Mithai and Me!

Today I am solely focussing on mithai, which are also known as Indian sweets. Personally I think mithai’s are the best desserts ever, with chocolate brownies and ice cream as a close second. Every year when we celebrate Diwali or Vaisakhi my family and I eat a lot of mithai. The mithai itself has no religious importance, yet it takes centre stage at most religious events. Today I will give you a description of a few different types of mithai. So next time you're passing an Indian sweet shop such as Ambala or Royals you must ask them for a sample!

Well, if I could be any mithai in the world, I would be... a gulab jamun! For those of you who have never eaten one I will describe the experience for you. The best way to describe them is as mini deep fried doughnuts!! 

WAIT… I am not finished yet…

Picture these mini doughnuts in your head. Then picture these soft doughnut-like balls being soaked in sweet sugar syrup. Next thing you know, you are taking a bite into this spongy light dough. Slowly, the sugar syrup starts spreading on your tongue and the spongy dough begins to melt in your mouth. All of a sudden the sugar enters your blood stream making you feel warm and comforted. Then, before you know it, you have finished your first gulab jamun. Your stomach starts screaming for more but your brain tells you to quit while you’re ahead.

Little balls of heaven!

The second mithai I should look at is laddoos! There are so many different varieties of laddoos you can buy! Some people make theirs from gram flour (besan) whilst others prefer semolina. Although I enjoy eating them, I want to talk about jalebi's instead. That's because I just remembered the man who makes the most amazing jalebi's! In a car park of an Indian cash and carry in Hayes, there is a little tent and inside there, you can find the Jalebi Man. Obviously that is not his real name, but that is the name I have given him (he sounds a bit like a super hero, like super man or spider man). Anyway, when my mum first told me about the jalebi man who makes jalebi’s in a car park I was n-o-t impressed. My brain was screaming FOOD POISONING! Despite this feeling in my gut, I went on a voyage with my mum and sister to find this “legendary” Jalebi Man. When we finally found his little tent in the car park, I went in armed with a scowl… and there he was! This little smiling Indian man with a little paunch belly greeting us so warmly into his tent. Then he made some fresh jalebi's right in front of us. It was like the most mes-mer-ising scene ever! I just admiringly watched as he piped swirls of mixture into the hot oil. From that moment, I decided that this is the man who is always going to make my jalebi’s!

The legendary Jalebi

My third favourite mithai is khoya barfi! Barfi is a form of mithai, in the same way that pear drops are a form of sweets. Barfi tends to be made of milk whereas laddoos are made from besan and jalebis are made from semolina. Barfi's also look different in appearance as they are cut in solid squares whereas jalebis and gulab jamun's are extremely oily in appearance. When you take a bite of khoya barfi the first thing you can taste it the sugar followed by the subtle taste of milk. When I was little this barfi used to have a decorative piece of silver foil on the side of it. I think that's what caught my eye and made me want to try it!

Melt in the mouth khoya barfi

It is safe to say that the only reason Asians eat mithai when there is a celebratory occasion, such as Diwali, Vaisakhi and Eid is because it simply tastes amazing.