Carrot & Rava Laddoos

Carrot & Rava Laddoos - Vidya Nayak Shenoy

Recipe credits Shireen Sequeira and Kudpi Raj mam

10-12 lime sized laddoos

You Need:

1 cup/150gm rava/semolina
1/3rd cup/75gm sugar * see notes
2 tbsp grated coconut
3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
1/4 cup milk
10 cashewnuts halved
10-12 raisins
1/2 tsp cardamom powder (or 3-4 cardamoms powdered)
1 beetroot/100gm finely grated beetroot (optional) *see notes

Method:
1. Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan/wok and fry the raisins on a slow flame. Stir continuously and remove them as soon as they puff up. Toss in the cashewnuts and fry them till golden brown and remove. Roast the grated coconut & remove. Add the grated beetroot and fry until all the water evaporates. Remove & keep aside.
2. Add the rava to the remaining ghee and lightly roast it till the colour changes very lightly and you get a nice aroma. Add the sugar and continue to cook on a very slow flame for another 2 minutes.
3. Add the milk and mix well, continue to stir. This helps the sugar to melt & the rava to cook well. Turn off the flame after a couple of minutes taking care to see that the rava does not burn.
4. Remove the pan off the flame, transfer contents to a wide pan or bowl and allow the mixture to cool off a bit until it is warm enough to be handled. Mix in the roasted raisins and cashewnuts & the grated beetroot well. and quickly form lime sized balls by compressing the mixture in your palm into a tight fist. If you wish you can place one raisin & cashew nut on the surface and press (just for decoration). The laddoos will be soft initially but will harden as they cool.