Navarathri special- Rava/Sooji Ladoo.

"Rave unde" as it is popularly called is a very simple ingredient, easy to make & delicious to eat sweet from Karnataka, my state..

I vividly remember tasting these ladoos in train travels from my childhood days. It was never prepared at home coz of lack of knowledge regarding the recipe. Both my paternal & maternal grandmothers were experts in various other ladoos but, not this one here.My mother-in-law makes these ladoos & my husband likes them quite a lot. I tried making these & got them right, the second time. It's currently my daughter's favourite ladoo.. 

These laddos are yummy to have with a glass of warm milk. They can be had for breakfast as well.

Rava Ladoo/ Sooji Ke Ladoo-

Servings- Makes around 15 medium sized ladoos.               Cooking time- 30 minutes.

Ingredients-

                    1 cup/1 pav chiroti rava

                    1/2 cup powdered sugar

                    1/2 cup of freshly grated coconut or 1/4 cup of dry copra scrapings

                    1/4 cup of previously boiled & cooled milk

                    2 tbsp of ghee/clarified butter

                    2 elaichi/cardamom pods

                    8-10 cloves

                    8-10 cashewnuts

                    15-20 golden raisins

Procedure-

• Powder half a cup of sugar along with the cardamom & cloves in a dry mixer. Keep aside.
• Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a kadai & roast the chiroti rava for 6-8 minutes. It need not change color, just let it become fragrant, loose & crumbly.
• Take the roasted rava mixture into a large bowl.
• In the same kadai, heat the remaining ghee & roast the cashews to a golden brown color. Add the freshly grated coconut or dry copra scrapings & roast for a while. It need not change color. Let it become fragrant.
• Add the powdered sugar & spice mix. Mix throughly. The sugar combines with the coconut & the mixture becomes moist. Add the golden raisins. Mix & switch off the stove.
• Add the mixture to the rava & mix throughly.
• Make ladoos when the mixture is hot only. Pour a few drops of milk at a time for help in binding the ladoos.
• Store it in an air tight container once cooled to room temperature.
• Serve with a glass of warm milk.

Note-

• Use only chiroti rava otherwise you may have to pulse & break the roasted rav in a dry mixer.
• Cloves make the laddos, very fragrant. Don't miss adding them.
• Freshly grated coconut gives a better taste to the ladoos than dry copra but, reduces the shelf-life.
• Milk reduces the shelf-life as well.
• It is better to make these ladoos in small quantities & refrigerate after 3-4 days.