Eid is just around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than with indulgent yet healthy treats? This collection of festive desserts offers a delightful twist on traditional favourites. With ingredients that focus on flavour and nourishment, these recipes will make your Eid celebrations even sweeter — without the guilt.
PANEER KHEER
Paneer kheer is a healthy and tasty recipe made with low-fat paneer and sugar substitute. It is also rich in calcium. Satisfy your sweet-tooth with this cardamom-flavoured low-fat paneer kheer. By replacing traditional sweeteners with sugar substitutes, and by doing away with unhealthy thickeners, we ward off those unnecessary carbohydrates and calories too. So, you can enjoy the rich texture and wonderful flavour of this kheer comfortably. Just make sure you add the paneer after the milk is completely cool, to avoid curdling.
Ingredients
3 cups low-fat milk
1 cup grated low-fat paneer (cottage cheese)
Sugar, as needed
¼ tsp cardamom powder
1 tbsp chopped nuts
Method
Heat the milk in a broad non-stick pan and cook on a medium flame. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cook for 15 minutes or reduce to half. Remove from heat, keep aside to cool completely. Once cooled, add the sugar and cardamom powder, mix well and add the cottage cheese. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve chilled.
OATS AND MIXED NUTS LADDU
Ingredients
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1 tbsp finely chopped walnuts
1 tbsp finely chopped almonds
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tsp ghee
Sugar, as needed
½ tsp cardamom powder
2 tbsp low-fat milk
Method
Heat a broad, non-stick pan; add oats and dry roast on medium heat for 3 minutes. Remove and keep aside to cool completely. Heat the same pan, add the sesame seeds and dry roast them on a medium flame for 2 minutes. Keep aside to cool. Heat ghee in the same pan, add sugar and mix well. Add the roasted oats, walnuts, almonds, sesame seeds and cardamom powder. Add milk and mix very well. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and roll out each portion into a ball. Laddu is ready to serve.
LOKMA
This is a Turkish fried sweet dough, covered in simple syrup. Simple!
Ingredients
1½ cup warm water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp active dry yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
Vegetable oil, for frying
For the syrup —
3 cups sugar
1½ cups water
2 tbsp lemon juice
Method
In a cup, add yeast and sugar to warm water. Stir until dissolved. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. In a bowl, combine flour and salt. Add yeast water and stir with an oiled wooden spoon until a dough-like consistency forms. Cover and place in a warm area and allow to rise for 1½ hours, or until doubled. Heat oil in a pan. Spoon dough by the tablespoon into vegetable oil and allow to cook for about two minutes on each side, until each side is golden brown. Repeat with the remaining dough. Drain on paper towels.
For the syrup —
Make it about 20 minutes before frying the dough. Mix all the ingredients in a pan until sugar is dissolved on medium heat. Bring to a boil, then allow to simmer on low heat for about 10-15 minutes. Drizzle syrup over the fried dough and serve immediately.
SPONGE RASGULLA
Ingredients
1 litre milk
2 cup sugar
2½ tbsp lemon juice
Method
Heat milk stirring occasionally. Mix lemon juice with 2 tablespoons of water. When the milk boils, switch off the flame. Wait for 30 seconds, add ½ tablespoon of lemon juice and stir well. It should start curdling. Once the milk is curdled and greenish whey is out, pass it through the cheese-cloth-lined colander.
Wash the chhana with some cold water. Gather the sides, and lightly squeeze the chhana. Do not apply too much pressure. Lightly squeeze. After that, hang this for 30 minutes.
Now take a pan which is wide and deep. Add 10-11 cups of water and 2 cups sugar. Heat it. Take the chhana (it should be dry but moist). Start kneading this until it gathers all together and some fat will start releasing and no lumps and bumps are there.
Make smooth round balls of about 1" diameter. When the syrup is boiling, add the balls into it and cover it. Cook for 15 minutes. The water should be vigorously boiling. Keep the flame on the higher side. After 5 minutes, open the lid once, and stir with utter care. Cover and do the same after 10 minutes.
As soon as the timer rings, transfer the rasgullas to a bowl with a good amount of syrup. After 5-6 hours, it will be soft, juicy, moist, spongy and will hold its shape.
NAMOURA
Namoura is a delicious, semolina-based, Lebanese dessert that is rich, juicy, and decadent. It is popular in the Middle East. Semolina cake is soaked in a rose syrup, flavoured syrup to make this amazing sweet treat. It is crispy on the outside, and soft and creamy on the inside. Traditionally, it is served in small slices as it is a rich delicacy.
Ingredients
For the semolina cake —
1 cup plain yoghurt, preferably whole milk
3 cups semolina flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp baking soda
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup unsalted butter, melted. Plus, more for coating the pan
¼ cup slivered or whole almonds
1 tbsp rose water or orange blossom
For the sugar syrup —
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
1 slice of lemon
1 tsp rose water or orange blossom
Method
For the sugar syrup —
In a saucepan, combine sugar and water over medium-high heat. Stir well. Bring mixture to a boil. Add lemon juice. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the syrup from heat, add rose water and mix well. Set aside and let it completely cool down before topping the Namoura.
To make the Namoura cake —
Preheat oven to 180° C, and line a non-stick half-sheet pan (17-inch x 11-inch) with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper sheet with ghee and keep it aside.
In a large size bowl, whisk together the semolina, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir in the butter, rose water, or orange blossom and yoghurt until combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, wet your hands with a little water and spread it out evenly. Score the batter into 1-inch square or diamond shapes with the butter knife and place 1 raw almond in the centre of each diamond.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the sides and top are golden brown. Remove from oven and pour sugar syrup evenly all over the sheet cake, immediately. Cut the cake along the lines that were scored. Let the cake come to room temperature to absorb the syrup before serving. Enjoy!
MAWA HABSHI HALWA
Ingredients
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup mawa
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 tbsp ghee
½ tsp cardamom powder
¼ cup slivered almond
Method
Heat ghee in a pan. Add cottage cheese and stir well. Add mawa and mix properly with cheese. Add sugar and cardamom powder. Stir well until sugar dissolves completely. Add flour and ghee. This will make the mixture glossy. Continue to stir and once the halwa starts to leave the sides of the pan, sprinkle nuts over it. Mix well until combined. To set the halwa, grease a large plate with ghee. Transfer the cooked halwa to it and press evenly. Allow it to cool down and cut it into pieces. Garnish with nuts and serve.
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