Dry Fruit Laddu (Mamma’s homemade sweets with dry fruits)

For me the best part about being pregnant is – Food! I can eat whatever I like whenever I like. For those who have been following my blog for sometime know that I have been on and off diets for the last couple of years. So now is my time to take a break and enjoy different types of foods. And although I am not craving for any sugar, this homemade Laddu does make my mouth water. Why? Because it is filled with the goodness of nuts and ghee with the slight toasty aroma of coconut. 

As you know, I recently went on a trip to India. My sister was getting married and although I have been very lucky not to have any morning sickness/nausea during my first trimester, I was still struggling with fatigue and endless jet lag. My mom used to make these Laddus for me every 4-5 days. So every morning, I would have one Laddu with a glass of hot milk before eating anything else and believe me it really does fill you up! She even packed me a box full of Laddus before my flight so that I can enjoy them even after coming here. These sweets filled with the richness and goodness of nuts are beneficial not only for the pregnant ladies but also for kids or anyone who does a lot of physical activity. If you are looking to have something quick, healthy and nutritious, it doesn’t get any better than these sweets. For kids who have a sweet tooth, this could be a healthy alternative to those sugar filled candies.

Wondering what to prepare during festival season? These homemade delicious Laddus are indeed heart warming gifts for Diwali, Navratri or Krishna Janmashtami. Believe me guests and friends will love to have seconds of this tempting homemade sweet. You can also make small gift packs and share these with everyone you love.

If you are pondering why go to all this hassle of preparing them at home? Then let me tell you, homemade goods are not only economical but also quality wise way superior to store bought goods. The ingredients are an investment and you can use those nuts to make other desserts or dishes as well. And if you are still feeling skeptical, I would suggest you to do the market survey yourself. First you will not find Laddus of this quality in the market and even if you do they are going to be expensive! So, as I always say, if you want something good make it yourself.

The best part is, we don’t need any edible gum to form the round shape of these sweets. I looked up online and most of the recipes use an edible gum which binds the sweet together. We will use only a little amount of sugar and ghee for the same task.

Enjoy these delicious healthy Laddus as a mid-day or evening snack, after gym workouts/ exercises. Or if you are baking a bun in your oven like me, these Laddus are a must to meet the needs of your body. And if you are not pregnant, winter is still the best time to make these because they stay fresh longer and the nuts provide warmth to the body. 

So give these a try and post your comments/ photos using my hashtag #lifewithoutalu

Ingredients:

• Aata (Wheat Flour) - 1 cup 

• Sooji (Semolina) – ½ cup 
• Dry fruits like Almonds, Cashew, Raisin, Walnut etc. – 1 cup
• Coconut Flakes – ½ cup

• Green Cardamom - 3-4, peeled husk removed
• Ghee – ½ cup
• Sugar – 2 tablespoons

Directions:

• Chop the dry fruits with a knife. 
• Add the Wheat flour and Semolina in a frying pan. Fry them lightly over low medium heat. 
Add the Coconut flakes and Green Cardamom in the flour and fry lightly.
• Fry till the flour slightly changes color and turns a shade darker. Add the Ghee and mix. The mixture will start coming together like dough.
• Transfer to a plate and spread it to cool.
• Take a small pot and add 4 tablespoons of water in it along with the Sugar. Heat it over low heat till the sugar dissolves completely. Let it cool.
• After 5-10 minutes when both the sugar and flour mixture are cool enough to handle, add them together along with the chopped nuts.
• Make balls by rolling a handful of mixture.
• Serve immediately or store in an airtight jar.

Tip: You can also prepare these in bulk then keep them in the fridge. Before serving warm them up in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.

Other Indian Desserts you may like:

• Chaler Payesh (Bengali style Rice Pudding)
• Allahabadi Fruit Cream
• Gobindobhog Chal diye Patali Gurer Payesh (Bengali Rice Pudding with Date Palm Jaggery)
• Moong Dal ka Halwa (Indian Yellow Lentils Dessert)
• Rabri (Clotted Cream in Condensed Milk)
• Sevai ki Kheer (Semai Payesh / Vermicelli Pudding)
• Gujiya (Crispy Flaky Indian Sweet Dumpling stuffed with Milk Solids and Nuts)
• Gajar ka Halwa (Indian Carrot Dessert)