Indian Sweet Shop in New York: There’s always a sweeter side

Indian sweets come in an assortment of colors, textures, and shapes. Every sweet has its own uniqueness in a sweet shop. Going past an Indian sweet shop one often wonders what all those different sweets are? How they are made or what are their ingredients?  Indian sweets are called Mithai which is derived from the word ‘mitha’ which means sweet. There are different varieties of Indian sweets which are usually derivative of the original recipe for the sweet.

The casual Indian food consumer in New York might be familiar with Gulab Jamun or Jalebi, but the average Indian sweet shop in New York case requires pro-level sweet knowledge or a serious sweet tooth. All Indian sweets are made with some combination of flour, sugar, nuts, legumes, and milk or Khoya, and then often enhanced with cardamom, rosewater or saffron.  Most Mithai’s are either semi-hard or dry and soaked in either milk or sugar syrup. While there are a few classic Mithai forms, regional variations and nods to local preference abound. Indian sweets are so delicious that they make foodies go weak in the knees. It’s a warm blanket on a cold evening. It’s the icing on a cake and to a spectacular movie. There is no denying the fact, that desserts give a befitting end to a meal. While it is easy to be perplexed about a plate of diamond-shaped barfi or a bowl of syrupy Gulab Jamun, an adventurous foodie quickly discovers the addictive quality of Indian sweets. Just one bite and those fragrant and exotic Indian desserts suddenly become something one craves, especially during festive occasions like Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights that takes place during the new moon between October and November.

Indian sweet shops in New York offer a variety of sweet dishes to satisfy one taste buds. Let’s us talk about some of the famous Indian sweet delicacies:

Kulfi is the Indian version of ice cream. It’s much creamier and denser than normal ice cream though, as it’s not whipped before freezing. The milk is boiled to reduce its volume and thicken it. Traditionally, Kulfi is flavored with cardamom. However, other flavors include mango, pistachio, saffron, vanilla, and rose. Also, it’s served as falooda kulfi, with the addition of dried fruits and thin noodles.

This customary Indian dessert is most prevalent in the form of Gajar Ka Halwa (carrot halwa). It came to India from the royal Mughal kitchens and is particularly popular in the whole of India and also among Indian Americans. The main ingredient is grated carrots. It’s cooked with milk, sugar and a generous amount of ghee.

 

 

Kheer and Phirni are types of customary rice milk puddings. Whole rice is used in preparation of Kheer, Phirni is made with ground rice, giving it a smoother and creamier texture. Both are usually flavored with saffron and cardamom and topped with nuts and dried fruits. However, Phrini is always served chilled, whereas Kheer can be served warm as well.

There are many different recipes of this ubiquitous ball-shaped festive sweet that is a staple at any special occasion in India. In fact, every religion has its own specialty. It’s popularly made from gram, flour, ground coconut, or semolina. Milk, sugar, ghee, and dried fruits are other ingredients of famous Indian laddoo.

One experiences heavenly taste when one enjoys Indian sweet delicacies.

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