Wheat flour - Dry Fruits Laddu

Hello Every one ..Happy New Year 2019.
Let us pray and wish this New Year Brings all of us Happy Thoughts, Health and Wealth and Prosperity.
Let us begin the year with simple, healthy and quick Wheat Flour - Dry Fruits Laddu.

Laddu/Laadu / Unde all are the different names for sweet roundels.
Here I have tried wheat flour and dry fruits like anjur /figs, walnuts, raisins and coconut.
Added jaggery to give more sweet taste because wheat flour needs little more sweets. Dates do adds sweet and nutritious properties. I have added dates also.
These Wheat Flour Laddu is good to have at any time of the day. It is good for  kids snack box or as evening snack. Good for taking it for tour or when you are travelling. It is good for elders and diabetic people. ( Reduce the sweetness if you are serving to diabetic people.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed :

Wheat flour : 2 Cups
Dry fruits like figs, dates, raisins : 1 Cup
Ghee : 1/2 Cup or more
Jaggery : 3/4 Cup ( Powdered )
Coconut : Fresh : 1 ( Small One )
Cardamom : 5 to 6 Pods
Jaggery soaked rose petals.
Salt : A pinch

Method :

1. Keep a pan on the fire and put jaggery and 1/2 cup of water. Let it melt. Sieve it and keep cleaned mixture aside.

2. Keep a pan on the fire and put 2 tablespoons of ghee. Fry wheat flour nicely till the raw smell goes off. ( At least 5 to 6 minutes on low flame).

3. Grate or cut coconut into pieces and dry grind it.
4.Remove the cardamom seeds from pods and dry grind it with nuts.

5. Now keep cleaned jaggery in a big pan. Let it boil nicely and turn a string consistency.
6. Add grated and ground coconut and add it to jaggery. Stir nicely.
7. Jaggery - coconut mixes well and starts to get thick.

8. Add fried wheat flour and mix it well. Fry raisins in 2 tablespoons of ghee and add it to wheat - jaggery mixure.

 Add fried raisins and ground dry fruits and mix all the ingredients nicely. Add 2 tablespoons of rose petals with jaggery.

9. Put off the fire and keep the ready mixture down. Mix it well. Add remaining ghee and mix.

10. Take a handful of the sweet mix and prepare laddu/laadu/unde .

11. Repeat the same and prepare laddu/Laadu/Unde.

12.Store these laddu in a airtight box or bottle and serve or eat as you wish.

Note

Dry roast or fry wheat flour nicely till the raw smell disappear. Let the jaggery syrup consistency be 1 thread consistency in the beginning. Adding coconut to jaggery turns as coconut burfi./Thick. Then add wheat flour and other ingredients. Adding more ghee is optional. Add more ghee if you find to make laddu. ( If it turns dry ). Adding rose petals adds to the taste and aroma. It is healthy to eat pink rose petals.
I have kept some rose petals dipped in jaggery to use it in sweets. Rose grows in our terrace pots.
Time : 30 to 40 minutes.
Serves : 30 Laddu can be prepared.

Sweet Potato - Poppy Seeds Payasa / Kheer.

Sweet Potato Payasa is one of the traditional Payasa/kheer done during the harvest of sweet potatoes.  You get plenty of fresh sweet potatoes during winter season.
It is normally during winter and sweet potatoes helps the body to be warm and energetic.

 I normally prepare sweet potato payasa without poppy seeds and use coconut milk.
I thought of using poppy seeds and wanted to try and enjoy this payasa. Anyways it is an easy dish and it taste delicious.
Normally we do use coconut milk in payasa and this time I have used poppy seeds/gasgase with coconut and use the whole ground paste. Use of poppy seeds helps us to get rid of gas in food.

Let us see some benefits of eating Sweet Potatoes in our diet.
Sweet Potatoes help us to lose weight. Eating sweet potatoes helps to maintain a healthy blood pressure. It is high in fiber and helps to prevent constipation. Sweet potatoes helps to improve immunity. It helps to control diabetes.
Sweet Potato contain no fats and filled with antioxidants. It is rich in carbohydrates and proteins. It contain Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and potassium. It contain minerals like Vitamin E, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and zinc.
Sweet Potatoes are good for diabetic people. It helps to improve the digestion and reduces the inflammation. It helps in reducing the stress and strengthens the body immunity.
I have used sweet potatoes, jaggery, coconut, cardamom and poppy seeds.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Sweet Potatoes : 3 to 4 ( Small in size ).
Jaggery : 1 Small cup  ( Powdered jaggery 4 to 5 tablespoons ).
Fresh grated coconut : 1 Cup
Poppy Seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Cardamom : 4 to 5 Pods
Avalakki :2 Tablespoons ( Optional )
Salt : A pinch

Method :

1. Keep a pan and put jaggery and 1 cup of water. Let jaggery melt nicely. Let it boil for 2 minutes after it melts. Sieve this mixture and keep the clean jaggery aside.
2. Wash and peel off the skin of sweet potatoes and cut in to small. Wash it again and soak in clean water for 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Now cook sweet potato pieces with required water till they turn soft. Wash and soak a tablespoon of avalakki / flattened rice.
4. Grate coconut and remove the seeds of cardamom. Grind it with 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds with required water till it turn as paste.

5. Add jaggery water to cooked sweet potato pieces and let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Add a pinch of salt to boiling mixture.

6. Now add ground coconut and poppy seeds - cardamom mixture. Mix it well.

7. Add soaked avalakki /flattened rice and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. It helps to bind the payasa nicely.

8. Shift Sweet Potato payasa to a serving dish. Add a cup of fresh milk just before serving.

9. Serve delicious Hot or cold " Sweet Potato Payasa /Kheer " and enjoy.

Note :

Cut sweet potato pieces into small to relish the taste. It helps to cook sweet potatoes fast. Adding flattened rice/Avalakki helps to bind the payasa well. You can use a teaspoon of soaked raw rice instead of avalakki. Wash and soak raw rice for at least for 5 minutes. Use of poppy seeds is optional. Use of coconut milk instead of coconut paste is optional. Adding more / less jaggery is optional. Use of sugar instead of jaggery is optional. Adding fresh milk adds to the taste. Add it once the payasa turns slightly cool.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves :  5 to 6.