Diwali Bakshanam Series - IV - Rava Ladoo

 

 To end this series on a sweet note - one of the easiest sweets to make for Diwali - Rava Laddoo. My favourite too because of its melt in the mouth texture. And not the sticking to the palate kind of consistency unlike Ma Laddoos or Besan Laddoos.

Some recipes add milk, but I don't think that's a good idea because besides the fact that it reduces shelf life, it often makes the laddoos hard. Better to go with ghee.

Wishing all my readers a very Happy Diwali and a prosperous New Year!

Semolina (sooji / rava) - 2 cups
Sugar - 1.5 cups
Ghee - 1 to 1/1/4 cups (melted)
Cardamom (elaichi) - 4-5
1/4 cup raisins and cashews

1. Add 2 tsp of the ghee to a heavy pan and lightly fry the cashews ansd raisins for about 3 minutes - the raisins will plump up and the cashews will turn light brown. Remove and keep aside.
2. Add 2 more tsp of ghee to the pan and lightly fry the rava for about 5 minutes on a low flame, constantly stirring. A light aroma of roasted rava is enough and it shouldn't turn brown.
3. Transfer the rava to a plate where it can cool.
4. Remove the cardamom seeds and mix it with the sugar and grind in a mixie till almost powdered.
5. Add the cooled rava to the mixie and grind till the sugar is completely powdered and the rava is still a little bit coarse.
6. Remove from the mixie into a separate dish.
7. Take a large plate - take about one third of the rava and add the warm, melted ghee 2-3 tablespoons at a time, to the rava - roughly a little less than half a cup should do. You can always add some more later if needed.
8. Take about 2 raisins and half a cashew for each laddoo and combine it with the rava and melted ghee and make small balls. If the mixture has too much of ghee, add a bit of the rava sugar mixture.
9. Once this is done, repeat with another one third of the rava and another measure of ghee and then again with the last portion of rava and some more ghee.

Don't panic if the laddoos are not forrming well, just add a wee bit more of warm ghee and it should come together. Also, you may have to warm the ghee midway once more, otherwise the laddoos may stop coming together.