The most popular Indian sweets that have a legendary status in India & also across the world 1. Gulab Jamun 2. Rasgulla 3. Ras Malai

Gulab Jamun

Milk powder balls are fried in oil until they are golden brown and served with vanilla ice cream. This is a must during festivals of India, especially in the north. In the past, gulab jamun was made with khoya, but now you find that people skip the khoya and make gulab jamun with milk powder.

Of course, milk powder doesn’t reduce the taste of gulab jamun in any way, but seriously, khoya does have a special charm of its own. In case, you are wondering what khoya is, it is an ingredient with which you can make several other sweet dishes.

Gulab Jamun is also known as the Indian donut, minus the hole. These dumplings when flavored with sugar syrup triggers a sense of taste in your palette that is akin to divine.

Chefs dip the prepared gulab jamuns in sugar syrup until they are ready to be consumed. Gulab Jamun is brownish in color, and can be enjoyed warm or cold, depending on how you like it.

To make khoya, you need condensed milk, milk powder, yoghurt, cardamom powder. Mix and stir all the ingredients one by one, and add the cardamom powder and milk powder last, till it becomes devoid of water and almost dry.

Place of origin: It is a constant accompaniment in functions and parties in North India mainly Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand.

Rasgulla

Rasgulla is a Bengali delicacy, but very popular everywhere in India. People understand it better when they refer to it as sweet paneer balls or cheese balls in sugar syrup. The best thing about rasgulla is that it is healthier than other Indian snacks as you don’t have to fry it in oil or use too much of ghee.

As rasgulla can be prepared before hand and chilled, they are usually taken only when guests arrive and the festivities begin. Rasgulla should be consumed within 3 days of preparation, as it is a dairy product, and hence, could get spoiled faster.

Place of origin: Orissa, West Bengal

Ras Malai

Ras Malai is the distant cousin of rasgulla and is prepared in a slightly different way. If you love the look of cheese balls soaked in luscious soapy milk, flavored with cardamom, then you will definitely fall in love with this sweet.

Ras Malai’s taste is best enjoyed when it is chilled. Ras Malai will strike an arrow straight to your heart, and before long, you will be back for more.

Place of origin: West Bengal