Dates and poppy seeds Burfi

Dates and Poppy seeds burfi is a healthy burfi, that I have tried during this Deepavali. No sugar or jaggery is added to this bar and is nice to chew the healthy, yummy and easy  Dates and poppy seeds.

I have used Dates, almonds, cashews, raisins, figs and poppy seeds.
It is an easy and healthy burfi that all age group can enjoy and more of it it is diabetic friendly. Sweet teeth people can munch this burfi at any time of the day. Good to carry for travelling and good snack for the kids snack box. It is energetic and loaded with good minerals and vitamins.
I prepared this Dates burfi during Deepavali and packed it as one of the sweet to our relations.
Dates and Poppy Seeds Burfi Has NO Sugar, NO Ghee or any fat and No Coconut.
Preferably use ripe and soft Dates to prepare this burfi.
Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients 

Dates : 400 Grams
Raisins : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Almonds : 20 to 25
Cashews : 10 to 15
Figs : 5 to 6
Poppy Seeds : 3 to 4 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Remove the seeds from Dates and put it in a big bowl.
2. Cut cashew nuts and figs into small pieces.

3. Dry grind almonds into powder consistency.
4. Put all the dry fruits into a big bowl. Kneed them well and let it mix well. ( Dates, raisins, cut cashews, figs and powdered almonds).
5. Spread a tablespoon of poppy seeds in a tray or plate.
6. Put dry fruits dough in the tray and press it evenly. Use chapati roller to even it in equal level.

7. Spread remaining poppy seeds on the top of the burfi and just press it slightly.

8. Leave it for a while. Cut it according to your desired shape.

9. Remove from the tray and store in a box.

10.  Serve or munch at any time of the day.

Note :

The dates you use should be soft. You need to kneed the mixture nicely so that it mixes well and sets well as burfi. Dates proportion should be more, so that it adds to the sweet taste. The sweet taste is natural and good for all age group and the diabetic people.
Time : 30 Minutes. 
Serves : 20 Pieces. ( According to size and shape ).

Energy Laddu

Energy Laddu /Laadu /Unde is an easy dish and it helps to keep you full and provides energy. These energy laddu is prepared using dry coconut, jaggery, poppy seeds, oats, almonds, raisins and little ghee.

These laddu/laadu/unde is full of nutritious and healthy. Eating a laadu keeps you full for a long time. These Energy Laadu can be taken for travelling, kids snack box, kids parties and ladies kitty party.
These Energy Laddu is diabetic friendly and it has oats.

Lets see some benefits of eating poppy seeds in our diet.
Poppy seeds are filled with medicinal values. They helps to keep our mind and body cool. They are filled with anti-oxidants and a mono saturated fatty acid called Oleic acid. It helps in lowering the bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol level in blood. Poppy seeds have good source of dietary fiber.It is good for people who suffer from constipation. Poppy seeds are filled with B -complex vitamins. They contain good amounts of minerals like, copper, calcium, potassium, manganese, zinc and magnesium. Copper helps in the production of red blood cells. Potassium helps in regulating heart rate and blood pressure. It is good for soothing nervous irritability and act as pain killers. Poppy seeds are used in many traditional medicines and in the preparation of cough mixture.
Let is see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Oats : 400 Grams
Almonds : 1 Small cup / 15 to 20 pods
Jaggery : 1 big cup 150 to 200 grams
Raisins : 1 Small cup
Ghee : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Dry coconut : 1 ( Small one )
Cardamom : 5 to 6 Pods
Poppy Seeds : 2 Tablespoons
Home made Rose Gulkand : 2 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Dry roast oats for 5 minutes till the raw smell goes off. Dry grind once it is cooled.

2. Cut dry coconut into small pieces.

3. Dry grind almonds, dry coconut and oats like powder consistency.

4. Keep a pan on the fire and put jaggery and 1/4 cup of plain water. Let jaggery melt completely.
5. Let it boil and get one thread consistency. Stir in between and let it boil for another 2 to 3 minutes on low and medium flame. Add home made gulkand at this point. Mix it well. ( Optional ).

6. Put off the fire and keep the jaggery melted pan down. Add powdered oats, almonds, coconut, raisins and 2 tablespoons of ghee.

7. Mix all the ingredients nicely and take a small amount of the mixture and make laddu/laadu/unde.

8. Prepare more laddus and arrange it in a big bowl or tray.
9. Sprinkle poppy seeds on them and slowly turn the bowl, roll laddu and make the unde to get proper puppy seeds on each laddu.

10 Let all the laddus cool a bit. Now you can put them in a box and serve when ever you want.
11. 40 Laddus can be prepared.

12. Put them in a steel box and store. This Laddu can be kept for a week.

Note :

It is a must to use completely dry coconut.
I have used organic jaggery from Udupi. So did not filter the jaggery water. Used it directly.
Use of more ghee is optional. Use of gulkand is optional. Gulkand adds to the taste and aroma.
Add more ghee on the top of the mixture and prepare laddu quickly or add little warm milk and prepare laddu.
Time : 30 to 40 Minutes.
Serves : 40 Small Laddu can be prepared.
Purely Indian Sweet/Desert/ Energy Laddu.

