Care for a South Asian dose of sugar? By Sonia Boonchanasukit

Indian desserts, called “mithai” in their home country, are a staple of every traditional Indian household’s diet. Besides being an everyday after-meal dessert, mithai are also served as delicacies for special occasions.

Get these at Punjab Sweets (311-1A Soi ATM Pahurat near Gurdewara. 02-623-7457) for B220/kilo. Or pick your favorite at Standard Sweets & Restaurant (95/47 Pahurat Market, Chakraphet Rd., 02-623-8620) at B10 a piece.

Badam Barfi

This milky treat is made of fresh ground almonds, milk and cardamom powder. Badam (almond) barfi is just one out of many varieties; others come with different toppings, such as cashew nuts or even chocolate!

Jalebi

Call it the Indian pretzel if you want. This orange twist is made of maida (refined flour) and is a commonly eaten for breakfast in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Hot jalebis are also a favorite treat on national holidays like Independence Day and Republic Day.

Kaju Katli

This thin, diamond-shaped dessert is made up of sugar, cardamom and lots of fresh cashew nuts soaked in water. Once cooked, made into a paste, rolled thin and cut, it is layered with an edible silver foil. It also comes in rolls layered with both cashews and pistachios.

Gulab Jamun

This round and brown dessert is made out of khoya (heated condensed milk) and topped with a sugary syrup usually flavored with cardamom. It’s best served warm.

Balushai

Also known as badusha, this mix of maida (refined wheat flour), ghee and soda is kneaded to a soft dough and then shaped into round orange balls. Each one is adorned with a dent in the center and then fried, soaked in sugar syrup, strained and served.

Besan ka Laddoo

One of the most common indian sweets, this round ball made up of besan (bengal gram flour), sugar and cardamom powder is enjoyed during most special occassions and religious rites. Warning: it’s a tradition to have one (or more) shoved in your face, as a show of affection.

Ras Gulla

White, soft, almost airy inside, this strong competitor of the gulab jamun is for those who like it a little less sweet. Think of them as cheese balls in sugary syrup as they are made from milk, sugar, a pinch of salt and some yogurt. They come in different shapes and sizes and are usually served cool.

Doda Barfi

This unrefined member of the barfi family is composed of crushed wheat grains (sanmak) giving it an almost sandy texture. Mixed in are the rest of the essentails: flour, sugar and ghee (indian clarified butter). Another common Diwali (the Festival of Light) favorite till today.