5 South Asian Desserts So Sweet You'll Forget Chocolate Cake

Sweet perfection!

Posted on

8 April 2017

South Asians take their food seriously and their desserts, even more so. These sweet treats — served and eaten by millions in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are not just baked and served but prepared after hours of kneading, mixing and grinding.

These exotic sweet delights are more than just satisfaction for a sweet tooth. Mostly prepared during Muslim religious festivals like Ramadan, Eid ul-Fitr and Isra and Mi’raj, these sugar-dripping desserts represent a sense of bliss and gratitude. A bond of shared merriment and customs.

In case we've made you curious, here are 5 such desserts that taste better than any chef-famous pastry.

CAUTION: Eating too much of these sweet-dripping desserts will send you into a sugar-induced coma.

1. Gulab Jamun

Found in every nook and corner of India and Pakistan, gulab jamuns are heavenly delicious balls of slow-cooked curdled milk. Once the water from the milk evaporates, the doughy consistency is then kneaded into round shapes, fried and dipped into hot sugary syrup.

A post shared by Ankit Jain (@ankitdavv) on Apr 7, 2017 at 12:53am PDT

2. Jalebi

This dessert is SO famous, there are songs written about it (no kidding!)
Jalebis might remind you of pretzels but that's where the similarity ends. They are made with wheat flour batter, fried in spiral shapes and then coated with a sugary syrup. This sweet can be served either warm or cold with a crispy exterior and a soft interior.

A post shared by @muriel_official on Apr 5, 2017 at 9:59am PDT

3. Ladduu

These bright yellow balls of goodness can be made with a wide variety of ingredients but the most popular ones are chickpea flour, wheat and ground coconut. Crumbly, sweet and garnished with nuts, nobody eats just one ladduu; they are often sold in packs of dozens.

A post shared by Bittu Saha (@bittu.saha) on Sep 6, 2016 at 8:24am PDT

4. Kheer

It's a type of rice pudding made with boiling rice, wheat, milk and sugar. It is often flavoured with raisins, saffron, cardamom and thinly sliced nuts. This exotic treat can be served either warm or cold.

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6. Ras Malai

Ras Malai is South Asia's answer to cheesecake. Rich, sweet and heavenly, this dessert is often kept for special occasions like marriage and childbirth. Homemade paneer balls are served with rich and creamy milk pudding and garnished with dry fruits.