Alima Nadeem shares her five favourite desserts for Eid.

As Eid fast approaches, many Muslims turn to cooking delicious dishes for the Eid feast, and nothing is complete without dessert, wherever you go, different South Asian desserts await, and here are five recipes you cannot miss out on. 

Falooda 

Recipe serves 2 

Falooda is a traditional pink South Asian dessert, originating from Persia. The cold pink drink is often accompanied with ice cream and jelly, giving it a more modern twist.

It’s simple to make, although, it should be made well in advance of serving to allow it to be put in the fridge to serve cold.

Firstly, soak basil or chia seeds in water for 10 minutes.

You will then need to drain the seeds and set aside whilst you prepare the rest. In a pan of boiling water, add vermicelli and let it cook until they’re soft.

There are two ways to make the Falooda milk. Combine 470ml of milk and 60g of sugar and bring it to medium heat, then let it cool in the fridge for a few hours.

Alternatively, add the milk and sugar, rose syrup, and ice to a blender. Once this is done, add the vermicelli to it.

Then arrange in glasses. You can add jelly at the bottom, the Falooda in the middle, and ice cream on top garnished with pistachios or whatever takes your fancy.

Meethi Seviyan 

Recipe serves 2 

Meethi Seviyan is an Eid morning customary dessert, except it might not look like a dessert because it’s vermicelli again, but nevertheless, it’s a sweet dish.

To make it, add one tbsp of ghee to a pan with crushed vermicelli. Let it cook for two minutes on a low heat, make sure it doesn’t burn as this is easily done.

Remove the vermicelli and drain the excess oil out. Add one more tbsp of ghee to the same pan, and sauté dry dates and nuts for two minutes.

Then add one and a half cups of milk, with half a cup of sugar, a quarter tbsp of cardamom, and a quarter tbsp of mace powder. Stir it all together.

Vermicelli can be added afterwards and keep stirring until the vermicelli absorbs all the milk and becomes dry.

It can be served hot or cold but is tasty either way!

Asian Image:

Rasmalai 

Recipe serves 2

Rasmalai is considered a Bengali origin dessert, consisting of chenna pressed balls in sweet milk. It’s served cold and is a delight for the Eid dessert table.

If made from scratch, you will need to boil milk in a pan and add saffron and a cup of sugar to the milk.

Stir every two minutes, and don’t let the milk scorch at the bottom. Set aside once the milk has thickened.

Now you will need to make the chenna balls. Boil five cups of milk in a pot, add diluted lemon juice and stir well.

Drain the water and leave it for 10 minutes. Leave a little water in the Chenna so that it is still soft. Then add cornflour and knead it for a full 10 minutes.

When it’s smooth, start making small balls with it. Heat a cup of sugar and water in a deep pan and when it’s boiling, drop the chenna balls into it for 15 minutes or longer if needed.

The water and sugar ratio are 4:1, so for every one cup of sugar, add four cups of water.

Once they double in size take them out and let them cool to the side.

For the thickened milk part, boil 500ml of milk, then add half a cup of sugar. Stir for 20 minutes. The milk should thicken.

Add a few pinches of saffron and any nuts if desired. Transfer the chenna balls to the sugar syrup for 10 minutes, before adding them to the milk.

You can now let the dish sit in the fridge and serve when cold.

Kheer 

Recipe serves 4  

Kheer is Indian rice pudding, made with simple ingredients like milk, rice and sugar.

It’s perfect for Eid, and although there are now many different versions, including the use of Vermicelli, this recipe is for rice kheer.

Pour 2L of milk into a heavy bottom pan, and let it simmer, adding four cardamom pods and two tbsps of rice once it’s heated.

Stir until half of the milk has gone, but make sure you don’t let the rice catch the bottom of the pan.

Remove the cardamom pods and put the rice into a bowl. Add two tbsps of sugar and chopped pistachios (if you want).

Let it cool in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.

Gajar Ka Halwa

Recipe serves 6 

Originating from Punjab, this carrot dessert is usually known to be eaten through winter, but for Eid it has become common, and does not disappoint.

It’s also a simple dish to make. You need to grate and shred carrots, heat ghee in a skillet, and let the carrots cook for around 10 minutes.

Then add 1L of milk and bring to the boil, the carrots need to become soft, and the milk needs to thicken, so this could take more than 30 minutes.

Next, add 350g of sugar and cook for a further 20 minutes or until sugar is dissolved.

Once it becomes dry, add a tbsp of ghee, and let it cook for a few minutes before taking off the heat.

You can garnish it with almonds and it is usually now served with ice cream.

All of the desserts are classic favourites in South Asia, and although they may take on different varieties, it’s the still the same dish.

Enjoy Eid with these mouth-watering desserts, even the guests will be going back for seconds!