Dry Fruits and Nuts Laddu/Laadu/Unde

 It is always to have some dry fruits and nuts to boost our energy and keep us healthy. I have prepared varieties of laddu / laadu using some of this ingredients. Here is one more Dry fruit and nuts laddu. This Laddu is prepared with out using fire.

Dry fruits and nuts are loaded with healthy medicinal values, vitamins and minerals. They are rich source of iron, calcium and other minerals. 

These Dry fruits and nuts Laddu is healthy and anyone can have it at any time of the day. 

It is good for kids snack box, travel, feast and festivals.

Please do remember to use soft dates.

Let us see the recipe now :

Things needed :

Dates : 500 Gr.

Rock Candy / Kallu Sakkare / Crystal Sugar : 50 Gr.

Almonds : 200 Gr. 

Raisins : 1 Handful

Apricot and Figs : 5 to 6 (Each).

Method :

1. Remove seeds from dates and put it in a bowl.

2. Add 1 handful of raisins.

3. Add crystal sugar/ candy sugar/ Kallu sakkare. Mash it nicely. 

4. Dry grind almonds into powder. (Some into big pieces).

5. Add it to dates bowl. 

6. Cut Apricot and fig into small pieces and add it with dates.

7. Now mix all the nuts and fruits nicely and prepare laddu.

8. Take a handful of the nuts and dry fruits mixture and make roundels.

9. Dry Fruits and nuts Laddu is ready to serve. 

10 Munch at any time of the day.

 OR 

Pack it for friends.

NOTE :

I have used soft lion dates. You should use soft dates to get good laddu.

No need of using any ghee or oil.

You can dry grind crystal sugar/ Kallu sakkare, figs and apricots. (Optional). I have not done it.

Time : 30 Minutes

Serves : 20 Laddu. (According to size).

Shelf life : At least 2 Weeks. 

Rice Flour - Moong - Urid chakkuli

Chakkuli ..chakkuli yummy yummy chakkuli. Crispy Chakkuli, Crunchy Chakkuli .

Oh, chakli, chakkuli, muruku, is one of the fried fritters from Karnata since ages. We have read about the pregnant women wants to have chakkuli, the kid wants chakli in her snack box, when the son in law arrive, there will be loads of snack but he likes chakli very much. We want to pack chakkuli while travelling to touring, picnic or even International visit, where son or the daughter waiting to see what all snacks are sneaked and traveled so far.
I am writing all this above because Chakkuli has so much importance in our Indian culture. For Gokulastami /Shree Krishna Janmastami we prepare chakkulis, Ganesha Festivals we do prepare and How can we forget our Deepavali, festival of life has to be have chakkuli. It is easy to prepare and pack, yummy to have and it has a long shelf life.
In Olden days or the days gone, chakkuli used to prepared with using urid dal and rice flower only. Days have gone and so much experiments, different ingredients also used for making chakkuli. Rava chakkuli, Same /little millet chakkuli, palak chakkuli, potato chakkuli, cashews chakkuli, Aval/Poha chakkuli, ragi chakkuli, jolada chakkuli, so the list goes on.
For the festival I have tried here one of the yummy chakkuli recipe and I am sure you too will surely like it, prepare it and enjoy it. It is soft, crispy, crunchy and of course easy.

Just remember you do not use much of roasted chenna, only 2 tablespoons.
I have used rice flour, cooked moong, urid dal, sesame seeds, roasted chenna, little jeera and butter.
The butter also should be minimum or chakkuli might absorb more oil while frying.
No need to roast any thing. Just cook dals separately and then mix it nicely.

