Sweet Recipes From India
Traditional Indian recipes covering gulgula, halwa, khoa, dahi, apple chutney, and pickled fruits.
Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.
From Recipes of All Nations by Countess Morphy, 1946.
...I wish to express my deep gratitude to Mr. E. P. Veerasawmy, gold medallist, Indian catering advisor to the Indian Government, British Empire Exhibition, Wembley (1924-5), founder of Veerasawmy’s India Restaurant, London, and head of the firm of Messrs. Veerasawmy & Co., for kindly reading my manuscript and for his invaluable help...
Goolgoola or Gulgula
(Fritters)
Ingredients: 1/2 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of sugar, just under 1/2 a pint of milk, 1/4 lb. of butter, 3 small sticks of cinnamon, 1/2 oz. of yeast, water.
Method: Dissolve the yeast in a little warm milk and add to the flour. Gradually add enough water to give the mixture sufficient consistency. Add the remaining milk and the sugar gradually and the sticks of cinnamon, and put in a saucepan on a slow fire. Stir vigorously and continuously till the mixture thickens. Remove from the fire and, when cold, shape into small balls and fry in the hot butter. Sprinkle with crushed crystallized sugar before serving.
Halwa
(Semolina moulds)
Ingredients: 1/2 lb. of semolina, 1/2 lb. of butter, 1/2 lb. sugar, 1/4 lb. of stoned raisins, the same of blanched almonds, 2 or 3 sticks of cinnamon and a few cardamoms.
Method: Put the sugar in a saucepan with 1 pint of water, and remove when it thickens to a syrup. Brown the semolina in the butter, stirring well, then add the raisins, the almonds, the cinnamon and cardamoms, and finally the syrup. Mix all thoroughly, stirring continuously and, while still warm, pour the mixture into moulds and let it stand till set.
Khoa
(Cream)
In India, as in so many other countries throughout the world, extensive use is made of sour milk and cream, both for cooking and for the making of sweets and various kinds of cheese.
Sour milk which has become solidified is strained through muslin or put in a muslin bag and allowed to stand over a basin in a cool place till all the water has dripped out. The milk can also be soured artificially by being put in a saucepan on a very slow fire and, when about to boil, adding a little vinegar to it. When Strained, it is mixed with a little sugar and fried in butter.
Dahi
(Curds)
Curds are made in the same manner as the preceding recipe. The milk is brought to the boil and, while still warm, a little vinegar or tartaric acid is added, and the milk thus treated is allowed to stand for 12 hours or so, when it will have turned to a thick cream. It is either served as a sweet with sugar or is eaten with salt and rice.
Apple Chutney
Ingredients: 4 lbs. of cooking apples, 4 lbs. of sugar, 1 lb. of raisins, 1/2 lb. of mustard seed, 1/2 lb. of salt, 1/2 lb. of blanched almonds, 1/2 lb. of chillies, 3 pints of vinegar, 1 lb. of green ginger, 1/2 lb. of garlic.
Method: Slice the peeled and cored apples into long and thin pieces, put them in a saucepan with 2 lbs. of sugar and a little water, and cook till very soft. When cold, put them in a basin and mix in the other ingredients. Make a thick syrup with the remaining sugar and the vinegar, and pour over the apples. When cold put in bottles.
Dry Fruit Pickle
This excellent pickle is made with equal quantities of dried prunes, dates, apricots and apples. The dates are stewed for about 20 minutes, till tender, the stones are removed and they are cut in rings. Quarter the apples and put them with the other dried fruit in bottles in alternate layers, with finely sliced ginger, peppercorns, a few sticks of cinnamon, and a little salt. Make a syrup with sugar and vinegar in the proportion of 1/4 lb. of sugar to every quart of vinegar, cover the fruit with it, cork, and if possible let the bottle stand in the sun for a few days. The pickle will be ready for use in a month’s time.
Morphy, Countess. Recipes of All Nations. H. Joseph. 1946.
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