Gulab jamunGulab jamun is a sweet dessert or mithai which had originated in the Indian subcontinent, and is popular in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Burmese cuisines. Gulab jamun are also common in nations with substantial populations of South Asians. Gulab jamuns are made mainly from milk solids (traditionally known as khoa or khoya), which is milk reduced to the consistency of a soft dough. Newer recipes often use dried or powdered milk in place of khoya.
BarfiBarfi or burfi is a milk-based sweet from the Indian subcontinent with a fudge-like consistency. It is consumed throughout India and Pakistan and is especially popular in North India. Barfi is often served at celebrations and religious festivals such as Diwali and Holi. History and etymologyBarfi originated in Persia and was introduced to India by the Mughal Empire in the 16th century. Its name comes from the Persian and Urdu word (barf) for snow.
PantuaPantua (Bengali: পান্তুয়া) is a local confection from the Indian subcontinent, notable in West Bengal, Eastern India and Bangladesh. It is a traditional Bengali sweet made of deep-fried balls of semolina, chhena, milk, ghee and sugar syrup. Pantuas range in colour from pale brown to nearly black depending on how long they are fried. Rose water, cardamom or other flavourings are sometimes added to the sweet.
PedaPeda, pedha (pronounced [ˈpeːɽa]) or pera is an Indian sweet that originated in the city of Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India. Traditionally prepared as thick, semi-soft round balls, its main ingredients are khoa, sugar and traditional flavourings including cardamom seeds. It is brown in colour. Variant spellings and names for the dessert include pedha, penda (in Gujarati) and pera and it is found in several varieties in north India.
KalakandKalakand is a sweet cheese confection from India. It has been described as "akin to Italiancheesecake, firmer in texture than milk cake, but softer than burfis." HistoryThe earliest mention of kalakand as a sweet appears in the 19th-century Urdu text Zīnat al-ʿarūs. However, contemporary sources state that kalakand was invented in the Baba Thakur Das & Sons halwai (confectioner) shop in Alwar, Rajasthan in 1947, where it is still sold today.
List of Indian sweets and dessertsThis is a list of Indian sweets and desserts, also called mithai, a significant element in Indian cuisine. Indians are known for their unique taste and experimental behavior when it comes to food. Many Indian desserts are fried foods made with sugar, milk or condensed milk. Ingredients and preferred types of dessert vary by region. In the eastern part of India, for example, most are based on milk products.
South Asian cuisineSouth Asian cuisine includes the traditional cuisines from the modern-day South Asian republics of Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, also sometimes including the kingdom of Bhutan and the emirate of Afghanistan. Also sometimes known as Desi cuisine, it has been influenced by and also has influenced other Asian cuisines beyond the Indian subcontinent.
WheyWhey is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. It is a byproduct of the manufacturing of cheese or casein and has several commercial uses. Sweet whey is a byproduct of the making of rennet types of hard cheese, like cheddar or Swiss cheese. Acid whey (also known as sour whey) is a byproduct of the making of acidic dairy products such as strained yogurt.RicottaRicotta (Italian:) is an Italianwhey cheese made from sheep, cow, goat, or Italian water buffalomilkwhey left over from the production of other cheeses. However, modern ricotta is often made from milk instead of whey. Like other whey cheeses, it is made by coagulating the proteins that remain after the casein has been used to make cheese, notably albumin and globulin.
Water buffaloSpecies of large bovineThe water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), also called domestic water buffalo, Asian water buffalo, and Asiatic water buffalo, is a large domesticated bovine originating in South and Southeast Asia descended from the wild water buffalo. Today, it is also kept in regions including Italy, the Balkans, Australia, the Americas, and parts of Africa.
JalebiDeep-fried South Asian pastry JalebiJalebi sold at Basavanagudi Kadalekai Parishe, Bangalore (2025)Alternative namesJilapi, jilebi, jilbi, jilipi, jelabee, jerry, mushabak, zulbia, z'labia, zalabia, pani walaluCourseDessertPlace of originWest Asia Regional variants: Afghanistan (جلیبی Jalebi) Algeria (Zalabia: زلابية) Azerbaijan (Zülbiyə or zilviyə) Bangladesh (Jilapi) Egypt (Meshabbek: مشبك) Ethiopia (Mushebek: ሙሸበክ) Fiji (Jalebi) India (Jilebi ജിലേബി) Iran (Zoolbia: زولبیا) Iraq (Zalabia) Kurdistan (Zülubiya) Nepal (Jerry जेरी) Pakistan (Jalebi جلیبی) Sri Lanka (Pani walalu පැණි වළලු) Syria (Zinghol) Tunisia (Zlabia) Turkey (Zulbiye) West Asia (Zalabiyeh) Region or stateWest Asia, Indian subcontinent, AfricaServing temperatureHot and/or coldMain ingredientsMaida flour or yeasted dough, saffron, ghee, sugar or honeyVariationsSesame oil, sesame seeds, yogurt, cinnamon, lemon, cardamon; different shapesSimilar dishesAfghan jalebi, chhena jalebi, imarti, shahi jilapi, bamiyeh, lokma, zalabiyeh Cookbook: Jalebi Media: JalebiJalebi being prepared by a street vendor in Bangalore, India Jalebi is a common sweet snack in South Asia, West Asia and some parts of Africa.
JabalpurCity in Madhya Pradesh, IndiaMetropolis in Madhya Pradesh, IndiaJabalpur (IPA:), formerly anglicised as Jubbulpore, is the fourth largest city by area of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is situated on the banks of the Narmada River in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. Jabalpur is the administrative headquarters of the Jabalpur district and the Jabalpur division. The Madhya Pradesh High Court is located in the city.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.