77) RAVA LADDU

RAVA LADDU

SWEET SEMOLINA BALLS

Ingredients:

1)    Roasted Bombay rava (roasted fine wheat semolina) – 500 gm.

2)    Sugar – 500 gm.

3)    Thick milk – 500 ml.

4)    Big coconut – 1

5)    Ghee (clarified butter) – 3 tablespoons

6)    Cashew nuts – 25 gm.

7)    Sultanas or raisins – 25 gm.

8)    Cardamom pods – 6 Nos.

9)    Saffron – 1 pinch

To Make:

Grate or scrape the coconut as finely as you can. Shell the cardamom seeds and crush to powder. Set a thick wok on the stove. Pour in 2 tablespoons of ghee. Add the rava, cashew nuts, sultanas and the cardamom powder. Stir well until hot. Switch off the heat when it is still white in colour (It should turn brown).  Transfer to another vessel and set aside.

Pour the milk into the wok and turn on the heat. Add the sugar, the grated coconut and the saffron. Stir on high heat. The milk will splutter at first as the water escapes. Then it will reduce and thicken and stop spluttering but the air will pop through small craters. Now add the semolina mixture and mix well using a flat ladle. Switch off the heat. As soon as the mixture has cooled down enough to be touchable, grease your hands with ghee and quickly roll into bite sized balls while it is still warm (the mixture will harden as it cools).

If you find it uncomfortable to roll while warm, you can also use greased stainless steel molds to make the rava laddus in the shapes of your choice.

Serve when cool. These delicious rava laddus can be kept for up to a week in room temperature in airtight containers. If you wish to store them, do so only after they are cool. Rava laddus are good to carry while travelling or to serve as dessert for picnics or parties. Rava laddu is an easy to make dessert snack popular all over India.

Do make, eat and enjoy!!!