What is there for meetha (sweet) is the oft asked question in our house - most times the response would be" there is cake" (as one is regularly trying out new bakes). All
good... most days there is fair amount of enthusiasm, not ecstatic but kinda ... yeah ok ... but the instant it is revealed that its a 'barfi'(fudge) or 'laddoo' or even 'kheer'(rice pudding), the face lights up and the joy is unmistakable.
This bias - guess is pretty understandable as we have grown up with traditional 'mithai'(sweets). Dessert for a lot of us is still synonymous with our 'desi meetha' ( notwithstanding what Cadbury's may want us to believe), the 'rasgullas' and 'gulab jamuns' that we grew up on. However much one's palate is exposed to the puddings and cobblers and pies - ahh nothing to beat our Indian sweets.
The traditionalist in me is not enthused at this new age gifting - of chocolates and cupcakes at occasions like weddings and diwali. Arrey please don't go to such lengths - the good old khoya barfi (milk fudge) works just as well.
Sweet course at the end of a meal, is a universal concept - for us it might be a laddo or a peda and elsewhere in the world, it could be chocolate mousse or a key lime pie, or tiramisu or what have you.
As a kid the most common western pud that we ate was the then ubiquitous ... caramel custard but this was typically an after meal sweet dish. Most unlike a laddu, which one can surreptitiously gulp down whenever hit by a craving for 'meetha' ... good any time of the day... as a pick me up, or even as an accompaniment to my sugar free coffee ... carry them on a vacation- which I unfailingly do, even when visiting the kids. Over the years they too (especially my son who has got our sweet tooth ) could be seen scouting for the big 'laddoo' dabba at the most unearthly hours.
Atta (whole wheat flour) laddu are still the most frequently made sweet. One, we enjoy them and most importantly they keep for a long time just the perfect food for those times when you have unexpected guests. The fact that they are home made ... never fails to impress people.
The gond (Edible Gum) laddoos with loads of dry fruits, an all time fave, are made mostly in winters.
The regular laddu have at the most a smattering of almonds.These laddus are open to a lot of variations... lotus seeds(makhana) fried in desi ghee and then crushed can be added to the laddus, elaichi powder (cardamom powder)... just a hint is also great- pretty much adapts to a lot of add-ons be it nuts, seeds or spices.
The secret to a good laddu is, slow roasting and, the desi ghee (clarified butter ..and mine is always home made and which to no small extent adds to the flavor)
500 gm whole wheat flour
200 gm desi ghee (clarified butter)
250 gms bura sugar
100 gm sliced almond
cardamom powder (optional)
Take a kadhai (wok) and add the whole wheat flour, desi ghee and sliced almonds.
Keep stirring this mixture on low heat- after sometime the ghee will melt and blend into the flour. One has to patiently roast the flour on a very low flame till it changes color and has a nutty roasted aroma.
Once the flour has been well roasted take it off the flame and let it cool down considerably ( just warm enough to bind the laddus well). Add the bura to the flour and mix it well. Then shape it into laddus. When totally cool store in an air tight container.
This bias - guess is pretty understandable as we have grown up with traditional 'mithai'(sweets). Dessert for a lot of us is still synonymous with our 'desi meetha' ( notwithstanding what Cadbury's may want us to believe), the 'rasgullas' and 'gulab jamuns' that we grew up on. However much one's palate is exposed to the puddings and cobblers and pies - ahh nothing to beat our Indian sweets.
The traditionalist in me is not enthused at this new age gifting - of chocolates and cupcakes at occasions like weddings and diwali. Arrey please don't go to such lengths - the good old khoya barfi (milk fudge) works just as well.
Sweet course at the end of a meal, is a universal concept - for us it might be a laddo or a peda and elsewhere in the world, it could be chocolate mousse or a key lime pie, or tiramisu or what have you.
As a kid the most common western pud that we ate was the then ubiquitous ... caramel custard but this was typically an after meal sweet dish. Most unlike a laddu, which one can surreptitiously gulp down whenever hit by a craving for 'meetha' ... good any time of the day... as a pick me up, or even as an accompaniment to my sugar free coffee ... carry them on a vacation- which I unfailingly do, even when visiting the kids. Over the years they too (especially my son who has got our sweet tooth ) could be seen scouting for the big 'laddoo' dabba at the most unearthly hours.
Atta (whole wheat flour) laddu are still the most frequently made sweet. One, we enjoy them and most importantly they keep for a long time just the perfect food for those times when you have unexpected guests. The fact that they are home made ... never fails to impress people.
The gond (Edible Gum) laddoos with loads of dry fruits, an all time fave, are made mostly in winters. The regular laddu have at the most a smattering of almonds.These laddus are open to a lot of variations... lotus seeds(makhana) fried in desi ghee and then crushed can be added to the laddus, elaichi powder (cardamom powder)... just a hint is also great- pretty much adapts to a lot of add-ons be it nuts, seeds or spices.
The secret to a good laddu is, slow roasting and, the desi ghee (clarified butter ..and mine is always home made and which to no small extent adds to the flavor)
Whole Wheat Laddus (Atta Laddus)
500 gm whole wheat flour
200 gm desi ghee (clarified butter)
250 gms bura sugar
100 gm sliced almond
cardamom powder (optional)
Take a kadhai (wok) and add the whole wheat flour, desi ghee and sliced almonds.
Keep stirring this mixture on low heat- after sometime the ghee will melt and blend into the flour. One has to patiently roast the flour on a very low flame till it changes color and has a nutty roasted aroma.
Once the flour has been well roasted take it off the flame and let it cool down considerably ( just warm enough to bind the laddus well). Add the bura to the flour and mix it well. Then shape it into laddus. When totally cool store in an air tight container.
