Gondh & Atta Ladoos - Holi Sweetmeats

Like I mentioned earlier, I am away from home and blogging from my parents computer, so pictures are going to be seen only after a week. But I thought I should keep blogging as it keeps me connected with everyone and sharing my thoughts always makes me feel better!

I thought 2011 has been a tough year for me but Japan has faced a great tragedy this year - the biggest natural disaster ever recorded in history and is still fighting strong.They are stories of hope and bravery and strength and sadness everywhere...

This year Holi - the festival of color in India, would have just passed me by, had it not been for my toddler who has just begun to understand what is a water gun, water balloons and color. He wanted to try all 3 and me not being a "Holi" person - he pulled my hubby and my brother along and went down with his water gums and drenched them and all the plants... after that he managed to throw about 20 or so water balloons as various plants or in different places in the garden and got such pleasure from this simple task that he clapped his hands with glee when each one burst... which, made me realize if we could only enjoy and cherish each moment of our life that gives us joy, we would all be happier people.

Holi is celebrated with a lot of festivity in India with the women in the house preparing all sorts of traditional Indian sweets... I am afraid this time around I don't have those recipes but I have a recipe for some really yummy  ladoos which are Indian sweets shaped like small round balls and made of whole wheat flour and nuts and really healthy for the children in winter. I wouldn't make them in the summer as it is too hot to eat them in India.

Gondh Atta Ladoos

1 cup whole wheat flour / atta
1/4 cup gum crystals / gondh
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup almonds
11/2 tablespoon ginger powder / saunth
1 cup jaggery / gud or sugar
1/3 cup pure ghee

Recipe:

Dry roast the atta in huge brass wok / kadai and let it turn light brown. Remove and keep aside. Dry roast the walnuts and almonds and keep them aside too. Now take a couple of tablespoons of ghee and shallow fry the gondh in it and remove as soon as it fluffs up or it will turn bitter. Keep aside. Add the remaining ghee to the kadai and add the atta and further roast it in the ghee for a couple of minutes. Roughly grind the almonds and walnuts in the mixie - you can fine grind them if you are giving it your children and you do not want them to taste the nuts in the ladoo. Add the nuts and gondh to the roasted atta in the wok and mix together. Now add the jaggery and mix till it's completed melted. Add the saunth. At this stage you can also add elaichi / cardamom powder to give the ladoos extra flavor but my son doesn't like it. Mix this all together and remove this mixture in a big plate. As soon as it is cool enough to handle, start make round balls about the size of a table tennis ball and keep asia in a plate. Once cooled it should be stored in an air tight container.

My son would love eating it with his roti or parantha (India bread) but you can just enjoy as is... and it has many a health benefits...

So, finally here is the picture!