DATES & DRY FRUITS LADOOS

 DATES & DRY FRUITS LADOOS

It is customary in our Indian homes to make some sweets for festivals and with Diwali coming up, everyone is busy preparing sweets and savories for the family. For the health conscious and for those who are advised to avoid or reduce their intake of sugar, Dates & Dry Fruits Ladoos is a welcome option that I would recommend. This is because unlike most traditional Indian sweets, this does not call for the use of  sugar or even jaggery as dates have their natural sweetness. 

Dates are supposed to be very good for health . They are nutritious and high in fibre apart from having several antioxidants. Likewise, dry fruits too are rich in proteins, minerals and fibre, so this combination of ingredients makes for a tasty as well as healthy sweet! Readers outside India would probably use the generic term " nuts" for what we call " dry fruits"! 

There are many ways one can make Dates & Dry Fruit Ladoos. I have used this method which is quite easy and does not call for too much effort. 

If you are using seedless dates, they can be used as such but dates with seeds need to be de-seeded. You can use a variety of dry fruits. Today I have used almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts and raisins. 

Please note that we should make the ladoos when the dates and dry fruits mixture is cool enough to handle, without allowing it to cool completely. 

While signing off, here's wishing you and your family a Very Happy Diwali. Enjoy, but stay safe!! 

Ingredients:-

• Seedless Dates, (Khajur) 2 cups 
• Ghee, 1 and 1/2 tbsp
• Almonds, (Badam), chopped, 1/2 cup
• Cashewnuts, (Kaju), chopped, 3 tbsp 
• Pistachios, (Pista), chopped, 3 tbsp
• Walnuts, (Akhrot), chopped, 3 tbsp 
• Raisins, ( Kishmish), 2 tbsp
• Poppy Seeds, (Khus Khus), 2 tsp
• Cardamom (Elaichi ) Powder, 1/2 tsp

Method:-

Keep the dates in a microwaveable dish and microwave on high for about 30 seconds

( This will soften the dates)

Allow it to cool and transfer the dates to a mixer jar 

Grind  the dates to a coarse paste without adding any water. Keep aside

In a thick bottomed kadhai, heat the ghee and lightly fry the almonds, cashew nuts, pistachios and walnuts till they get roasted and give off a fragrance 

Next add the raisins and poppy seeds and roast for 1-2 minutes 

To this add the dates paste prepared earlier and stir continuously till the dates and nuts get well blended

Switch off the gas, add the cardamom powder and mix once again

Transfer the content to a plate and allow it to cool for a few minutes

When it is cool enough to handle, apply a little ghee to your palms and lightly knead the dates and dry fruits mixture 

Using your palms and fingers, shape the dates and dry fruits mixture into ladoos 

Store in airtight container 

GREEN CHUTNEY & SWEET CHUTNEY

GREEN CHUTNEY & SWEET CHUTNEY

Many of our Indian snacks commonly served as street food such as Chaats, Bhel Puri, Ragda Patties etc owe much of their taste to the chutneys that are served with them.

We often use a Mint & Coriander Chutney ( commonly known as " Green Chutney") to give it the spice and a Khajur Imli ki Chutney ( made of Khajur or Dates, and Imli which is tamarind) to give it a perfect balance between the spicy and the sweet.

You may be aware that Mint Leaves or Pudina in Hindi have many health benefits.

While you can make a straight forward Imli (Tamarind) Chutney, the addition of dates not only adds to the taste quotient but makes it more healthy too as dates have immense health benefits.

These recipes have been adapted from a cookery book by the legendary Tarlaji Dalal.

You can also serve these chutneys with samosas, kachories etc.

Tips:

• For best results use fresh mint and coriander leaves
• The consistency of the chutney is important. It should not be too thick or too runn

GREEN CHUTNEY ( MINT & CORIANDER) CHUTNEY
Yields: 1 cup

Ingredients:

• Mint Leaves (Pudina), 2 cups
• Coriander Leaves ( Dhania), 1 cup
• Onion, large-sized, 1
• Green Chillies, 4-5  or to taste
• Ginger, 1/2 " piece, 
• Lemon Juice, 1 and 1/2 tbsp
• Sugar, 1 tbsp
• Salt, to taste

Method:

