Master Indian sweets? Dude, I thought that was impossible until like three months ago when I was standing in my sad little American kitchen covered in flour and tears at 2 a.m. because the jalebi batter looked like wallpaper paste and my husband walked in, took one look at the crime scene, and just backed out slowly. Anyway. Hi. I’m the white girl from Ohio who now makes better motichoor ladoo than half the uncles at the temple and I’m here to spill ALL the chai. https://www.youtube.com/@kabitaskitchen
Why I Even Tried to Master Indian Sweets in the First Place
Look, I married into a Punjabi family, okay? First Diwali after marriage my mother-in-law hands me a dabba and goes “beta, next year you make.” I laughed. She didn’t. Next thing I know I’m on YouTube at 3 a.m. watching aunties scream “bas thoda sa aur ghee daalo” while I’m here measuring with a Starbucks cup because I don’t own measuring spoons. Iconic. https://nishamadhulika.com/en/sweets.html
The Great Jalebi Catastrophe of 2024 (Yes It Deserves a Title)
First time I tried to master Indian sweets I decided jalebi was “easy.” Bro. The batter fermented for two days and smelled like feet. Then I heated the oil so hot it literally caught fire. My husband walked in, saw flames, grabbed the lid, put it out, looked me dead in the eye and said “baby… let’s just buy from Sukhadia.” I cried into a box of Haldiram’s rasgulla that night. Real tears. Salty-sweet combo, very on-brand.
The One Trick That Actually Let Me Master Indian Sweets
Okay real talk: consistency is everything. Like, maida + water has to be dosa-batter-but-slightly-thicker vibes. I finally wrote “yogurt consistency” on a sticky note and slapped it on my fridge. Also: plastic squeeze bottles from the dollar store. Life. Changing. No more sad funnels and shaky hands. https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07XYV9KX5
My Dumb Proof Steps for Jalebi That Don’t Suck
- Ferment batter 12–18 hours (I do it in my Instant Pot on yogurt mode because America)
- Sugar syrup: one-string but honestly I just poke it with a spoon and if it feels dramatic, it’s ready
- Oil temp: drop a tiny bit of batter, if it sinks then screams to the top, you’re golden
- Squeeze in circles while cursing under your breath, it helps
Gulab Jamun: The One That Almost Ended My Marriage
I used to think khoya was some mythical substance. Turns out you can make it in the microwave?? Mind blown. But my first batch? I rolled them too tight and they came out like bullets. My father-in-law bit one, paused, and very politely said “very… unique texture.” Translation: harder than his childhood. https://hebbarskitchen.com/category/sweets/
How I Fixed It (You’re Welcome)
- Use milk powder + a splash of ghee + literally just knead till your hands hate you
- Roll GENTLY like you’re scared of them
- Fry on LOW heat or they’ll be raw inside and I’ll haunt you
Random Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Tried to Master Indian Sweets
- Your kitchen will smell like a mithai shop for four days. Open windows or accept destiny.
- Ghee stains. Everything. Forever.
- Cardamom pods in syrup = fancy. Accidentally biting one = war crime.
- If your ladoo mixture feels dry, add warm milk one teaspoon at a time while whispering apologies.
The Day I Finally Felt Like I Mastered Indian Sweets
Last month I made 50 pieces each of jalebi, gulab jamun, and besan ladoo for a potluck. Zero store-bought. The aunties circled like sharks, took one bite, went silent… then one of them grabbed my hand and said “beta, kithe sikhi?” (where did you learn?). I almost cried again but happy tears this time. Still chaotic, still sweaty, still 100% me.
Look, you’re never gonna be perfect. My jalebis are sometimes shaped like abstract art and my syrup crystallizes if I breathe wrong, but I did it. I mastered Indian sweets in my stupid little apartment kitchen with an electric stove that hates me. If I can do it—me, the girl who once set milk on fire—you definitely can.
So go ferment something. Burn something. Cry into sugar syrup. Then eat the evidence.
Tell me in the comments which Indian sweet traumatized you first. I need to know I’m not alone lol.
P.S. If you want my exact recipes (the ones that actually work now), drop your email below and I’ll send you the Google Doc titled “Mithai for Dummies by a Dummy Who Figured It Out.”
