Try these gluten-free Indian mithai recipes
What's the story
Exploring gluten-free traditional Indian sweets can be a delightful culinary journey. These recipes offer a taste of India's rich heritage, while catering to dietary preferences. From the aromatic flavors of cardamom to the sweetness of jaggery, these desserts are both satisfying and unique. Whether you are gluten intolerant or simply looking for new dessert ideas, these recipes provide a delicious way to enjoy Indian sweets without gluten.
Chickpea flour
Besan ladoo: A chickpea flour delight
Besan ladoo is an all-time favorite sweet prepared with chickpea flour, sugar, and ghee. This gluten-free delicacy is typically flavored with cardamom and topped with nuts such as almonds or pistachios. The chickpea flour is roasted in ghee till it turns golden brown, mixed with sugar, and rolled into small round balls. It's an easy yet delicious dessert savored during festivals and celebrations.
Coconut base
Coconut barfi: A tropical treat
Coconut barfi is another delightful gluten-free sweet that mixes grated coconut with condensed milk or sugar syrup. Flavored with cardamom or saffron most of the time, this dessert is rich in texture and tropical flavor. The mixture is cooked until thickened, spread on a tray to set and then cut into squares or diamonds. It's an easy-to-make sweet that offers both taste and texture.
Rice pudding
Rice kheer: Creamy rice pudding
Rice kheer is a creamy rice pudding prepared by simmering rice in milk with sugar and spices like cardamom. This traditional dessert can be enriched with nuts like cashews or raisins for an added flavor and texture. Since it's naturally gluten-free because of its rice base, it's an ideal choice for those avoiding gluten but still want to indulge in classic Indian sweets.
Finger millet
Ragi halwa: Nutritious finger millet dessert
Ragi halwa has finger millet flour as its base, which is what makes it gluten-free, as well as nutritious (thanks to ragi's high calcium content). It is prepared by cooking ragi flour in ghee with water or milk until smooth, before adding jaggery for sweetness, and optional garnishes like nuts or dried fruits for added flavor depth.
Tapioca pearls
Sabudana kheer: Tapioca pearl delight
Sabudana kheer has tapioca pearls cooked in milk, and sugar, until they are translucent. This gives the dish a luscious, pudding-like consistency. It's perfect as a breakfast item on fasting days all over India, where people don't eat grains traditionally. But, it still gives you energy from the carbohydrates in sabudana itself!