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Chef Raji Gupta Shares Three Guilt-Free Mithai Recipes That Are Perfect To Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

Sweeten up your life with these lighter takes on Gajar Ka Halwa, Moong Dal Halwa, and Khoya Paneer Gulab Jamun. Get all the taste with no regrets!

| Vaishnavi Rana
mithai

Who says you can’t have your halwa and eat it too? Traditional Indian sweets are the ultimate comfort fix, but let’s be honest, all that sugar and ghee can leave you feeling like you're in a food coma rather than festive. But fear not, dessert lovers!

Chef Raji Gupta, the mastermind behind Beyond Dining Co., is on a mission to prove that indulgence doesn’t have to come at the cost of your health. With years of experience crafting innovative, nourishing dishes, she’s made it her goal to reinvent comfort food without compromising on taste. These three guilt-free takes on Gajar Ka Halwa, Moong Dal Halwa, and Khoya Paneer Gulab Jamun are here to save the day. Packed with wholesome ingredients and big, nostalgic flavours, they’re proof that you can go light without losing the lusciousness. So ditch the guilt and grab a spoon, it’s time to sweeten things up the smart way!

Gajar Halwa 

gajar halwa

This winter favourite gets a lighter twist with dates for sweetness, low-fat paneer for creaminess, and a touch of ghee to keep things rich yet guilt-free. Same cosy, nostalgic vibes, minus the sugar overload.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups Peeled and grated Red Carrots

  • 6-7 deseeded dates finely chopped

  • 1 cup water or milk (if adding milk 1/2 cup milk & 1/2 cup water)

  • chopped cashew, pistachio and a pinch of saffron strand (add in cooker)

  • 1 tbsp ghee

  • Pinch of salt

  • 1/2 cup Grated low fat Paneer

  • 1 tsp freshly crushed Cardamom powder + 1 tbsp ghee

  • chopped cashew and pistachio for garnishing 

Preparation

Step 1

Add ingredients with salt in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles, and once cool, remove it from the cooker. Let it cook further to absorb all the liquid.

Step 2

Add low fat paneer, cardamom powder, ghee.

Step 3

Serve it warm with the garnish. Enjoy.

Moong Dal Halwa 

moong ka halwa

Nutty, fragrant, and irresistibly warm, this version skips the refined sugar in favour of jaggery and saffron, with almond flour adding a protein-packed boost. It’s comforting with a crunchy, wholesome edge.

Ingredients

  • 100 gms moong dal (soaked for 5-6 hours, drained and ground to paste)

  • 1 cup Jaggery + 1 cup water

  • 1 cup water

  • 1 tsp Cardamom powder

  • Ghee 200ml

  • 2 tbsp almond flour

  • 1 tbsp besan 

  • 2 tbsp Chopped pistachio

  • 2 tbsp Chopped almond

  • Few Saffron strands

Preparation

Step 1

Mix water, jaggery and cardamom powder. Let it simmer on low flame for 10 minutes till all the jaggery melts and turns into a syrup.

Step 2

Heat 100 ml ghee in a kadhai. Add almond flour and besan. Cook till it starts leaving a nutty aroma and the ghee starts separating on the sides.

Step 3

⁠Mix a pinch of saffron in 2 tbsp warm water. Add it to the mix.

Step 4

Add moong dal paste. Keep stirring and cooking for 5-7 minutes.

Step 5

Add jaggery syrup. 

Step 6

Keep adding water little by little till it absorbs it all. Now add remaining 100 ml ghee.

Step 7

Cook till it starts looking translucent. Add 1 tbsp of pistachio and almond.

Step 8

Serve it topped with the rest of the pistachio, almond and some saffron strand. Enjoy!

Khoya Paneer Gulabjamun 

Gulab Jamun

Soft, melt-in-your-mouth goodness made with paneer and rajgira flour instead of refined ingredients. Soaked in a jaggery-saffron syrup, it’s proof that indulgence doesn’t need a sugar rush.

Ingredients

  • 500 gm khoya

  • 200 gm paneer

  • 2 pinches baking powder or 2 tbsp sweet yogurt

  • 6-8 tbs rajgira flour

  • 2 cups jaggery

  • 3 cups Water

  • Saffron

  • 1 tsp Elaichi powder

  • Elaichi, a few whole and a few chopped

Preparation

Step 1

Mash Khoya and Paneer very well and mix them. Making sure no lumps are left. Mix it well. It will take 4-5 minutes.

Step 2

Mix Elaichi powder to it. Add flour, baking powder. Mix well. 

Step 3

Make small rounds lime size, leave it for 15 minutes covered.

Step 4

Heat ghee and fry it in the ghee till it turns brown. You can also opt for an air fryer.

Step 5 

While you’re doing this. Start prep up for the syrup. Add jaggery and water and let it dissolve. Add saffron threads and turn off the gas.

Step 6

Now add warm Gulab jamun to the syrup. Soak for 2 hours. And enjoy.

With these three revamped mithai recipes, you get all the indulgence without the sugar crash. Whether it’s the cosy warmth of Gajar Ka Halwa, the nutty richness of Moong Dal Halwa, or the delight of Khoya Paneer Gulab Jamun, each bite brings comfort, nostalgia, and a healthier twist. So go on, satisfy that sweet tooth, minus the regret.

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