Janmashtami special Dates Mewa Paag made with dry fruits, gond and seeds. A delicious traditional sweet without refined sugar, perfect for bhog and prasad.
About Dates Mewa Paag Recipe
Mewa Paag is a rich and delicious traditional-style Indian sweet that is perfect for festive occasions and especially for Janmashtami bhog. This homemade version combines the goodness of dates, almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, coconut, gond and seeds. Instead of refined sugar, dates are used to provide natural sweetness. It is a wonderful option when you want to prepare a festive sweet at home with wholesome ingredients.
Why You’ll Love This Mewa Paag
- Made without refined sugar
- Naturally sweetened with dates
- Loaded with nuts and seeds
- Rich and delicious festive flavour
- Perfect for Janmashtami bhog and prasad
- Easy to prepare at home
- Can be prepared ahead of the festival
You can also try my other festive sweet recipes like Dry Fruit Modak, Coconut Jaggery Barfi, Mango Kalakand
Ingredient List for No Refined Sugar Mewa Paag
Dates
Dates are the main sweetening ingredient in this Mewa Paag. They provide natural sweetness, a soft texture and a rich caramel-like flavour without the need for refined sugar. Soaking them in warm water makes them soft and easier to blend into a thick paste.
Dates provide natural sweetness to this recipe and also contain several nutrients. You can learn more about their nutritional profile from Healthline
Ghee
Ghee is used at different stages of the recipe—to roast the gond, nuts and seeds and to cook the date mixture. It adds a rich traditional flavour and helps bring all the ingredients together. Ghee has lot of nutrition benefits you can read more about this from Webmd
Gond
Gond, or edible gum, is commonly used in traditional Indian sweets such as panjiri, ladoo and paag. When roasted in ghee, it puffs up and becomes light and crunchy. It adds a pleasant texture to the Mewa Paag.
Almonds
Almonds add crunch, nuttiness and richness to the recipe. Light roasting enhances their flavour and aroma.
Walnuts
Walnuts provide a distinctive earthy flavour and soft crunch. They also complement the sweetness of dates beautifully.
Dry Coconut
Dry coconut adds a naturally sweet, nutty flavour and gives the Mewa Paag a lovely texture. A little extra coconut powder can also be used for garnishing.
Cashews
Cashews give the Mewa Paag a creamy, rich mouthfeel and mild sweetness. They also help create a delicious contrast with the crunchy seeds and gond.
Pistachios
Pistachios add a beautiful green colour, delicate nutty flavour and festive appearance. They make the finished Mewa Paag look especially attractive for Janmashtami.
Watermelon Seeds
Watermelon seeds, also called magaz, add crunch and nuttiness. They are commonly used in Indian sweets, especially festive preparations.
Sesame Seeds (Til)
Sesame seeds add a lovely roasted aroma and slightly nutty flavour. Roasting them briefly before adding them to the mixture brings out their flavour.
How to Make Mewa Paag without Refined Sugar
1. Soak the Dates
Wash the dates well and soak them in ¼ cup warm water for 30–40 minutes. This softens the dates and makes them easier to grind.
2. Roast the Gond
Heat a pan on low-medium flame. Add 2 tbsp ghee and allow it to become hot. Add the gond and roast on low flame until it puffs well and becomes lightly golden. Transfer the roasted gond to a plate and keep aside.
3. Roast the Dry Fruits
In the same pan, add 1 tsp ghee. Add almonds, walnuts, dry coconut pieces, cashews and pistachios.
Lightly roast them for about 2–3 minutes on low flame. Avoid over-roasting the nuts. Transfer them to a plate and allow them to cool.
4. Roast the Seeds
Add another 1 tsp ghee to the pan. Add watermelon seeds and sesame seeds.
Roast for around 1–2 minutes until lightly roasted. Switch off the flame and allow everything to cool completely.
5. Prepare the Dry-Fruit Mixture
Once the gond has cooled, lightly crush it using a small bowl or katori. Transfer the roasted nuts to a grinder jar and pulse to make a coarse powder.
Do not grind the nuts into a fine powder. A little texture makes the Mewa Paag more delicious. Transfer the coarse nut mixture to a bowl.
Add crushed gond, roasted sesame seeds and watermelon seeds. Mix well.
6. Prepare the Date Paste
Drain the soaked dates if necessary and transfer them to a grinder jar. Grind into a thick, slightly coarse paste.
Avoid making the paste completely smooth.
7. Cook the Dates
Heat the same pan on low flame. Add 1½ tbsp ghee followed by the date paste.
Cook for around 2–3 minutes on low flame, stirring continuously.
8. Add the Mewa Mixture
Add the prepared dry-fruit, gond and seed mixture to the cooked dates. Mix everything thoroughly.
Continue cooking on low flame until the mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan and comes together into a dough-like consistency.
Switch off the flame.
9. Set the Mewa Paag
Grease a tray or plate with a little ghee. Transfer the mixture to the tray and spread it evenly.
Smooth the surface using a spatula. Sprinkle dry coconut powder and chopped dry fruits over the top and gently press them into the mixture.
Allow it to cool completely. Refrigerate for about 1 hour to help it set.
