As Diwali is approaching, so is the season of unlimited mithai. And if you are here, it means you want to have the mithai but skip the bad effects of sugar. Well, you’re in for a treat because skipping sweets in the festive season is never an option, right? With these six sugar-free mithai recipes, you can indulge in the festive flavours of Diwali while keeping it guilt-free.

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1. Gud mysore pak 

Ingredients:

 1 cup gram flour (besan)

 1 cup clarified butter (ghee)

  Jaggery (gud) according to taste

Method:

1. Sift the gram flour to remove any lumps. Dry roast the besan in a heavy-bottomed pan on a low flame, stirring continuously until it releases a nutty aroma and turns slightly golden.
2. Gradually add a portion of the ghee to the roasted besan while stirring constantly. Keep cooking for another minute or two.
3. In a separate pan, melt the jaggery with a little water (just enough to dissolve it) on medium heat. Stir until the jaggery is fully dissolved and the syrup becomes slightly thick.
4. Lower the flame and slowly pour the roasted besan-ghee mixture into the jaggery syrup. Stir continuously to combine everything.
5. Continue cooking the mixture on low heat. Slowly add the remaining ghee in small portions while stirring, until the mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan and thickens.
6. Grease a tray or plate with ghee and pour the hot mysore pak mixture into it. Spread it evenly.
7. Let the mixture rest for about 20 minutes to cool and set. Once it’s firm, cut it into square or diamond shapes.
8. Your gud mysore pak is ready to serve and enjoy.

2. Kaju katli

Ingredients:

 2 cups broken cashews

 1 tbsp ghee

 2 tbsp honey

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C. Put 2 cups of broken cashews on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 15 minutes.
2. Let the roasted cashews cool for a few minutes. When they are cool enough to handle, add them to a mixer-grinder jar along with 1 tablespoon of ghee. Grind until you achieve a smooth, butter-like consistency.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of raw honey to the cashew butter and continue processing until the mixture comes together and forms a ball.
4. Transfer the ball of cashew mixture to a buttered plate and flatten it out into a square shape. Press down until you reach your desired thickness.
5. Cut the flattened mixture into square shaped barfis.
6. Your cashew barfi is ready to serve and enjoy.

3. Dates laddoo

Ingredients:

 1 cup dates

 1 tbsp ghee

 1/2 cup nuts (any mix of your choice)

 1 tbsp poppy seeds

 1 tbsp desiccated coconut

Method:

1. Wash and roughly chop 1 cup of dates. Grind the chopped dates into a coarse paste and set aside.
2. In a pan, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee and roast 1/2 cup of nuts until they turn golden.
3. Once the nuts are golden, add 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds and 1 tablespoon of desiccated coconut to the pan.
4. Roast the mixture for another minute, then add the dates paste.
5. Mix well until the mixture comes together as a cohesive mass. Take it off the heat and let the mixture cool down.
6. Grease your hands with ghee and shape the mixture into small laddoos.
7. Your dates laddoos are ready to enjoy!

4. Ragi laddoo 

Ingredients:

 2 tbsp ghee

 3/4 cup ragi flour

 1/2 cup almonds

 3/4 cup dates

 1 cup dried figs

 1 cup dried apricots

Method:

1. In a pan, add 2 tablespoons of ghee. Add 3/4 cup of ragi flour and dry roast it on low heat for 10-15 minutes. Once roasted, let it cool completely.
2. In a mixer jar, add 1/2 cup of almonds and grind them into a fine mixture.
3. Add 3/4 cup of dates, 1 cup of dried figs, and 1 cup of dried apricots to the mixer jar. Grind the mixture until it forms a crumbly texture.
4. Now add the cooled ragi flour and 1 tablespoon of ghee to the grinder. Combine everything until well mixed.
5. Grease your palms with ghee and shape the mixture into small laddoos.
6. Your ragi laddoos are ready to enjoy.

5. Coconut barfi 

Ingredients:

 1 cup jaggery powder

 2 cups freshly grated or desiccated coconut

 1 tbsp oil

 1 cup milk (can use skimmed milk)

Method:

1. In a pan, dry roast 2 cups of coconut over low heat until it turns slightly golden.
2. Add 1 cup of milk to the roasted coconut and stir well. Cook for a few minutes until the mixture thickens.
3. Drain the milk from the coconut and set the coconut aside in a bowl.
4. In another pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the coconut back to the pan and stir well.
5. Combine the milk that was set aside with 1 cup of jaggery powder and pour it into the coconut mixture. Mix everything together.
6. Cook the mixture for a few more minutes, then turn off the heat and allow it to cool down.
7. Once cooled, transfer the mixture to a greased surface and cut it into barfi shapes.
8. Your delicious coconut barfi is ready to enjoy.

6. Two-in-one phirni 

Ingredients:

5 cups skimmed milk

60 gms rice (soaked in hot water for 30 minutes)

6 crushed chhoti elaichi (seeds only)

3/4 cup honey

2 tbsp pista (ground to paste)

1/4 tsp rose essence

10 almonds 

Method:

1. Drain the soaked rice and place it in a blender with a small amount of milk. Blend until you achieve a fine consistency.
2. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. Add the ground rice and bring the mixture to a boil again.
3. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring continuously, until the mixture becomes a well-blended mass. This process takes about 20-25 minutes. 
4. Once the mixture is thickened, turn off the heat and add cardamom and honey.
5. Divide the phirni mixture into two portions. Add the pista paste to one portion and the rose essence to the other half.
6. Pour the white phirni into a serving bowl and refrigerate to set. Keep the green portion at room temperature.
7. When the white portion is set, pour the green portion over it. Cover with vark if desired, garnish with almonds, and refrigerate again to set.
8. Serve chilled and enjoy your two-in-one phirni.

Try these sugar-free mithai recipes and make every occasion a little sweeter and healthier.

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