The sweet taste of mango heaven

My childhood was one of sweetness and spice. Whether it was a reward of a saffron-drenched jalebi, a rosewater-laced gulab jaman or a cardamom-flavoured, fudge-like barfi, I always found comfort in Pakistani sweets and desserts.

There’s a difference in the way we eat our sweets in Pakistan. Our ‘meetha’ (desserts) can accompany a cup of chai at teatime, and ‘meethai’ (sweetmeats) serve as a treat to mark a festive occasion. Those gulab jamans on restaurant menus seem to me but appendages, as it’s not usual to end a meal with rich, milky, syrup-drenched puddings. And most meals in Pakistan end with an array of cut seasonal fruit: summer sees mangos, falsas and kino oranges, while in winter we have apples, pomegranates, chickoo, apricots and guava.