Gujarati cuisine has one of the richest sweet-making traditions in India. Mithai — Indian sweets — are central to Gujarati culture: they mark celebrations, accompany religious occasions, and are given as gifts between families and friends. This guide covers the full mithai range at Sukhadi Kitchen and explains what each one is, how it is made, and when to eat it.

Laddu — The Classic Round Sweet

Laddu is the round sweet ball found across all Indian cuisine, but Gujarati laddus have their own distinct character. Churma Ladu is made from coarse wheat flour, ghee and jaggery — dense, crumbly, and deeply satisfying. Rava Mava Ladu is made from semolina and khoya — lighter, more delicate, and festive in feel. Laddus are made for festivals, as prasad at pujas, and as gifts for any occasion that calls for sweetness.

Ghughra — The Diwali Crescent

The iconic crescent-shaped sweet pastry of Gujarati Diwali. Made from a plain flour pastry casing filled with desiccated coconut, khoya, dried fruits, and nuts, crimped in the traditional pattern and deep-fried until golden. One of the most labour-intensive and most rewarding sweets in the Gujarati tradition. See our dedicated Ghughra blog post for the full story.

Chikki — The Natural Brittle Sweet

Chikki is a brittle sweet made from jaggery and a nut or seed. Tal Chikki (Til Chikki) uses sesame seeds — the result is crunchy, nutty, and pleasantly sweet with an earthy sesame flavour. Chikki is associated with Makar Sankranti but is eaten year-round as a wholesome snack and gifted in small packages.

Halwa — Warm, Soft, and Comforting

Halwa is a soft, pudding-like sweet. Gajar Halwa (carrot halwa) is the most celebrated — grated carrot cooked slowly with full-fat milk, ghee and sugar into a glossy, fragrant dessert, perfect for Diwali and winter. Shiro (semolina halwa) is lighter and traditionally prepared as prasad at pujas. Both are warm, comforting, and deeply rooted in the festival calendar.

Fada Lapsi — The Occasion Sweet

Broken wheat cooked with ghee and jaggery into a soft, warm sweet dish. Traditionally made for religious occasions, festivals, and auspicious events. Gentle, comforting sweetness. Best eaten warm.

Shrikhand — Silky, Chilled, Elegant

Made from strained yoghurt sweetened with sugar and flavoured with cardamom and saffron. Smooth, silky, and light — a beautiful contrast to the denser mithai. Shrikhand is traditionally eaten with puri and is a central feature of Gujarati festival meals.

Khajur Roll and Kopra Pak

Khajur Roll is prepared from dates combined with mixed nuts and seeds, rolled into a log and sliced into rounds. Kopra Pak is a fudge-like sweet made from desiccated coconut and sugar — intensely coconutty, firm, and usually cut into squares. Both are natural, wholesome, and packed with flavour.

Kalakand

A crumbly, grainy milk-based sweet, delicately sweetened with sugar and flavoured with cardamom. A popular Diwali sweet tray feature across India.

Sukhadi — Our Namesake

Whole wheat flour, pure ghee and jaggery — pressed flat and cut into squares or diamonds. Simple, honest, deeply satisfying, and the sweet that gave Sukhadi Kitchen its name.

When to Buy Mithai

Indian sweets are appropriate for almost every occasion: Diwali, Navratri, Raksha Bandhan, Eid, Dussehra, weddings, baby showers, housewarmings, and as gifts for colleagues, teachers, and friends. Browse and order the full mithai range at www.sukhadi.co.uk/product-category/mithai/