Navratri is on, and so the Pujo season. Durga Puja is a time a lot of people in the country look forward to all year. There is so much to look forward to! The festive clothes, the pandals and most importantly for most people, the endless variety of delicious foods they get to sample at stall after stall and pandal after pandal.

Fried foods, sugary foods, unhealthy foods, it’s difficult to really eat healthy during this time for people celebrating the occasions. When you care about your health, you get to experience the togetherness of the festival, but not the indulgence.

Not if we can do anything about it. At Lakanto, we’ve always believed that the joy of having your favourite sweets should never come in the way of a life that is better lived: physically, mentally and emotionally. That has always been the driving force behind our range of Monkfruit sweeteners. We’re pretty proud of the fact that the sweetener is simply perfect to create a lot of Indian sweets, because Lakanto cooks and bakes just like sugar.

Give it a shot with this recipe for a dish that almost any Pujo lover would enjoy, a true classic. The Bengali Mishti Pulao, with all the deliciousness you would expect of it, but with none of the sugar.

What you’ll need

• 1 cup Basmati Rice
• 1/3 cup Dry Fruits Cashew, Walnuts, Raisins, Pistachios, etc.
• 2 cup Water
• 2 tbsp Ghee or Clarified Butter
• 2 tbsp Lakanto Classic Monkfuit Sweetener
• Salt to Taste
• 1/2 tsp Bengali Garam Masala Powder
• 2 Green Chilies
• Chopped Coriander Leaves for garnish

Steps

1. Heat ghee in a pan and toss in the dry fruits, stirring and frying them until the raisins puff up and the cashews turn golden.
2. Once done, stir the rice in for the next 2 to 3 minutes on medium flame.
3. As the grains fry in the ghee, they will release an unmistakable aroma and dry out.
4. Now, add water, Salt, Sugar, Bengali Garam Masala powder and Chilies. Stir and let it simmer with the lid on.
5. Once the water is absorbed, take the lid off and with chopsticks, stir from the bottom to loosen the grains of the rice.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Find a healthier, tastier version of the classic Bengali Mishti Pulao, we dare you. Try it out and share the results with us on Instagram @lakanto_in!