JAGGERY NUTS BURFI

Jaggery nuts barfis are very nice to have them. It takes us to our childhood days where we used to buy some gol gol (round) jaggery balls and chewing it for a long time. What a fun and relish.

I have used Almond flakes generously. It adds to the rich taste. I got this Almond Flakes from Veena/Krishnaveni Beedarahalli (Vidya's sister). She stays in U.S. and in her recent visit she brought these Almond Flakes and some chocolates too.
I have used Almond flakes, jaggery, raisins and Almonds. There is no coconut in this burfi.
Lets see some benefits of eating nuts in our diet.
Nuts in general provide energy. protein and good amount of anti oxidants. They do contain vitamins and minerals and Omega -3 fatty acids. It contain unsaturated fats and helps to lower the cholesterol levels. It is full of fiber and helps to prevent type 2 diabetes. Nuts are rich with Vitamin E and it helps to stop the plaques in our arteries. Nuts are good plant protein content. They are filled with minerals like magnesium, zinc, calcium, phosphorus. They help in by providing energy and strengthen our immune system.
Lets see the recipe now.

Things Needed :

Jaggery : 1 Cup
Wheat flour : 1 Cup
Raisins : 2 Tablespoons
Almond flakes : 1 Cup
Ghee : 2 Teaspoons

Method : 

1. Keep a pan on the fire and put wheat flour and dry roast till the raw smell disappear.

2. Remove the roasted flour to a dry plate.
3. Put jaggery in the pan. Add  2 Tablespoons of water and let it melt nicely.
4. Keep stirring. Jaggery starts to buble. Stir for 2 more minutes. ( On Low flame ).

5. Add raisins  and wheat flour slowly. Stir it well so that it mixes with jaggey nicely.

6. Keep stir till it starts to thicken and leaves the sides. Apply ghee to a plate and keep aside.
7. Add 1/2 cup of Almond flakes and mix it well. Add ghee and mix it.

8. Shift the ready jaggery mixture to the plate and spread it evenly. Spread the remaining Almond flakes and press it with spatula. Let it stick to the burfi.

9. Let it cool. Cut them according to your wish. It takes longer time to get it thick.
10. Remove the burfi (piece of nuts and jaggery) and put it in a steel box.

11. At First jaggey nuts burfi is chewy and then it turns hard once it is cooled.
12. Eat /serve according to your wish.

Note :

The burfi texture in the beginning is chewy. Later it turns hard. I have used organic jaggey. Do the whole process on low flame. Adding badam/almond taste nice. You can add ground nuts instead of badam/Almonds. Taste differ. No need to add more ghee.If you do not have Almond flakes just dry grind almonds for 1 minute and sprinkle the powder on the top of burfi, which adds to the taste of burfi.
Time : 20 Minutes
Serves : 10 to 15 pieces. (According to your wish. Small /big size).

Dry Fruits Cake (Without Egg)

Cake is desert and I prepared in this way of using Maida /All purpose flour, butter/ghee/oil.

It is nice to have a piece of cake when you have tea or coffee. Having a piece of cake has no particular time. This is an eggless cake.

I have used some dry fruits (very little amount) at the end just before baking. It adds to the taste and gives nice colour too. No egg in this cake. 

Lets see the recipe now :

Things Needed 

All purpose flour/Maida : 2 Cups

Sugar : 1 Cup

Curd : 1/2 Cup

Cardamom : 3 to 4 pods

Oil : Little more than 3/4 cup

Baking Soda : a pinch

Baking powder : 1 Teaspoon

Dry Fruits : 2 Tablespoons .(Almonds, cashews, raisins, Fig and dates).

Method :

1. Sieve Maida, baking powder and baking soda and keep it aside.

2. Dry grind sugar and then add curd, oil and grind it till it gets fluffy.

3. Add cardamom and grind for 1 minute.

4. Remove from the liquidizer and put it in a bowl.

5. Cut dry fruits into small and keep it aside.

6. Now take a big pan and put ground oil, sugar and curd mixture. 

7. Add sieved maida and slowly mix all the ingredients well.

8. Greece the baking tray with oil.

9. Pour this mixture to the tray and add dry fruits on the top. 

10 . Bake this in the oven for 25 minutes ( 180 degree C). 

11. Just insert a knife edge to make sure cake is baked well. 

12 Serve fresh dry fruits cake with a cup of Tea/Coffee.

Note :

You should have an oven to bake the cake. or try in micro wave ...baking option. You can use ghee/butter instead of oil. (any cooking oil). Adding curd makes the cake soft and fluffy. Adding vanilla essence is optional. More dry nuts can be added.

Time : 

Total time 25 to 30 minutes to bake  + 10 minutes to preparation  

Serves : 25 small pieces can be made.