Every Dhanteras, our kitchen smells like ghee and toasted wheat before the puja thali is even set out. That smell means lapsi is on the stove: the sweet we make for good luck at the start of Diwali season. My mom always said the roast has to be patient, and the pot has to rest at the end, or you get lumpy paste instead of fluffy grains.
Instant Pot Fada Lapsi is my weeknight-friendly version of that same ritual sweet. You still get the nutty fada (coarse broken wheat), the warmth of jaggery, and the glossy finish that makes lapsi feel special. The Instant Pot handles the simmer so you can focus on the roast and the stir at the end, which is where the texture really happens.
If you have made lapsi on the stovetop and fought lumpy dalia, this instant pot fada lapsi method gives you clear cues at each step. Let’s make it together.
What Is Fada Lapsi?
Lapsi is a traditional Gujarati sweet made by roasting broken wheat in ghee, cooking it until tender, then sweetening it with jaggery or sugar. When the grain is coarse cracked wheat, Gujaratis call it fada lapsi or fada ni lapsi. In Hindi you will see dalia; in Tamil kitchens, godhumai rava.
Do not grab fine semolina or coarse wheat flour by mistake. Fine flour makes kansar, a related but different sweet with a denser, halwa-like texture. For lapsi, look for large- or medium-grain broken wheat labeled dalia or fada at Indian grocery stores.
When We Make It
In our home, lapsi is a Dhanteras sweet. Many Gujarati families also serve it on Diwali, Navratri, Raksha Bandhan, or any new beginning: a new home, a new job, a festival thali. It is often offered as naivedyam with a piece of fresh coconut on the side.
Because it is whole-grain and jaggery-sweetened, it feels nourishing rather than cloying. On a full Gujarati thali, we often pair it with savory dishes like methi thepla and karela nu shaak.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Instant Pot first: Sauté, pressure cook, and finish in one pot with predictable timing
- Jaggery-forward: Deep caramel notes without refined sugar (sugar swap notes in the card)
- Texture cues built in: Roast color, grain mash test, and a rest step for fluffy chutti lapsi
- Pressure cooker backup: Same ratios if you do not use an Instant Pot
- Festival-ready but weekday-friendly: Ready in under 45 minutes active time
- Kid-approved warmth: My kids love a small bowl after a spicy Gujarati dinner
Nutrition Highlights of Broken Wheat Lapsi
Broken wheat keeps the bran, so lapsi delivers more fiber than refined flour sweets. Jaggery adds minerals and a slower sweetness than white sugar. Ghee helps absorption of fat-soluble flavors and gives the dish its signature gloss.
For vegetarian families, it is a wholesome festival dessert that still feels like a treat. Pair lapsi with dal-heavy thali dishes like our mag ni chutti dal or browse our iron-rich vegetarian recipes for more nourishing meal ideas.
Tip from my kitchen: The rest after you add jaggery is not optional. Ten minutes off the heat with the lid on gives you separate, fluffy grains. Skip it once and you will never skip it again.
Instant Pot Fada Lapsi (Gujarati Broken Wheat Sweet)
Equipment
- Instant Pot 6 qt
- Stovetop kettle for boiling water
Ingredients
For the lapsi
- 1 cup coarse broken wheat (dalia / fada) large or medium grain
- 1/3 cup ghee plus 1 tablespoon if needed at the end
- 3 cups water boiling hot
- 3/4 cup jaggery grated, adjust to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 small piece cinnamon stick optional
- 1 pinch saffron soaked in 1 tablespoon warm water, optional
For the garnish
- 2 tablespoons cashews halved
- 2 tablespoons golden raisins
- 2 tablespoons almonds or pistachios slivered
Instructions
Roast and pressure cook (Instant Pot)
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté (Normal). When hot, add ghee, cashews, raisins, and cinnamon. Fry 1 to 2 minutes until cashews turn pale gold. Scoop out half the nuts and raisins for garnish; leave the rest in the pot.
- Add broken wheat. Stir constantly on Sauté for 7 to 8 minutes until the grain smells nutty and turns light golden brown. Do not rush this step on high heat.
- Pour in boiling water and deglaze the bottom well. Cancel Sauté.
- Close the lid, valve to Sealing. Cook High Pressure 8 minutes, then Natural Release 10 minutes. Release any remaining pressure.
- Open the lid. Press a grain between your fingers. It should mash easily. If still firm, add 1/4 cup hot water, close, and pressure cook 2 minutes with quick release.
Sweeten and finish
- Set pot to Sauté (Low). Stir in jaggery. Cook 6 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the jaggery melts and the mixture looks glossy and most moisture is absorbed. Add cardamom and saffron water.
- Turn off the heat. Cover with a glass lid or the Instant Pot lid (not sealed) and rest 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
- Garnish with reserved nuts and pistachio slivers. Serve warm.
Stovetop pressure cooker method
- Follow the roast steps in a pressure cooker on medium heat.
- Close the lid and cook on medium heat for 3 whistles. Let pressure drop naturally 10 minutes.
- Open, check grain doneness, then finish with jaggery on low heat as in the sweeten and finish steps above.
Notes
FAQs
Q1. Can I make this in the Instant Pot without the Sauté roast?
You can shorten the roast, but you will lose the nutty flavor and even color that define lapsi. At minimum, roast 5 minutes until fragrant.
Q2. Why did my lapsi turn lumpy?
Usually one of three things: dalia was not roasted enough, jaggery went in while the grain was still very wet without enough stirring, or the pot was not rested after cooking. Stir firmly on low heat and rest covered.
Q3. Can I use sugar instead of jaggery?
Yes. Use 2/3 cup sugar and skip dissolving jaggery separately. The flavor will be milder and less caramel-like.
Q4. Is lapsi the same as kansar?
No. Lapsi uses coarse broken wheat grains (fada). Kansar uses coarse wheat flour and a different texture. Check the bag label before you start.
Q5. Can I make vegan lapsi?
Replace ghee with neutral coconut oil or vegan butter. It will taste less traditional and miss that desi ghee aroma, but the method stays the same.
Q6. How do I store leftovers?
Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days. Sprinkle 1 tbsp water over the top before reheating in the microwave or on the stovetop with a lid on low.
Dhanteras lapsi is one of those recipes that connects me to every year we have lit the diya and shared the first sweet spoonful from the same brass bowl. The Instant Pot does not replace the ritual. It just makes the ritual easier to fit into a busy evening.
If you try this Instant Pot fada lapsi, leave a comment and tell me: do you prefer jaggery or sugar in yours, and what do you serve it with on your festival thali?
Made this? Share a photo and tag @petitepaprika on Instagram. I love seeing your kitchen creations!
