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Diwali, widely known as the festival of lights, marks the triumph of positivity over negativity. It stands as the most broadly observed celebration across India and feels a bit like Christmas in the west. The occasion is linked to pyrotechnic displays, vibrant hues, endless parties and dining surfaces groaning under the immense load of food and desserts. Not a single Diwali is complete without containers of mithai and dried fruit exchanged between loved ones and relatives. Throughout Britain, we keep those traditions alive, putting on festive attire, visiting temples, sharing tales from Indian lore to the kids and, most importantly, meeting with companions from diverse cultures and beliefs. In my view, Diwali is about community and sharing food that feels special, but won’t leave you in the kitchen for hours. The bread pudding is my interpretation of the indulgent shahi tukda, while these ladoos are excellent for giving or to enjoy with a cup of chai after the banquet.

Simple Ladoos (Featured at the Top)

Ladoos are among the most recognizable Indian desserts, right up there with gulab jamuns and jalebis. Picture an Indian halwai’s shop bursting with confectioneries of all forms, colour and size, all expertly crafted and abundantly coated with traditional butter. Ladoos often take a prominent position, rendering them a favored option of present for festive events or for offering to Hindu deities at temples. This adaptation is one of the most straightforward, requiring just a handful of ingredients, and can be prepared in minutes.

Prep a brief 10 minutes
Cook 50 min plus cooling
Makes 15 to 20

110g ghee
250g gram flour
1/4 teaspoon of ground green cardamom
a small amount of saffron (as an option)
50g mixed almonds and pistachios, roasted and coarsely chopped
6-7 ounces of white sugar, as per liking

Liquefy the clarified butter in a nonstick pan on a medium flame. Turn down the heat, add the gram flour and cook, stirring constantly to combine it with the liquid ghee and to prevent it from sticking or burning. Keep cooking and stirring for 30-35 minutes. To begin with, the mixture will look like moist granules, but with further heating and stirring, it will turn to a peanut butter consistency and smell wonderfully nutty. Don’t try to rush things, or walk away from the blend, because it may scorch quickly, and the gradual roasting is critical for the typical, roasted flavor of the sweet balls.

Remove the pan from the stove, stir in the cardamom and saffron, if included, then set aside to cool until slightly warm when touched.

Incorporate the nuts and sugar to the room temperature ladoo mix, combine well, then break off small pieces and shape with your hands into 15 to 20 balls of 4cm. Put these on a plate with some distance between them and allow to cool to room temperature.

These are ready to be enjoyed the ladoos right away, or store them in an airtight container and keep at room temperature for up to a week.

Indian Bread Pudding

This is inspired by Hyderabad’s shahi tukda, a dish that’s typically made by cooking bread in clarified butter, then immersing it in a dense, creamy rabdi, which is made by boiling whole milk for a long time until it thickens to a small portion of its initial amount. The recipe here is a better-for-you, straightforward and speedy version that demands minimal supervision and allows the oven to handle the work.

Prep 10 min
Cook 60 minutes plus
Serves 4 to 6

A dozen slices old white bread, crusts cut off
100 grams of ghee, or melted butter
1 litre whole milk
One 397-gram can sweetened condensed milk
5 ounces of sugar, or as preferred
1 pinch saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp milk
¼ tsp ground cardamom, or the contents of 2 pods, ground
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg (if desired)
40g almonds, broken into pieces
40g raisins

Cut the bread into triangles, spread all but a teaspoon of the clarified butter on each side of every slice, then arrange the triangles as they land in an oiled, approximately 20cm by 30cm, oblong baking pan.

Within a sizable container, whisk the milk, thick milk and sweetener until the sugar dissolves, then mix in the saffron and its soaking milk, the cardamom and nutmeg, if included. Transfer the milk blend consistently across the bread in the container, so it all gets soaked, then let it sit for a short while. Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6.

Cook the pudding for 30-35 minutes, until the surface is golden brown and a skewer placed in the middle comes out clean.

In the meantime, melt the remaining ghee in a small skillet on moderate flame, then fry the almonds until golden brown. Turn off the heat, mix in the raisins and leave them to cook in the remaining warmth, mixing continuously, for a minute. Dust the almond and raisin blend over the pudding and present hot or cold, simply on its own or accompanied by vanilla ice-cream.