Sunday, October 17, 2010

Coconut Laddoos


I was thinking of taking a break from recipes to focus on the Durga Puja festival which is a time for fun and food. But that will take a little time. So on this auspicious occasion of Dassera, I would like you to have a taste of something sweet and healthy --- Coconut Laddoos. Long, long ago when sweetmeat shops were not dime a dozen as they are now and most people lived in the villages tending to their land and did not need to migrate to the city to earn a living, every house in West Bengal -- whether rich or poor-- had coconut trees (as was the case in all the coastal regions of the country). Coconut laddoos and the water of tender coconut were offered to unexpected guests; indeed very healthy and nutritious.

This is a simple and healthy sweet dish. The benefits of coconut are well known and jaggery is definitely healthier option than sugar. 
 
Ingredients:
  • One fresh Coconut.
  • Chemical free jaggery. (The quantity of jaggery will depend on the quantity of the coconut. It should be enough to give you sweet laddoos). 

Method:
  • Grate the coconut.
  • Break the jaggery into small pieces and mix it with the grated coconut. (See photo).
     
    • Now transfer the mixture to a heavy- bottomed vessel or a non-stick vessel and place on gas stove. Light the flame.
    • Stir the mixture. You may add a little water to speed up the melting process of the jaggery. Take care to see you do not add too much water; excess water will make it difficult for you to make the laddoos.
    •  Stir continuously till all the water evaporates and the jaggery blends well with the coconut to form a sticky mass (see photo).
     
    • Remove from heat and make equal size laddoos.

      6 comments:

      1. I have never had coconut laddoos made with jaggery, though I can well imagine how lovely it would taste - somehow jaggery (especially notun gur) imparts such a fabulous flavour to just about any dessert!

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      2. Notun gur for a Bengali like me who lives away from Calcutta is like 'Manna from Heaven'. We poor souls make do with the ordinary gur.

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      3. I also love paayesh made with gur... so much more wonderful than plain old kheer. And sandesh! I am of the firm opinion that Bengali sweets are by far the very best. :-)

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      4. Yes you are absolutely right paayesh with notun gur is heavenly.

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      5. I can only crave for Nolen Gur here. The Naru/Laddus look great.

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      6. Yes you are right about the Nolen Gur. For me a Probashi Bengali Nolen Gur is a something I only dream about.

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