Here is the recipe :

Ingredients :

Fine Rice Flour :  3 1/2 to 4 Cups
Urid dal : 1/2 Cup
Moong dal : Little less than 1/2 cup. 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Roasted Chenna /Huri Kadale /Pottu Kadale : 2 Tablespoons
Butter : 2 Tablespoons
Red chilly Powder : 1 Teaspoon
Jeera : 1 Teaspoon
Sesame Seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Oil : 2 Cups (To Fry)
Salt : As Required
Chakli Mould

Method :

1. Wash and cook urid dal and moong dal separately with required water. (Pressure cook).
Let it cool.

2. Dry grind Roasted Chenna / Huri Kadale / Pottu Kadale and keep it aside.
3. Put cooked dals in a big bowl. Smash it nicely. Add salt, rice flour, jeera, sesame seeds, chilly powder and butter.

4. Add dry ground Roasted Chenna and mix all the ingredients nicely.
5. Now add required water and prepare chakli dough. (Add water little by little).

6. Divide the dough into small portions.
7. Take a handful of dough and insert it inside the chakli mould.

8. Press the chakli on the clean cloth.

9. Keep Oil on the fire and heat.

10. Fry chakli in hot oil on medium flame. Fry on both sides.
11. Remove from the hot oil and put it on a kitchen tissue.

12. Repeat the same with remaining dough and prepare the remaining chakkuli.
13. Keep it in a big bowl and let it cool.

14. Store crispy chakkuli in a airtight box or bottle.

15. Serve with a cup of coffee/tea/juice anything of your choice.

Note :

Remember the chakkuli will be so soft while preparing./pressing. Do it carefully or it might break while leaving in oil.
Moong dal adds to the taste. You can dry roast a little and then use it. I have not done it. Let the moong be lesser than urid dal. Adding roasted chenna is optional. Adding hot oil (2 to 3 tbs), instead of butter is optional. Keeping more oil for frying is optional. Adding  more red chilly is optional.
Time 40 to 60 minutes.
Serves : As per your desire

Shelf life : Nearly 2 Weeks.

Tava Roasted Sweet Potato Snack

Sweet Potato is one of the healthy carbohydrate filled vegetable. It is said that eating sweet potato is good for our health. We do use sweet potato for many dishes. Here is a simple snack which fits to all aged group and good to have in the evening and believe me it is yummy. Try and enjoy this easy, quick, healthy and simple Sweet Potato Snack.

I have given the name as tava/pan roasted, because I did not use much oil. Only drizzled some oil and cooked on low flame to taste better. Try and Enjoy.
All You need is sweet potatoes, carrot, and if you are an onion lover, onion pieces and little chat masala to add some spice to the chat.

Let us see some benefits of Eating " Sweet Potato " in our diet.

Sweet Potatoes are filled with vitamins and minerals. They help to boost our immunity system. They are fiber rich. They are good for controlling diabetes and people who suffer from blood pressure. They are rich in potassium. Potatoes help to digest the food easily since they are rich in fiber and good for people who suffer from constipation. It is rich in iron and Vitamin A which is essential for hormones and fertility. Sweet Potato is filled with anti - inflammation and anti oxidant properties.
Sweet potatoes are good for eye health. They are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B3 Vitamin B6, manganese, magnesium and copper.
Let us see the recipe Now.
Tava Roasted Sweet Potatoes are good for kids and all the age group people. They are soft, turned crisp at the outer layer and taste yummy.

Things Needed :

Sweet Potatoes : : 2 to 3 ( Medium sized )
Carrot : 1
Onion : 1 ( Optional )
Green chutney : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander leaves : 1 Tablespoon
Green chilly : 1
Cooking Oil : 2 Tablespoons
Garam Masala : 1/2 Tsp
Chat Masala : 1/2 Tsp
Salt : As required :
Curd : 1/2 Cup

Method :

1. Wash and scrape out the outer layer and grate carrot and keep it aside.
2. Wash and cut green chilly and coriander leaves. Crush them with little salt. Keep it aside.

3. Remove the outer layer of onion and cut into small pieces.
4. Wash and cook sweet potatoes and remove the outer layer and cut them into small ( according to your wish).
5. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Sprinkle some oil and place the small pieces of sweet potatoes on the pan. Roast them on low flame. Sprinkle some oil on the top.

