Best desserts you must try in India

Mithais, or sweet treats, are an integral part of Indian cuisine. While they’re enjoyed during a hearty meal, sweets and desserts are also central to Indian festivals. Here are some of the most delicious Indian desserts that you need to try on your visit to the country.

Laddu

Laddu is the most popular festive treat in India. There are many different versions of this favourite sweet and the most popular is motichoor laddu. It is believed that the dessert was invented by an ancient Indian physician, Susutra, who used sesame laddus as an antiseptic to treat his surgical patients. Laddus are also the most common sweet offerings made to God.

Kheer

There are a lot of different milk-based puddings in India and kheer is one of the most-loved among them. It is made by boiling rice with milk and sugar and later garnished with saffron, cardamom, dry fruits and nuts. Kheer, phirni and payasam are all different variants of Indian milk puddings. In South India, rice is replaced with vermicelli and the dish is called seviyan.

Gajar ka halwa

Gajar ka halwa is a dessert made from grated carrots, which are first simmered in milk and cardamom. The mixture is then fried in ghee (clarified butter) and sugar. Finally, the dish is garnished with dried fruits. The dessert started becoming popular during the Mughal period and today, it is served during both Hindu and Muslim festivals in India, including Diwali and Eid al-Fitr.

Sandesh

Bengalis are known for their love of sweetmeats and sandesh is one of West Bengal’s most popular treats. Sandesh is traditionally made from chenna, a residue of curdled milk. Some believe that the dessert was inspired by the cheese-based dishes that early European traders brought along with them to the city of Kolkata.

Kaju barfi

Kaju barfi is a cashew-based Indian dessert similar to fudge. It is traditionally shaped like a diamond and is one of the more expensive sweets found in the country. It is therefore considered a valued gift during festivals and special occasions.

Kulfi

Kulfi is the Indian version of an ice cream. Like many Indian desserts, kulfi has also been borrowed from Persian cuisine. It was made popular when the Mughals settled down in India and the dessert is also mentioned in the literature of this period. The flavour of kulfis is often enhanced with pistachios and saffron.

See more: 6 best curries to try in India

Source: Internet

4 must-visit flower gardens in Da Lat

Da Lat is “thousands of flowers city” in Vietnam Central Highlands. It would be a huge mistake for tourists to skip its collection of flower gardens. From the city’s immense one to local farms, people are supposed to be drown in the beauty of this “Kingdom of flowers”. 

The best time to see the vast charming attractiveness of this Da Lat “speciality” is in winter season, especially in December and January when the Flower Festival is held.

Langbiang Flower Farm

This site is about 5km from the centre, on the way to Langbiang Mountain and Suoi Vang Lake.
Besides traditional kinds like rose, lily, chrysanthemum, this 7-ha-farm is famous for eustomas. This kind of flower has made Langbiang Farm famous all over the country.

After a walk through 20 greenhouses stretching from the slope to the foot, it is great to visit the large flower exhibition room and listen to music.

Address: 42 Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Street, Da Lat City

Da Lat Flower Park

Being the top must-see in Da Lat, this is located at the end of Xuan Huong Lake, close to the romantic Cu Hill, just about 2km from the city centre. This used-to-be Bich Cau Flower Garden has been renovated and renamed to a flower garden of the city, where visitors can enjoy the biggest selection of flowers in Da Lat.

It is also an appealing attraction on the occasion of annual Flower Festival, with hundreds kinds of species such as, hortensiases, mimosas, roses, as well as other imported kinds like daffodils or lilies. Especially, this natural museum houses a garden of orchids and a garden of thousands cactus from Africa.

Address: 2 Phu Dong Thien Vuong Street, Da Lat City

Anh Quynh Orchid Farm

Anh Quynh Orchid Farm is famous for its cultivation of orchid, especially cymbidiums. Mr. Quynh, owner of the farm has successfully applied the technique of growing orchid on husk, which helps solve the problem of natural substrates. He is also known as a pioneer in planting new species of flowers in Da Lat.

Address: 44B Van Kiep Street, Da Lat City

Lam Sinh Farm

Similar to Anh Quynh Farm, this farm focuses on cymbidiums. However, Lam Sinh Farm of Mr. Che Quang De is even bigger. Its owner is the “King of Cymbidiums” in Vietnam with more than 20,000 orchid pots. It was his great dream with cymbidiums, “the queen of flowers”, that motivated him to move 20km from the city centre, to reclaim 22 ha land.

Address: Ap Lat Valley, Da Sa Commune, Lac Duong District, Da Lat City

Read more: 5 vegan restaurants you should try in Da Lat

Source Internet

What to do in Goa, India for couples

A little confused with so much to choose from? Yes, Goa can overwhelm you with its offerings, but to ensure you get the crème de la crème of this paradise, we have put down a list of incredibly romantic endeavors that you and your partner can do together, while you are in India.

Play with the water goddesses of Goa

Apart from the Arabian Sea, Goa can cast a spell on you with a series of waterfalls and lakes. Enjoy the pristine Dudhsagar Falls by foot or jeep, take a dip in the rapturous waters of the Arvalem Falls and watch the gorgeous sunset at the Salaulim Dam. You can also walk through refreshing streams to see the splendid Dudhsagar Falls do its thing between two neighboring hills.

If music be the food of love on, play on

Woo your sweetheart by taking him or her to one of the most romantic restaurants in Goa—the O’Coqueiro Restaurant, which literally means ‘coconut tree’ in Portuguese. The restaurant is a perfect setting for two—a charming Portuguese ancestral bungalow set amidst lush foliage is sure to stir the romance in your soul. The restaurant serves delicious Goan cuisine and a renowned music band plays a medley of light-hearted music on Friday.

Unravel the natural beauty of Goa together

Embark on an enthralling one-hour trek from Chorla Ghat to the pinnacle of the Vagheri Hills and let the gorgeous terrain intoxicate you with its exotic wild flowers, butterflies and birds. Spice up your romantic itinerary with an ocean trek from Kochra-Shriramwadi to Neuti Beach. Plunge into the waters together from the 20-foot-high rock (6 meters), have a leisurely lunch and then go see the historic Neuti Fort before sunset. Looking for a place to propose? Sonsogor is one of the highest peaks and virgin territory at that. The stunning view of the natural surroundings is the perfect setting to pop the question.

Explore the history of Old Goa

Yes, history can be romantic too. Have a hearty breakfast at one of the wayside cafes in Old Goa, don a comfortable pair of sneakers and explore the charming churches and cathedrals by foot. Go revel in the age old architecture of the Iberian façade and fabulous mosaic work of Sé Cathedral, the wood carvings and beautiful paintings of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, the richly gilded altars of Basilica of Bom Jesus, and finally the grand old queen, the Convent of Santa Monica, with its intimidating beauty and miraculous cross at the altar.

See more: 7 nightclubs in Goa, India

Source: Internet