cuisine without even leaving your kitchen.
Visit International Fresh Market for Traditional Indian Ingredients
Sweets are an integral part of Raksha Bandhan, just as they are involved in so many celebrations and special events all around the world. If you want to try any or all of these delightful desserts, head to International Fresh Market for all the ingredients you need, from saffron to specialty flour and fresh chopped nuts and fruit. Celebrating the bond between siblings is easy when you have the right food on hand, and we have all the ingredients and international favorites you need to make your special occasion a success.