6. Turn the other side and cook them till they turn golden brown. Sprinkle little salt, garam masala and chat masala and let it fry slowly.

7. Remove them to a plate. Repeat the same with remaining pieces.

Now Plating :

1. Without Onion :
   Take a serving plate and spread some carrots and place roasted sweet potatoes on it.
 Sprinkle some more carrots and crushed green chilly and coriander mixture. Serve.

2. With Onions :

Take a serving plate. Spread carrot gratings. Place sweet potatoes. Add carrot gratings and cut onions. Put crushed coriander - green chilly mixture.  Serve.

3. With Curd : Adding onion is optional. I have not added onions.

Take a plate and spread carrots and place roasted sweet potato pieces.
Add some carrot gratings and coriander leaves - green chilly mixture.
Add curd on the top and serve.

Note : 

Do not over cook sweet potatoes. It does not taste good. Adding more oil and shallow frying sweet potato pieces is optional.
Use of onion is optional. Sprinkle some salt on the top is optional.
Let the spice be minimum. Crushed green chilly and coriander leaves adds to the taste.
Time : 15 Minutes if you already cooked sweet potatoes. To cook sweet potatoes another 5 to 6 minutes and to cool 10 minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3 .

Almonds - Corn flakes Laddu

Laddu/ Laadu / Unde is one of the healthy sweet done and stored for munching at any time of the day.

Here are some laddu which I prepared for distributing it for our relatives with Kashi Tirtha. We had been to Kashi/Varanashi , Gaya, Ayodhya and Prayag Rajya. It was beautiful trip with our friends and always cherish the memory. 

Visiting Kashi Vishwanatha temple is one such moment and taking dip in Ganga River and other holy rivers really an awesome feeling. Ok it is left to people with believers and non believers any ways. One has to enjoy his or her feelings and cherish the moment that he or she gone through.

Coming back to Laddu, I have prepared this type of laddu using corn flakes and ground nuts, for Our Kashi tour and distributed among us in the bus while travelling to Gaya from Varanashi. 

I have done that laddu on Facebook live too. It is an easy, healthy, quick and simple to prepare and you can enjoy it any time of the day. Here I used almonds instead of groundnuts. 

The ingredients I used are mainly Corn flakes, almonds, jaggery. Thats it.Minimum ingredients and healthy laddu to be munched. It stays for a week or little more days and it and no coconut used here.

Lets see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Corn flakes  : 500 Grams

Almonds : 250 Grams 

Jaggery : 250 Grams 

Ghee : 3 To 4 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Dry Grind Kelloggs corn flakes. ( No needs to roast )

2. Dry Grind almonds /badami in to rava consistency and shift it to a bowl.

3. Mix both the powdered almonds and corn flakes and keep it aside.

4. Take a big pan and keep it on a fire. Add powdered jaggery and 1/4 Cup of water.

5. Let it dissolve completely. Sieve it and  keep it aside.

6. Now take cleaned jaggery and put it to a pan. Keep it on the fire and let it boil.

7. Stir in between and let it get one string consistency. Let it be on low flame. (Whole procedure).

8. Add powdered almonds - cornflakes mix and mix it well. 

9. Take away the pan from fire and keep it down.

10. Put 3 to 4 tablespoons of ghee and mix it nicely. 

11. Take a small portion from it and prepare laddu. 

12. If you find the laddu mixture dry add 2 tablespoons of hot milk and mix it well. 

13. You can easily prepare laddu. Prepare laddu with remaining mixture.

14. Let it completely cool. Store in air tight box or bottle.

Note :

Check with one string consistency. Do not add more water. It takes long time to get thick.

Do it on low flame. Adding ghee more /less is optional. Adding more ghee taste better. You can add ghee instead of hot milk if the mixture turns dry. Heat the ghee and then use it. It is always better to clean jaggery and then use it.

Time : 30 Minutes

25 to 30 Laddus can be prepared. (The size must be small).
Watch to Know more about making Almonds - Corn flakes Laddu