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Diwali, widely known as the event of lamps, symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. This is the most widely marked festival in India and resembles the atmosphere of the Western Christmas season. The occasion is linked to pyrotechnic displays, bright colours, continuous festivities and tables creaking under the immense load of food and desserts. No Diwali is whole without containers of mithai and dried fruit exchanged between kin and companions. Across the United Kingdom, the practices are preserved, putting on festive attire, going to places of worship, reading Indian mythology to the children and, crucially, gathering with friends from diverse cultures and beliefs. Personally, Diwali is about community and sharing food that feels special, but doesn’t require you in the kitchen for hours. This bread-based dessert is my interpretation of the rich shahi tukda, while these ladoos are excellent for giving or to enjoy with a cup of chai after the banquet.

Effortless Ladoos (Featured at the Top)

Ladoos are one of the most famous Indian confections, right up there with gulab jamuns and jalebis. Envision a classic Indian halwai’s shop filled with treats in various shapes, colour and size, all professionally prepared and liberally topped with traditional butter. Ladoos often take the spotlight, making them a popular choice of offering for propitious moments or for presenting to divine figures at places of worship. This version is among the easiest, calling for a small set of items, and is ready quickly.

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

110 grams of ghee
250 grams of gram flour
1/4 teaspoon of ground green cardamom
a pinch of saffron (as an option)
50 grams of combined almonds and pistachios, heated and broken into pieces
180-200g granulated sugar, as per liking

Heat the ghee in a nonstick pan on a medium heat. Reduce the temperature, add the gram flour and heat, while stirring continuously to combine it with the melted ghee and to ensure it doesn’t stick or scorch. Persist with cooking and blending for half an hour to 35 minutes. Initially, the mixture will look like damp sand, but with further heating and stirring, it will become similar to peanut butter and smell wonderfully nutty. Don’t try to rush things, or neglect the mixture, because it can burn very easily, and the gradual roasting is essential to the distinctive, nutty taste of the ladoos.

Turn off the heat and take the pan, stir in the cardamom and saffron, if added, then set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

Incorporate the nuts and sugar to the chilled ladoo blend, stir completely, then tear off small chunks and form using your palms into 15-20 x 4cm balls. Set these on a platter spaced slightly apart and leave to cool to room temperature.

They can be served the ladoos right away, or store them in an airtight container and keep at room temperature for as long as one week.

Classic Indian Bread Pudding

This takes inspiration from Hyderabad’s shahi tukda, a food that is commonly created by frying bread in ghee, then soaking it in a thick, rich rabdi, which is made by boiling whole milk for an extended period until it condenses to a small portion of its initial amount. My version is a better-for-you, straightforward and speedy version that needs much less attention and allows the oven to handle the work.

Prep a quick 10 minutes
Cook 1 hr+
Serves 4 to 6

12 slices day-old white bread, crusts removed
100 grams of ghee, or melted butter
4 cups of full-fat milk
A 397-gram tin sweetened condensed milk
5 ounces of sugar, or as preferred
1 pinch saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp milk
a quarter teaspoon of cardamom powder, or the seeds from 2 pods, crushed
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg (if desired)
40g almonds, roughly chopped
40 grams of raisins

Trim the bread into triangular shapes, coat nearly all but a spoonful of the ghee on both faces of every slice, then set the triangular pieces as they sit in a buttered, roughly 20cm x 30cm, oblong baking pan.

Using a big bowl, beat the milk, sweetened milk and sugar until the sweetener incorporates, then blend the saffron and its soaking milk, the spices including cardamom and nutmeg, if using. Pour the milk mixture evenly over the bread in the container, so everything is immersed, then leave to steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/390°F/gas mark 6.

Heat the pudding for half an hour or so, until the surface is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre emerges clean.

Meanwhile, liquefy the rest of the clarified butter in a small pan on a medium heat, then cook the almonds until golden. Switch off the stove, 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 offer heated or cooled, just as it is or with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.