Besan Laddu

Besan laddu/laadu/ Unade is a sweet dish, you can have them any time of the day. Besan laddu is very easy and quick to prepare. This yummy, delicious sweet just melts in your mouth and gives energy too.

Besan/Channa flour/Chick Pea flour/ Kadale hittu, sugar and ghee are the main ingredients that are used in Besan Laddu.
As I said it it energetic because channa flour is loaded with carbohydrates and suger adds to the calories. Some people do have a habit of having besan laddu for breakfast along with their normal food. It goes well with Upma, Avalakki/ Beaten Rice Upma or khara bath, puliyogre and bisibele bath.
It is very precious prasadam to prepare during Gokulastami/Shree Krishna Janmastami, may because people do fast the whole day and have their limited prasadam after midnight. It is good to take this besan laddu for travelling, kids party, kids snack box and ladies parties.
Lets see the recipe now:
Things needed:
Besan _ 2 cup
Sugar -1  cup ( dry grind and powder it)
Ghee - 1 cup
Cardamom - 5 to 6 pods
Dry fruits - 1/4 cup ( Cashew ( cut in to small ) and raisens )+ Almonds (Optional)

Method :
1. Keep a pan on the fire, put 1 table spoon of ghee and fry cashew and raisens and remove them. 
2. Add besan and fry in that ghee until raw smell disappears. (Approximately  6 to 8 minutes). Put off the fire and shift the roasted flour to a big bowl.
3. Powder the sugar along with cardamom seeds. Melt the ghee and keep it ready.
4. Add powdered sugar and mix well. Divide the mixture into small portion.
5. Add ghee (Little by little) to one portion and mix it well and prepare laddus.
6. Once that portion of mixture is done, add ghee to the next portion and repeat the same.
7. Prepare laddu and shift them to a serving tray and serve or keep it in a air tight box.

Note :
Fry besan on slow flame so that it does not get burnt. Do not add ghee immediately . let it cool a bit . Then add ghee. Dividing the mixture into small portion helps you too prepare laddu easily. Mixture does not get dry very soon since it is small portion. You can also add some hot boiled milk instead of ghee and prepare laddu. But not only the taste differ, the shelf life of laddu prepared with ghee will be more. (At least 15 days) and milk used laddu will be only 3 to 4 days.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 15 to 16 laddus. (According to the size).

Banana -Almond Halwa.

Banana -Almond Halwa is a sweet dish and it is one of the rich and tasty halva. Ripe bananas, jaggery and almonds are used here.

We had some (around 8 to 10 ) ripe bananas and I though of preparing halva with those ripe bananas. ( My Sister Sujatha"s House from ooru/Udupi). Udupi Banana Hava is very famous and it is such a delicious halva one can fall love with that halva. Nendra banana is used to prepare that special Halva.
Here I have used Yalakki banana and are very tasty once they are ripen.

Let us see the recipe Now :
Things Needed:
Banana : 6 to 8
Almond : 1 Cup
Jaggery : 3/4 Cup
Ghee : 1/2 Cup
Cardamom : 3 to 4 Pods

Method :
1. Remove banana skin and smash banana nicely. Keep it aside.
2. Powder cardamom and keep it aside.
3. Powder almonds and (with its skin) keep it aside.
4. Keep a pan on the fire and put smashed bananas. Add a spoon of ghee and mix it well.
5. Stir nicely and add jaggery. Keep on stirring. (It should not burnt at the bottom of the pan).
6. It turns as full liquid. Add a spoon of ghee and mix it.
7. Slowly add ground almonds and cardamom powder. Keep stirring.
8. Add ghee in between and mix it well.
9. Stir in between till it leaves the sides. Mix it for another 5 minutes. Ghee starts to oozes (comes out).
10. It turns as one whole ball. Remove from the pan and put it on a ghee spread plate/tray.

11. Let it cool nicely.

12. Cut according to your wish and serve or store.

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Note :
Use of sugar instead of jaggery is optional. Use of ghee more/less is optional. Remember banana fruits must be well ripen to prepare halva or it taste bit savoury. Whole procedure should be on low flame. Do not add any water. I have used organic jaggery. If you are using normal shop bought jaggery, keep a pan add jaggery and very little water to it. It starts to melt. Let it melt completely. Sieve this jaggery content and then use it. (To remove the dust particles).
Time : 30 Minutes. 
Serves : 30 pieces can be made.(According to size and shape).