Rava Laddoo

Laddoos..Mmm.. yummy yummy.. Those mini globes that are given and taken on any joyous occasion back home.. I am sure there will not be a single living Indian who will not drool for the word laddoo. And for the rest of the world, it is until they give in to the temptation of their first laddoo. I may be wrong in my assumptions here because there maybe quite a number who may just dont like anything sweet. I belong to the group for whom each single tooth given by nature is all sweet coated.. :) But nature has its way of applying brakes by coating all of sweet all over me.. So there comes the stop signal for all the laddoo worship.. :)

Well, for me, any food that I eat or the aroma that it spreads reminds me of people associated with it. As of the rava laddoo that I am going to post here, they will forever remind me of my dear friend Rupa who is the first other person I spoke after landing in the United States. (Of course I am counting out the apartment maintnance person) When I was pathetically homesick and lonely, I should say that the heavens send her to me. I dutifully dedicate this work to her because it is she who taught me to do it. And since it is the type that can be made in a jiffy, all of us can get on to doing it. So here goes the dedication.

Rava Laddoo

Ingredients:

Rava (Sooji) - 1 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 1 tsp
Shredded coconut - 2 tbsp (optional)
Few Cashews, Almonds & Raisins
Lukewarm milk - 1/4 cup

Way to Go..

In a large pan, heat the ghee on medium heat and roast the cashews, almonds, raisins and keep aside. To the same pan add the rava and saute until slightly brown. Take care so that the rava is not burnt or browned too much. The taste of the laddoos primarily depends on the roasted rava.

Let the roasted rava cool to room temperature. Add the sugar, shredded coconut and the roasted nuts and raisins and mix well. Add milk slowly to this mixture. Use the hands in this process because the mixture should constantly be checked to be made into laddoos..

Once the mixture comes into the right consistency, take a little of the mixture and press it in your hands to make firm round shapes. When the laddoo you make does not break away, there your done with your yummy mini globes.. Sit back and enjoy or give it away to family and friends and enjoy more..