Mithai (Sweets For Every Celebration)

About the Book

One experiences deep satisfaction when creating delicacies in one's home kitchen. And if those delicacies are mithai, the satisfaction is doubled. Apart from the obvious advantages of preparing food at home: good quality ingredients, cost savings, and cooking to one's taste and health needs, there is sheer joy in reproducing the seemingly complicated and laborious traditional sweetmeats so easily available at one's local halwai.

In Mithai, Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor demystifies the art and science of sweet- making. With clear instructions and sharing of a few trade secrets, he leads one through the process, one step at a time, to produce sweet treats that will rival the best of those commercially available.

"I love sweets and you can tempt me with them any time", he says. And then adds, "but I have to control myself from eating too many too often. So, although I never say no to any sweet, I make sure to run that extra mile to burn those extra calories consumed."

So, follow the Master Chef's example and treat yourself and your loved ones to some sweet delights, in moderation! Tryout the Kaju Katli, Coconut Burfi, Jalebi, Lavang Latika or Khajur aur Akhrot Roll to begin with - you will find them so easy to prepare that you will wonder why you had not tried making them before. So enjoy them as often as you want, but remember sweet restraint is the name of the game.

About the Author

Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor is the most celebrated face of Indian cuisine today. He is the co-owner of FOODFOOD India's first-ever 24 hour Hindi food channel, and the charismatic host of the award-winning Khana Khazana, the longest-running cookery show on Indian television.

A multiple award-winning Master Chef, he is the best-selling author of over 150 cookery books. His portal is a complete cookery manual with a compendium of more than 6,000 tried and tested recipes and a wealth of information on the art and craft of cooking.

Master Chef Kapoor owns Sanjeev Kapoor's Khazana, a popular brand of pickles, masalas, sprinklers and ready-to-eat mixes. The Yellow Chilli, The Yellow Chilli Express, Sanjeev Kapoor's Khazana, Grain of Salt and Hot Rocks are renowned national and international restaurant chains franchised by Sanjeev Kapoor.

Sanjeev Kapoor is on the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India panel to promote Indian cuisine, and serves, together with other world renowned chefs, on the board of Singapore Airlines International Culinary Panel.

Sanjeev Kapoor figures at No. 31 in the Reader's Digest list of India's 100 Most Trusted People. He has appeared on several international TV programmes including Quest on CNN and the Rachael Ray Show.

Author's Note

I have been receiving many requests for a book on mithai from food lovers who want to try their hand at churning out the sweet delicacies at home. From the vast variety of mithai commercially available, I have chosen a few that can easily be prepared at home.

India, with its many regions and cultures is the home to a mind-boggling variety of mithai made from fruit, vegetables, grains, legumes, milk and milk products, all sweetened with sugar or jaggery and enriched with ghee. Every region has its speciality. While in Eastern India, chhena forms the mainstay of mithai (Rosogulla, Sandesh, Rajbhog.), in North India, mawa or khoya is more popular (as in Mathura ka Peda, Mawa Gujiya, Mawa Burfi). In the Western and Southern regions, pulses and legumes are used to advantage (Mohanthaal, Ukdiche Modak, Mysore Paak, Raghavdas Laadoo etc.).

Whatever the region, every happy occasion, festival or celebration is incomplete without something sweet. Mithai are also offered as good luck charms before important events such as interviews and examinations: think dahi aur shakkar to bring good luck and success!

Rich as they may be in calories, sweets when made at home can be made healthier, by controlling the sugar and the fat to a certain extent. I have also included a few recipes, which have been made suitable for those who have to abstain from sugar. You can now treat yourself to Besan ke Laddoo, Kesar-Pista Phirni, Mawa Gujiya or Khajur aur Akhrot ka Roll without worrying about their effect on your weight or blood sugar levels. Having said that, I would repeat the mantra: everything in moderation is good and excess is bad. So enjoy these sweets but do not forget your exercise regime. Good health after all is sweeter than any sweet!

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