The Baker's Dozen: A Taste of India's Sweets

Though its name might conjure the imagery of a beaten flea market or dingy convenience store, offers a bright and colorful display counter amidst a cute and comfortable dinning area. Located in the heart of Little India, they specialize in desserts native to India. They also offer an array of dine-in options (many of which are vegetarian) for those seeking a more complete meal. 

After reading the 100 reviews on Yelp and their feature in Food & Wine Magazine, it is undeniable that Surati Farsan Mart is one of Artesia's most beloved eateries.  In fact, Surati's desserts are so popular that people from all over the country order their favorite snacks and sweets through their online store. 

As a person that has never sampled the sweet flavors of Indian desserts, I was eager to feast on Suranti Farsan's famous foods. Below is a list of what I tried and how I liked them:

Kajukatri
According to the Suranti staff, the kajukatri is the most popular dessert amongst customers. This soft, diamond-shaped treat is made up of cashew powder and  blended with sugar. The taste is simple and sweet. One can easily imagine eating an entire tray of kajukatri. 

Rose Kaju Badam Rolls
These little treats offers a taste that was definitely new to my pallet, as they are made with almond, filled with raisin, and sprinkled with shredded coconut. Each layer provided a very distinct flavor (particularly the rose flavor) and texture. 

Magaj
The magaj is a sweet square of besan flour and sugar that is sprinkled with cardimum & pistachio chips. The texture is almost cheese-like, as if you're eating a cube of tofu or dairy product. The creamy quality of this dessert is well complimented by the flavors of pistachio. 

Kaju Pista Roll
This roll  consists of swirl of cashew and pistachio. Essentially, it is the same as the kajukatri (the first treat on my list), but paired with pistachio. Like the kajukatri, one can imagine eating a great number of these snacks.

Chocolate Covered Rose Kaju Badam Rolls
As the name suggests, these are rose-flavored kaju rolls with an almond and raisin filling dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with shredded coconut. Here, the rose flavor seems to play second fiddle to the flavors of chocolate and coconut. If you are a fan of Almond Joys, this is something you will want to try.

Anjir Pista Rolls
This dessert is pretty much the kaju pista roll wrapped in chewy figs. The figs give off a very sweet aroma and, compared to the kaju pista roll, the cashew and pistashio flavors are much  more subtle. In addition to the figs, there are also these tiny balls that add a nice cruch to the texture. 

For more information on Surati Farsan Mart's treats, gift boxes, or dine-in options, please visit their official website.