Diwali, the festival of lights, is not just a holiday but a moment to reconnect with customs, enjoy culinary delights that have been shared with us through generations, and enjoy the comfort of home and culture. The only thing that completes a festival besides the glowing diyas and colorful rangolis is food, especially mithai made with love and desi ghee.
For centuries, pure desi ghee has been the soul of Indian sweets. The nutty aroma, smooth texture, and ancestral value provide deliciousness beyond flavor; they provide nostalgia and distinction. It transforms every sweet into something remarkable—something worth celebrating.
With Diwali around the corner, throw away the plastic-wrapped sweets from the stores, and instead, embrace handmade mithai for the true traditional joy. These 5 classics based on desi ghee will surely provide joy to your kitchen and to your festive table. From crispy to soft, fudge-like qualities, there is something here for every sweet tooth.
1. Mysore Pak—The Royal South Indian Fudge
Mysore Pak, a traditional South Indian sweet treat, is a melt-in-your-mouth fudge that you can make rich with desi ghee, with an inviting golden bite that tastes just like tradition and decadence.
Origin: This sweet dish comes from the royal kitchens of Mysore; it was a sweet treat for royalty, and we can see why. It has a soft, rich and deeply satisfying taste.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup gram flour (besan)
- 1 cup desi ghee (Bilona ghee will yield the best results)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
Method:
- Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan, and roast the besan over low heat until it turns golden and fragrant.
- While that heats up, take a different pan and in that pan make a sugar syrup with the sugar and water, bringing it to a one-string consistency.
- Once the syrup is made, pour the syrup into the roasted flour mixture and mix and pour continuously.
- Stir continuously until thick and it begins to leave the sides of the pan.
- Pour into a greased tray, and once cooled, cut into squares.
Pro Tip: To get that classic porous texture, stir it continuously as you pour in the syrup, and always use fresh ghee.
2. Ghughra—Half-Moon Pastry (traditional sweet-filled)
A crunchy, half-moon-shaped pastry filled with sticky coconut and jaggery filling, otherwise known as Gujiya in North India.
Ingredients:
- •1 cup whole wheat flour
- •½ cup grated coconut
- •½ cup jaggery
- •¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- •ghee for frying
Directions:
- Using the wheat flour and some water, make a soft dough, and set aside for 15–20 minutes to rest.
- In a frying pan, melt the jaggery, and add the grated coconut and the cardamom powder. Cook and mix until the ingredients have thickened.
- Take small pieces of that dough, and after rolling out small circles, add some filling, fold them, and pinch the edges together to seal them.
- In the frying pan, using ghee, fry the Ghughra until browned.
Used for: A seasonal gift during the holidays, or as part of a more traditional cuisine item after a heavy meal.
3. Shankarpali - Crisp, Diamond-Shaped Sweet Bites
Shankarpali (or sweet Tukdi) are crispy, small diamond-shaped bites that melt in your mouth with the perfect harmony of sweetness and richness from the ghee.
History: This traditional, addictive form of snacking is a staple in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat for Diwali and other festivities and is a great gift idea.
Ingredients:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup desi ghee
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- ghee or oil for frying
Instructions:
- Mix flour, sugar, cardamom and ghee until combined. Then slowly add milk 1 tablespoon at a time (and knead) until the batter is soft.
- Roll out and cut out diamonds (cut with a knife or use a diamond cutter).
- Deep fry in heated ghee or oil (this means you drop the diamonds into the hot oil) until puffed up and golden brown.
- Cool, then place in an airtight container.
- Crisp, sweet, bite-sized, perfect for kids or for tea snacks or even at that midnight hour!
4. Nankhatai - Indian Buttery Cardamom Cookies
Nankhatai is an Indian shortbread cookie that is crumbly, buttery, and infused with the delightful flavour of cardamom and ghee, very easy to melt in the mouth!
History: Nankhatai comes from colonial India. For centuries, it has been a bakery classic and a traditional treat in every Indian home!
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup semolina (sooji)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup desi ghee
- 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients into a soft, crumbly dough. Do not knead too hard!
- Make into small balls, flatten them a little, and place on a baking tray that is lined with parchment paper.
- Bake at 180° C for 15-20 minutes until light golden.
- Cool completely and then store.
Pairs really well with masala chai or coffee. Also, a great Diwali gift!
5. Mohanthal - Dense, Delicious Gram Flour Sweet
Mohanthal is Gujarat's take on holiday indulgence—dense, rich, and aromatic.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup gram flour
- 1/2 cup desi ghee
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 tsp of cardamom powder
- nuts: chopped (almonds, pistachios) to garnish
Method:
- In a heavy-bottomed pan, roast gram flour in ghee over low heat for some time until fragrant, stirring all the way.
- Make a sugar syrup of one-string consistency.
- Now add syrup and milk to the flour, stirring continuously until it thickens.
- Pour into any greased tray or plate. Top with chopped nuts when still warm and leave to set.
- The next day, cut into squares.
Result: A dense, sweet that is nutty and infused with ghee, and feels fully traditional to the final flavour.
Conclusion: Take the Authentic Taste of Diwali Home
This Diwali, experience the warmth of home-made mithai and the goodness of pure desi ghee. Whether it's the rich Mysore Pak, the crispy Shankarpali, or the buttery Nankhatai, all these mithai/sweets hold significance beyond just being a recipe. They are a kitchen celebration of lineage, warmth and love.
So, tie on your apron, queue the kitchen and prepare to light up the world around you this Diwali, one ghee-laden bite at a time!
Bonus Tip: Fancy up these on the snacks or in festive boxes with ribbons and a note to gift or pack up thoughtful home-made mithai/sweets for your friends and family to enjoy.
