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Diwali, widely known as the event of lamps, marks the triumph of good over evil. It’s the most broadly observed celebration across India and has a similar vibe to holiday festivities abroad. Diwali is characterized by fireworks, bright colours, continuous festivities and countertops straining under the sheer weight of culinary delights and sweets. Every Diwali celebration is whole without boxes of sweets and dried fruit exchanged between friends and family. In the UK, we keep those traditions alive, putting on festive attire, attending religious sites, reading Indian mythology to the little ones and, most importantly, gathering with friends from diverse cultures and beliefs. In my view, Diwali is about community and offering dishes that seems extraordinary, but doesn’t keep you in the culinary space for long durations. The pudding made from bread is my version of the indulgent shahi tukda, while the ladoos are ideal for presenting or to relish with a hot tea after the banquet.

Effortless Ladoos (Featured at the Top)

Ladoos are one of the most recognizable Indian desserts, right up there with gulab jamuns and jalebis. Imagine a traditional Indian halwai’s shop overflowing with treats in various shapes, colour and size, all professionally prepared and liberally topped with traditional butter. These sweets frequently occupy the spotlight, rendering them a favored option of offering for propitious moments or for giving to gods and goddesses at religious sites. This adaptation is among the easiest, requiring just a handful of ingredients, and can be prepared in minutes.

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 50 minutes along with cooling
Makes 15 to 20

4 ounces of clarified butter
250g gram flour
1/4 teaspoon of ground green cardamom
a small amount of saffron (if desired)
50g mixed almonds and pistachios, roasted and coarsely chopped
180 to 200 grams of granulated sugar, as per liking

Liquefy the clarified butter in a non-stick skillet on a moderate heat. Reduce the temperature, mix in the chickpea flour and cook, stirring constantly to combine it with the heated clarified butter and to make sure it doesn’t catch and burn. Keep cooking and stirring for 30 to 35 minutes. To begin with, the combination will appear as damp sand, but with further heating and stirring, it will transform into a peanut butter-like texture and smell wonderfully nutty. Do not attempt to speed it up, or neglect the mixture, because it might burn rapidly, and the slow roast is vital for the typical, roasted flavor of the sweet balls.

Remove the pan from the stove, mix in the cardamom and saffron, if added, then allow to cool until just warm to the touch.

Mix in the nuts and sweetener to the room temperature ladoo mix, stir completely, then tear off small chunks and shape with your hands into 15-20 x 4cm balls. Place these on a dish spaced slightly apart and let them 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 about seven days.

Traditional Indian Bread Pudding

This draws inspiration from Hyderabad’s shahi tukda, a recipe that is usually prepared by sautéing bread in ghee, then drenching it in a heavy, luxurious rabdi, which is created by simmering rich milk for hours until it reduces to a reduced quantity from the start. The recipe here is a better-for-you, straightforward and speedy version that demands minimal supervision and lets the oven do all the heavy lifting.

Prep a quick 10 minutes
Cook 60 minutes plus
Serves 4-6

Twelve slices stale white bread, crusts cut off
3.5 ounces of clarified butter, or heated butter
1 litre whole milk
A 397-gram tin sweetened condensed milk
150g sugar, or to taste
a pinch of saffron, steeped in 30ml of milk
¼ tsp ground cardamom, or the seeds from 2 pods, crushed
¼ tsp ground nutmeg (if desired)
40g almonds, broken into pieces
40g raisins

Slice the bread into triangles, spread all but a teaspoon of the ghee over both sides of each piece, then place the triangles as they land in an oiled, roughly 20cm x 30cm, rectangular ovenproof container.

Within a sizable container, beat the milk, condensed milk and sugar until the sugar melts, then stir in the saffron and its soaking milk, the cardamom along with nutmeg, if added. Transfer the milk blend consistently across the bread in the container, so each piece is saturated, then let it sit for a short while. Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6.

Cook the pudding for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Meanwhile, heat the leftover ghee in a small skillet on moderate flame, then cook the almonds until lightly browned. Turn off the heat, incorporate the raisins and let them simmer in the remaining warmth, stirring constantly, for 60 seconds. Sprinkle the nut and raisin mix over the sweet dish and serve warm or chilled, just as it is or accompanied by vanilla ice-cream.