Wash and chop the mint leaves and coriander leaves
Roughly chop the onion, green chillies and ginger
In a mixer, grind together the mint and coriander leaves along with the chopped onion, green chillies, ginger, lemon juice, sugar and salt, adding just the required amount of water to a smooth paste of the desired consistency.
Store the green chutney in a refrigerator and use as required

SWEET CHUTNEY:
KHAJUR IMLI KI CHUTNEY ( DATES & TAMARIND CHUTNEY)
Yields: 2 and 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

• Deseeded Dates ( Khajur), 1 cup
• Tamarind ( Imli), 2 tbsp
• Jaggery, grated, 1/2 cup
• Chilli Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds Powder, 1 tsp
• Salt, to taste

Method:

Break the deseeded dates and the tamarind into small pieces
In a vessel, mix the dates with the tamarind 

Add the grated jaggery and 1 cup of water
Place this vessel in a pressure cooker and cook for 2 whistles
Once the cooker cools remove the vessel and allow the contents to cool
Transfer to a mixer and blend the contents to form a smooth paste without adding any water
Using a sieve, strain the mixture and discard the residue
To the strained mixture, add 1 cup of water, chilli powder, cumin seeds powder and salt to get the desired consistency
Mix well and store the sweet chutney in the refrigerator

DATES AND ALMONDS KHEER

DATES AND ALMONDS KHEER

As this is the first post for 2016, let me wish you a bright, happy, and prosperous New Year. It is customary to start the year with a sweet, so today I present to you one of my favourites: a kheer made of dates and almonds.

Apart from the taste,  dates are good for more reasons than one and are available in many varieties.
Elsewhere in this blog, you will find another interesting recipe for Dates, Figs, & Dry Fruit Ladoos, a guest post by Tanushree Aich.

The amount of sugar you add to this kheer will therefore depend on the sweetness of the dates, as also on how sweet you want the dish to be.

While this kheer can be served either hot or chilled, I always prefer to serve it chilled. I hope you will enjoy the Dates and Almond Kheer as much as I did.

Ingredients:

• Pitted Dates, 15
• Milk, 500 ml ( 400 + 100) 
• Almonds, 15-20
• Sugar, 1/4 cup, or to taste
• Cashewnuts, chopped, 6-8, 
• Ghee, 2-3 tsp
• Powdered Cardamom, from 2-3 pods

Method:

Boil 400 ml of milk ( 2 cups) in a thick-bottomed vessel and keep aside

Soak the almonds in warm water for about half an hour. Keep aside

In a pan, heat 1 tsp of ghee and add the chopped cashewnuts and roast them till they turn slightly golden brown and keep aside

In the same pan, roast the raisins and keep aside

Add the remaining ghee and on low flame lightly roast the dates for a few minutes till you get a good aroma

Let them cool then grind the roasted dates along with the soaked almonds to a paste, adding 100 ml (1/2 cup) of milk, a little by little, while grinding. 

Add the ground paste and the sugar to the boiled milk, mix well and bring it again to a boil stirring continuously so that it doesn't get burnt at the bottom 

Switch off the gas, add the powdered cardamom and mix well

Garnish with roasted cashewnuts and raisins
Serve hot or chilled, as per taste

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DATES, FIGS & DRY FRUIT LADOOS: GUEST POST BY TANUSHREE AICH

DATES, FIGS & DRY FRUIT LADOOS: GUEST POST BY TANUSHREE AICH

Who can resist delicious ladoos, whether it be for the festive season or otherwise? Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for Besan Ladoos, Rava Ladoos, and Til ke Ladoos.

Here's a recipe for some delicious yet healthy ladoos. These are made of dates, figs and assorted dry fruits.

I am thankful to my young and talented friend Tanushree Aich for contributing today's Guest Post. I have always liked the way she presents her dishes.

Ingredients:

• Soft Dates, de-seeded, 1 cup
• Assorted Dry Fruits, ( Cashews, Almonds, Pistachios) , 1 cup
• Dried Figs, cut up into small pieces, a fistful
• Ghee, 2 tbsp

Method:

In a wok, melt the ghee and the de-seeded dates

Stir till the dates get mushy and form a lumpy mass

Add in the dried fig pieces

Add in the coarsely chopped dried fruits 

Mix well till it forms a homogeneous mass

Switch off the flame and let it cool a little

Smear a little ghee on your palms and make medium-sized ladoos

Healthy dates, figs and dry fruits ladoos are ready!

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