Carrot rava laddu, No ghee or refined sugar or dairy

 With the cyclonic rains, the sun is barely out these days. And the temperature is cool too. What better time to enjoy comfort food bereft of unhealthy calories. These are energy balls usually eaten in the winters in North India and during festivals because of the rich blend of dried fruits. The mild sweetness is from just the carrot, dates and raisins. The oat milk render the moistness that helps bind the laddu. Revel in the process of putting together the laddu on one of your halcyon days.

The magical ingredients...

 

Semolina (rava / suji) - 1 cup

Carrot - 1/2 cup

Coconut, grated - 1/2 cup

Dates, pitted - 5

Oat milk, homemade - 1/2 cup

Raisins - 1/4 cup

Pistachio - a handful

Almond - 1/4 cup

Cashew - a few

Cardamom - 4 pods

The procedure...

 

Roast rava on low heat, stirring oft, until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Toast coconut till it starts to slowly brown. 

Chop cashews, pistachio and almonds into small bits. Toast these nuts along with raisins until the raisins start to bubble. 

Crush cardamom with a mortar and pestle. Discard the outer skin and powder the seeds.

 

 

 

 

 

Peel carrot and grate it.Toast the grated carrot for a few minutes. Fling in the dates. Add in oat milk too. Continue to stir till the milk is completely absorbed by the carrot, and the dates start to soften. Turn off heat. Add rava into this mishmash and combine. Cast in coconut, crushed cardamom and dried fruits too. Blend everything with a spatula. Use your hands to further mix well. 

 

 

 

 

Make small firm balls. Savor the laddu!