10. Cut and Serve
Once set, remove from the refrigerator and cut into your desired shape.
Your Janmashtami Special Mewa Paag is ready!
Serve it as bhog/prasad or enjoy it with your family during the festive season.
Storage
Store Mewa Paag in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
It can be kept refrigerated for approximately 7–10 days, provided it is handled hygienically and kept properly chilled.
Tips for Perfect Mewa Paag
1. Roast everything on low flame:
Nuts, seeds and gond can burn quickly, so gentle roasting gives better flavour.
2. Don’t make the nuts into a fine powder:
A coarse texture gives the Mewa Paag a much better bite.
3. Don’t overcook the dates:
Cook just until the date mixture combines well with the dry fruits.
4. Make sure the mixture reaches the correct consistency:
It should come together and start leaving the sides of the pan before you transfer it to the tray.
5. Cool before refrigerating:
Allow the mixture to cool first and then refrigerate it for setting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Mewa Paag without refined sugar?
Yes. In this recipe, dates are used instead of refined sugar for sweetness. You can also use jaggery, coconut sugar, or palm sugar to replace dates.
Is this Mewa Paag sugar-free?
It is free from added/refined sugar, but it is not sugar-free in the nutritional sense because dates naturally contain sugars.
Can I make this for Janmashtami bhog?
Yes, this is a lovely homemade festive sweet that can be prepared as a Janmashtami bhog/prasad, subject to your family’s or tradition’s ingredients and fasting/bhog rules.
How long can I store Mewa Paag?
Keep it refrigerated in an airtight container and ideally consume it within 7–10 days.
Recipe Card
Janmashtami Special Mewa Paag Recipe – No Refined Sugar
Ingredients
- 150 g dates
- ¼ cup warm water
- 2 tbsp ghee for roasting gond
- ¼ cup gond
- ¼ cup almonds
- ¼ cup walnuts
- ¼ cup dry coconut pieces
- ¼ cup cashews
- 2 tbsp pistachios
- 1 tsp ghee
- ¼ cup watermelon seeds
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- 1½ tbsp ghee for cooking the dates
- Dry coconut powder for topping
- Chopped dry fruits for topping
Instructions
Soak the Dates
- Wash the dates well and soak them in ¼ cup warm water for 30–40 minutes.
- This softens the dates and makes them easier to grind.
Roast the Gond
- Heat a pan on low-medium flame.
- Add 2 tbsp ghee and allow it to become hot.
- Add the gond and roast on low flame until it puffs well and becomes lightly golden.
- Transfer the roasted gond to a plate and keep aside.
Roast the Dry Fruits
- In the same pan, add 1 tsp ghee.
- Add almonds, walnuts, dry coconut pieces, cashews and pistachios.
- Lightly roast them for about 2–3 minutes on low flame. Avoid over-roasting the nuts.
- Transfer them to a plate and allow them to cool.
Roast the Seeds
- Add another 1 tsp ghee to the pan.
- Add watermelon seeds and sesame seeds.
- Roast for around 1–2 minutes until lightly roasted.
- Switch off the flame and allow everything to cool completely.
Prepare the Dry-Fruit Mixture
- Once the gond has cooled, lightly crush it using a small bowl or katori.
- Transfer the roasted nuts to a grinder jar and pulse to make a coarse powder.
- Do not grind the nuts into a fine powder. A little texture makes the Mewa Paag more delicious.
- Transfer the coarse nut mixture to a bowl.
- Add crushed gond, roasted sesame seeds and watermelon seeds. Mix well.
Prepare the Date Paste
- Drain the soaked dates if necessary and transfer them to a grinder jar.
- Grind into a thick, slightly coarse paste.
- Avoid making the paste completely smooth.
Cook the Dates
- Heat the same pan on low flame.
- Add 1½ tbsp ghee followed by the date paste.
- Cook for around 2–3 minutes on low flame, stirring continuously.
Add the Mewa Mixture
- Add the prepared dry-fruit, gond and seed mixture to the cooked dates.
- Mix everything thoroughly.
- Continue cooking on low flame until the mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan and comes together into a dough-like consistency.
- Switch off the flame.
Set the Mewa Paag
- Grease a tray or plate with a little ghee.
- Transfer the mixture to the tray and spread it evenly.
- Smooth the surface using a spatula.
- Sprinkle dry coconut powder and chopped dry fruits over the top and gently press them into the mixture.
- Allow it to cool completely.
- Refrigerate for about 1 hour to help it set.
- Cut and Serve
Video
Notes
2. Don’t make the nuts into a fine powder.
3. Don’t overcook the dates.
4. Make sure the mixture reaches the correct consistency.
5. Cool before refrigerating.
Festivals are incomplete without traditional Indian sweets, but making them at home gives us the opportunity to choose our ingredients carefully.
This Dates and Dry Fruits Mewa Paag is a delicious way to enjoy a festive mithai without using refined sugar.
Prepare it for Janmashtami, bhog, prasad or a festive family gathering and enjoy the rich combination of dates, nuts, seeds and gond.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Share your experience in the comments and don’t forget to explore more healthy, wholesome recipes on Healthically Kitchen.
