Top 4 Eastern Indian Deep-fried Desserts

Originating in Bengal, pantua is a soft, spherical dessert that is entirely drenched in cardamom-and-saffron-flavored sugar syrup. A dough of khoa (dried evaporated milk solids), chhena (Indian cottage cheese), flour, and baking powder is shaped into small balls, which are then fried in hot ghee (clarified butter) or oil before they are submerged into the warm sugar syrup. This East Indian dessert is considered to be a variation of another Indian sweet called gulab jamun, which uses only khoa in its dough. There are different versions of pantua itself, namely langcha and ledikenni, which are distinguished by different shapes and finishes. Pantua is often enhanced with the addition of dry nuts or raisins, and it can also be made with boiled sweet potatoes. The dessert is commonly prepared on celebratory occasions and for Hindu festivals such as Durga Puja.Expand

Khaja is a traditional dessert consisting of flour, sugar, and ghee-based dough that is deep-fried in oil until golden and crispy. After the preparation, khaja is sometimes soaked in sugar syrup, depending on the regional variation of the recipe. This tasty dessert is one of the key dishes at numerous North Indian wedding feasts. There are many regional varieties of khaja, so khajas from Silao and Rajgir are characterized by their puffiness, while khajas of the coastal part of Andhra Pradesh are dry on the exterior and filled with sugar syrup on the inside. All of the varieties should have a wafery texture and melt in the mouth. There is also a special variety of khaja called belgrami which is not so sweet and is made from milk solids, sugar, and ghee.Expand

Thekua is a flavorful, crispy Nepalese dessert consisting of whole wheat flour, jaggery, and grated coconut. The dough is traditionally deep-fried in ghee until it develops a reddish-brown color. This unique treat is especially popular during the Chhath Puja festival, when it is prepared as an offering to God. Apart from Nepal, thekua is very popular in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, and some claim that the true origin of thekua is actually in Bihar.Expand

Arisa pitha is a traditional pancake-like sweet snack and a type of pitha originating from Odisha. It's usually made with a combination of rice flour, sesame seeds, jaggery, sugar, ghee, and oil. The rice is soaked, slightly drained, and ground into a paste with sugar syrup in order to form a batter. The batter is stuffed with toasted sesame seeds and jaggery, topped with sesame seeds, and it is then fried in oil until browned. Arisa pitha is traditionally served warm, but it can also be enjoyed after it has cooled down and hardened.Expand