Dry Fruits Laddu (Without Sugar)

Happy New Year 2016 to Each and Every one.

Just thought of some thing sweet. My last post also is a sweet dish. This time I wanted to try this sweet with natural sweet content from dry fruits it self. It is a big hit and you also will love this sweet laddu and it is healthy dish, I don't have to tell you.
I have used some figs, dates and some nuts like almond, cashew and raisins.
Dry Fruits Laddu can be kept long and it can be given to kids in their lunch /snack box to munch during their snack time. It is 100% healthy and any one can eat them or munch them.
Lets see some benefits of having figs in our diet. 
Figs/Anjeer has numerous health benefits. It is rich source of dietary fiber and improves the digestion. It is good for people who suffer from constipation and irritable bowel syndrome. They are low in calories. It also helps to prevent hypertension. They are rich in antioxidants. They also help to eliminate free radicals that can cause blood vessels and take good care of heart. Figs help in strengthens our bones. It helps to cure anemia since it contain good amount of iron. Eating figs is a natural way to raise the hemoglobin level. It is rich source of minerals like zinc, iron,  manganese and magnesium. It also helps to balance the minerals between the potassium and sodium level in our body. It helps in reproductive health.
These Dry Fruits Laddus are easy to prepare and can be kept for many days.

Things Needed :

Dry Figs : 1 Cup
Dry dates : 1 Cups
Apricot : 1/2 Cup
Raisins : 1/2 Cup
Almonds : 1 Cup
Cashew Nuts : 1/2 Cup
Ghee : 1 Tablespoon
Red Kallusakkare ( Rock Candy) : 2 Tablespoons

Method :
1. Dry grind all the dry fruits (almonds, figs, dates, apricot and rock candy), one by one except raisins/drakshi and cashew nuts and keep it aside.
2. Cut cashew nuts into small pieces.

3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put ghee and fry cashew till they turn slightly red. Remove from the ghee. Add raisins and fry till they turn fluffy.

4. Now put all the dry ground ingredients in a big bowl. Add fried cashew nuts and raisins to it. Mix it well.

 5. Take a handful of nuts mixture and prepare laddu. The moisture in the dates, figs and apricot helps to prepare the laddu easily.

 7. Eat or serve a laddu in a day. (one laddu is more than enough per day).

Note :
Dry grind all the ingredients nicely till they turn powder. It helps to prepare laddu easily. You can add more ghee if you wish to. (but not necessary). Do not add any ground nuts or roasted chenna (hurikadale/pottu kadale). The taste differ. Adding more cashews and raisins are optional. Adding more rock candy is also optional. Adding dry coconut (Kobbari) is also optional. ( I have not used). Roasting all the nuts are also optional. (I have not roasted).

Time : 20 minutes
20 laddus can be made.  (size of the laddu matters).

Seethaphal Kesari Baat

Kesari baath is a sweet dish. It is prepared using Rava (semolina), sugar and ghee. We can add fruits while preparing this sweet dish. For example bananas are used to prepare sapatha (prasadam for Satyanarayana Pooja). Like wise we use pineapple, apple and mango and many other fruits. Here I have used Custard apple/Seetha Phal (sugar apple / custard apple) and prepared Kesari baat.
Seethaphal goes well with semolina and it adds beautiful aroma to the Kesari Baat.

Lets see some benefits of Eating Seethaphal/Custard apple/Sugar apple fruit.
Seethaphal/Custard apple is rich in copper. It helps in good digestion. It also helps to ease bowel movement and good for people who suffer from constipation. It has a good source of potassium and magnesium and they help to keep the blood pressure in control. It has a abundance of dietary fiber and helps to slow down the absorption of sugar. It also helps to reduce the cholesterol level. Seethaphal is rich source of iron and good for people who suffer from anemia.
Seethaphal Kesari Baat is a tasty sweet dish and can be eaten any time of the day.

Things needed : 

Semolina/Rava/Sooji (Medium) : 1 1/2 Cup
Sugar : 3/4 to 1 cup
Seethaphal fruits : 2
Ghee : 1/2 Cup
Cardamom : 4 to 5 Pods
Saffron : 3 to 4 Rakes or Turmeric powder
Dry fruits : (Raisins and Cashew nuts) : 2 Tablespoons
Water : 3 Cups

Method :

1. Powder cardamom and keep it aside.
2. Keep water for boiling.
3. Remove the seeds and put Seethaphal/Custard apple pulp in a bowl.

Seethaphal fruit Pulp

4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add 2 Tablespoons of ghee and let it melt.
5. Put cashew pieces and fry for 10 seconds. Add raisins and let it fluff  and turn golden colour.
6. Add Rava and fry till the raw smell disappear. (at least 5 minutes).

7. Add boiling water and mix it well and let it cook for 2 minutes.
8. Add sugar and seethaphal pulp. Mix it thoroughly (Stir continuously). First it turns as liquid.

9. Keep stirring it. Slowly it starts to thicken. Add remaining ghee at this stage.
10. It starts to leave the sides. Now put off the fire and add Saffron and cardamom.
11. Mix it well and shift it to the serving bowl.

12. Serve as snack or with breakfast dish or as a desert after lunch or dinner.

Note :

You need to fry rava nicely till the raw smell disappear. You can add more nuts if you wish. Adding more ghee is also optional. Keep water for boiling, Use of food colour is optional. (better not to use any artificial colour). Good and natural turmeric powder should be used.( very little or it might give bitter taste). Adding more sugar is also optional.
Time : 20 minutes (All together)
Serves : 5 to 6