Easy Indian Sweet Recipes for a Simple Buddha Purnima Offering

Buddha Purnima is a day of serene reflection, gentle devotion and gratitude. As you light lamps and chant soft prayers, let your kitchen become a sacred space where sweet offerings are made not just with ingredients, but with love and intention. Traditional Buddhist offerings are sattvic, which means they are pure, light, and non-stimulating, with a focus on clarity and nourishment. With that in mind, here are six easy Indian sweets for Buddha Jayanti that you can prepare at home for a humble yet heartfelt offering.

Sweetened Poha

This dessert requires no cooking, and is both quick and sattvic, being symbolic of simplicity and balance.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup poha (flattened rice)
• 1 ripe banana, sliced
• 2 tbsp grated jaggery
• 2 tbsp grated coconut
• A pinch of cardamom powder

Method:

• Rinse the poha in water briefly, then drain completely and set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the poha with the sliced banana and coconut. Give it a good mix.
• Sprinkle the jaggery and cardamom on top.
• Gently mix and let it rest for a few minutes to soften and for the flavors to seep into each other.
• Serve fresh as a light, cooling prasad.

Lauki (Bottle Gourd) Kheer

Delicate and milky, this dish is unique and ideal as an offering.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup grated bottle gourd (lauki)
• 2 cups milk (or almond milk for a vegan version)
• 2 tbsp jaggery
• 1 tsp ghee (optional)
• ½ tsp cardamom powder

Method:

• Grate the lauki using a cheese grater or peel using a peeling knife and then chop finely.
• Lightly saute the grated lauki in a little ghee until soft. The lauki should have absorbed most of the ghee.
• Then add milk to the mix and let it simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes. The lauki should start to absorb some of the milk and thicken.
• Once thickened slightly, add the jaggery and stir it in until fully dissolved.
• Sprinkle in the cardamom powder, stir well so it’s fully incorporated and let cool slightly.
• Serve warm or chilled, as per your preference.

Dates and Coconut Ladoo

This dessert recipe has no sugar, just natural sweetness, making it perfect for those with dietary restrictions.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup seedless dates, chopped
• ½ cup desiccated coconut
• 2 tbsp ghee
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder

Method:

• Heat ghee in a pan and drop in the dates.
• Saute the dates until they absorb the ghee and soften. They should start to blend into a paste.
• Then add the coconut and cardamom and mix well until thoroughly combined.
• Cool slightly so you can handle with your hands and then shape the mixture into small ladoos.
• Roll them in a bit more coconut for a pretty finish.

Rava Sheera (Semolina Pudding)

This dish is soft, rich and perfect as an offering straight from the heart.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup semolina (rava/sooji)
• 1½ cups milk
• ¼ cup jaggery
• 2 tbsp ghee
• A few raisins and cashews
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder

Method:

• Heat ghee in a pan and roast rava until golden and fragrant.
• In another pan, warm the milk and dissolve jaggery in it.
• Slowly pour the sweetened milk into the rava while stirring constantly.
• Cook on low heat until thick and fluffy.
• Add cardamom, raisins and cashews. Mix and serve warm.

Sabudana Kheer (Tapioca Pearl Pudding)

This dish is gentle on the stomach, beautiful in a delicate bowl and adored by devotees.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup sabudana (tapioca pearls), soaked for 4 hours
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tbsp jaggery
• ½ tsp cardamom powder

Method:

• Boil the soaked sabudana in water for 5 minutes until translucent.
• Drain and add it to simmering milk.
• Cook until the mixture thickens slightly.
• Add jaggery and stir until melted.
• Finish with cardamom and let cool slightly before serving.

Banana Halwa

This recipe for a quick halwa is sacred and has a comforting joy, almost like a prayer on the tongue.

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 2 tbsp jaggery
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• A few chopped cashews (optional)

Method:

• Heat ghee in a non-stick pan and add mashed bananas.
• Cook for 5 minutes until the raw smell fades.
• Add jaggery and stir well.
• Once the mixture thickens and leaves the sides of the pan, add cardamom.
• Garnish with chopped cashews if using, and serve warm.