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Diwali, widely known as the celebration of illumination, is a celebration of good over evil. This is the most extensively celebrated festival in India and feels a bit like Christmas in the west. The occasion is linked to pyrotechnic displays, vibrant hues, endless parties and countertops straining under the immense load of dishes and sweet treats. Not a single Diwali is finished without boxes of sweets and dried fruit passed around kin and companions. Throughout Britain, the practices are preserved, dressing up, visiting temples, sharing tales from Indian lore to the little ones and, above all, gathering with friends from every background and religion. Personally, Diwali is about unity and distributing meals that seems extraordinary, but won’t leave you in the cooking area for extended periods. This bread-based dessert is my take on the rich shahi tukda, while the ladoos are perfect to gift or to enjoy with a cup of chai after the feast.

Effortless Ladoos (Shown Above)

Ladoos are some of the most iconic Indian sweets, right up there with gulab jamuns and jalebis. Imagine a traditional Indian halwai’s shop filled with treats in various shapes, colour and size, all professionally prepared and abundantly coated with clarified butter. These sweets frequently occupy a prominent position, rendering them a favored option of present for festive events or for presenting to divine figures at religious sites. This version is among the easiest, requiring just a handful of ingredients, and can be made in no time.

Prep 10 min
Cook 50 min plus cooling
Makes 15 to 20

110g ghee
250 grams of gram flour
a quarter teaspoon of cardamom powder
1 pinch saffron (optional)
2 ounces of assorted nuts, toasted and roughly chopped
180 to 200 grams of granulated sugar, according to preference

Heat the ghee in a Teflon-coated pan on a medium heat. Lower the flame, add the gram flour and heat, while stirring continuously to integrate it into the liquid ghee and to prevent it from sticking or burning. Keep cooking and stirring for half an hour to 35 minutes. Initially, the combination will appear as moist granules, but as you continue cooking and blending, it will become similar to peanut butter and emit a delightful nutty aroma. Avoid hurrying the process, or walk away from the blend, because it can burn very easily, and the slow roast is essential to the typical, roasted flavor of the sweet balls.

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

Incorporate the nuts and sugar to the chilled ladoo blend, combine well, then break off small pieces and roll between your palms into 15-20 spherical shapes of 4cm. Put these on a plate with some distance between them and leave to cool to ambient temperature.

These are ready to be enjoyed the ladoos immediately, or keep them in a sealed container and store in a cool place for up to a week.

Classic Indian Bread Pudding

This draws inspiration from Hyderabad’s shahi tukda, a recipe that is usually prepared by frying bread in ghee, then drenching it in a heavy, luxurious rabdi, which is created by simmering rich milk for a long time until it thickens to a reduced quantity from the start. My version is a more nutritious, simpler and faster option that needs much less attention and allows the oven to handle the work.

Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hr+
Serves 4-6

12 slices stale white bread, crusts cut off
100g ghee, or heated butter
1 litre whole milk
A 397-gram tin condensed milk
150 grams of sugar, or to taste
1 pinch saffron, immersed in 2 tablespoons of milk
a quarter teaspoon of cardamom powder, or the contents of 2 pods, ground
¼ tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
1.5 ounces of almonds, roughly chopped
40g raisins

Cut the bread into triangles, apply almost all except a teaspoon of the ghee over both sides of every slice, then arrange the triangles as they fall in a greased, approximately 20cm by 30cm, rectangular ovenproof container.

Within a sizable container, whisk the milk, sweetened milk and sugar until the sugar melts, then stir in the saffron and its soaking milk, the cardamom along with nutmeg, if added. Empty the milk combination evenly over the bread in the dish, so it all gets soaked, then let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Preheat 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 exits without residue.

In the meantime, melt the remaining ghee in a small pan on a medium heat, then fry the almonds until lightly browned. Switch off the stove, incorporate the raisins and let them simmer in the remaining warmth, mixing continuously, for 60 seconds. Sprinkle the nut and raisin mix over the dessert and present hot or cold, plain as it is or with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.