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.

Banana - Wheat - Rava - Gulkand Cake

Banana - Wheat - Rava Gulkand Cake is the special cake prepared for my dear hubby's Birthday. We had planned for family lunch get-together.

The cake has come out very nicely with excellent flavour of home made healthy Gulkand, soft and fluffy. No egg is used here and it is very simple.
It is always a pleasure to prepare some special dish for people who are near to your heart.
I have used wheat flour ( Ashirvaad ), chiroti rava /thin variety of semolina, banana, gulkand which is done using organic jaggery, normally jaggery, curd, milk, cooking soda and baking powder.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things needed :

Wheat flour : 1 1/2 Cup
Chiroti Rava / Thin variety of semolina : 1/2 Cup
Curd : 1/2 Cup
Milk : 1/2 Cup
Jaggery : 1/2 Cup
Well ripe banana : 1 ( Small  Elakki banana).
Baking soda : 1/4 Teaspoon ( Two pinches)
Baking powder : 1 Teaspoon
Butter : 2 Tablespoons
Gulkand : 2 Teaspoons ( Optional)
Salt : A pinch

Method :

1. Sieve wheat flour, chiroti rava, salt,baking powder and cooking soda. ( 2 to 3 times.)

 2. Put curd, milk, butter and jaggery, banana to a mixi jar . Grind it nicely till it starts to get small bubbles. /Use egg beater and mix all the ingredients nicely.
3. Add two tablespoons of gulkand/any essence of your choice. Grind for another 2 minutes.

4. Remove from the mixi jar to a big bowl.

5. Add sieved wheat, rava, baking powder, salt and cooking soda.
6. Mix all the ingredients nicely. Move your hand on one direction while mixing the batter.

7. Heat the oven for 5 minutes.
8. Sprinkle some wheat flour in the baking tray.
9. Put ready cake mixture to the tray and tap the tray. Let the cake batter spread it equally.

10. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes with 180 degree celsius.

11. Take out the cake and keep it on the oven for 5 minutes.

12. Cut and serve or decorate once it is cooled.

Note :

Egg is not used in this Banana - Wheat  - Rava - Gulkand Cake. Use of jaggery and the rest of the ingredients are healthy ingredients.  You can use sugar instead of jaggey. Use of curd has turned the cake very soft and fluffy. Use less cooking soda. I have topped dates and they look like as if they have burnt. No they haven't burnt. Brown and black baked dates taste awesome. I do not like topping the cake with sugar and butter. So I left it as it is. Instead of butter you can use ghee or normal cooking oil. But butter taste the best. Add only very little butter. It gives nice aroma and is healthy too. You can use egg beater or any other modern equipment to mix, instead of grinding. I like it because you will not have that energy. I have added some dates on the top. (Optional).
Time : 40 Minutes. ( All included , sieving, mixing, grinding and baking.
Serves : 8 to 10.
Some pictures of family gathering .  Birthday Boy Mr. Jayarama Somayaji and His family ..