Ravae Undae (Granny's Recipe for Semolina laddoos)

Total Time 1 hour 15 mins

Yield 20-25 medium sized undae (laddoos)

Ingredients

2-3 tbsps chopped cashew nuts

2 tbsps raisins

7-8 cardamoms, peeled and seeds powdered. Alternatively use 2 and a half tsps of cardamom powder

1 cup semolina (sooji or rava)

1 cup grated coconut

2 cups ghee (use as per method)

1/2 tsp salt

Confectioner's Sugar, as per taste

4-5 tbsps Milk, in a bowl

Method

In a small pan, heat 2 tbsps of ghee, lightly roast the chopped cashew nuts till light brown, keep aside. In the same pan add another tablespoon of ghee and roast the raisins till they puff up and turn golden brown, remove and keep aside. Roast the two ingredients on low flame only.

Peel the cardamom and powder the seeds finely. Keep aside.

In a separate skillet, dry roast the semolina. Keep on low flame for 10 mins, stirring it continuously. Don't let the semolina brown or change colour. Remove and Keep aside. In the same skillet, add 5 to 6 tbsps of ghee, once heated, add the roasted semolina and cook in the ghee for 10 to 15 minutes. Keep this again on low flame only, while stirring it continuously. Remove the semolina cooked in ghee and keep aside.

Take the large skillet and add 4 tbsps of ghee, drop in the grated coconut and fry on low flame for 15 minutes. The mixture should turn yellow-ish in colour and the raw smell of the coconut should go. Once the ghee starts oozing out of the coconut mixture, add the roasted semolina to this skillet. Stir in the two gently for 10 to 15 minutes on low flame till they are well blended.

Add the cardamom powder, 2 more tablespoons of ghee to the mixture, with the salt and 4 tbsps of Confectioner's sugar. Stir this well for 5 to 10 minutes continuously. Ensure not to let the mixture brown, keep on low flame throughout. Add in the roasted dry fruits and mix again. Check for taste and add more sugar if required.

Ensure that the mixture is slightly wet with the ghee content in it, it should not be completely dry. (as shown in this pic)

Remove the mixture on to a flat plate.

To start making the laddoos, dab your fingers and palms with milk and take small portion of the rava mixture onto you palm. Roll them into balls gently. To make the balls do not compress them too hard or too soft. Place the ball on another flat plate to cool. Once they cool they will harden further.

Serve 1 hour after making them.