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Diwali, widely known as the festival of lights, is a celebration of positivity over negativity. This is the most broadly observed celebration across India and has a similar vibe to the Western Christmas season. It’s synonymous with fireworks, brilliant shades, continuous festivities and countertops straining under the immense load of dishes and sweet treats. Not a single Diwali is finished without boxes of sweets and preserved fruits exchanged between kin and companions. In the UK, these customs are maintained, dressing up, visiting temples, reading Indian mythology to the little ones and, most importantly, assembling with pals from diverse cultures and beliefs. In my view, the festival centers on unity and distributing meals that appears unique, but doesn’t keep you in the culinary space for long durations. The pudding made from bread is my take on the indulgent shahi tukda, while these ladoos are perfect to gift or to enjoy with a cup of chai after the meal.

Simple Ladoos (Featured at the Top)

Ladoos are one of the most iconic Indian sweets, comparable to gulab jamuns and jalebis. Imagine a traditional Indian halwai’s shop bursting with sweets of every shape, hue and dimension, all expertly crafted and generously laden with ghee. Ladoos commonly hold centre stage, making them a popular choice of gift during auspicious occasions or for giving to gods and goddesses at religious sites. This adaptation is one of the most straightforward, needing only a few components, and is ready quickly.

Prep a brief 10 minutes
Cook 50 minutes plus chilling
Makes 15 to 20

4 ounces of clarified butter
250 grams of gram flour
1/4 teaspoon of ground green cardamom
a small amount of saffron (if desired)
2 ounces of assorted nuts, roasted and coarsely chopped
6-7 ounces of white sugar, as per liking

Melt the ghee in a nonstick pan on a moderate heat. Lower the flame, mix in the chickpea flour and heat, while stirring continuously to blend it with the liquid ghee and to ensure it doesn’t stick or scorch. Persist with cooking and blending for half an hour to 35 minutes. Initially, the combination will appear as damp sand, but as you keep cooking and blending, it will turn to a peanut butter consistency and smell wonderfully nutty. Don’t try to rush things, or neglect the mixture, because it can burn very easily, and the gentle heating is critical for the typical, roasted flavor of the confectioneries.

Turn off the heat and take the pan, blend the cardamom and saffron, if using, then leave to cool until moderately warm on contact.

Add the nuts and sugar to the room temperature ladoo mix, combine well, then tear off small chunks and shape with your hands into 15-20 x 4cm balls. Put these on a plate spaced slightly apart and let them cool to room temperature.

They can be served the ladoos immediately, or place them in a tight-lid jar and store in a cool place for as long as one week.

Traditional Indian Bread Pudding

This is inspired by Hyderabad’s shahi tukda, a recipe that is usually prepared by sautéing bread in ghee, then soaking it in a thick, rich rabdi, which is made by boiling rich milk for hours until it reduces to a small portion of its initial amount. My version is a healthier, easier and quicker alternative that demands minimal supervision and allows the oven to handle the work.

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 1 hr+
Serves about 4-6 people

Twelve slices stale white bread, edges trimmed
100g ghee, or liquid butter
1 litre whole milk
1 x 397g tin sweetened condensed milk
150g sugar, or according to taste
a small pinch of saffron, steeped in 30ml of milk
a quarter teaspoon of cardamom powder, or the seeds from 2 pods, crushed
a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg powder (if desired)
1.5 ounces of almonds, coarsely chopped
40 grams of raisins

Trim the bread into triangular shapes, spread all but a teaspoon of the ghee over both sides of each piece, then arrange the triangles as they land in an oiled, about 8x12 inches, rectangular ovenproof container.

Within a sizable container, mix the milk, thick milk and sweetener until the sweetener incorporates, then blend the saffron and the milk it was soaked in, the cardamom along with nutmeg, if added. Pour the milk mixture evenly over the bread in the pan, so everything is immersed, then let it sit for a short while. Set the oven temperature to 200 Celsius (180 fan)/390 Fahrenheit/gas 6.

Bake the pudding for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a skewer placed in the middle comes out clean.

In the meantime, melt the remaining ghee in a little pot over medium heat, then sauté the almonds until golden brown. Turn off the heat, incorporate the raisins and let them simmer in the residual heat, stirring constantly, for 60 seconds. Scatter the nut and raisin combination over the pudding and offer heated or cooled, just as it is or with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.