Coconut and rava ladoo

The Indian festival season has begun....! Starting with Navratri in October, Diwali in November and Christmas in December. A season to cook with sugar.... :) I started the celebrations, my style.... with my girlfriends partying in Clarkquay..... three of us have birthdays this month....so that makes it a good start of the festive season. These laddoos (sweet round balls made with semolina, coconut and spices) are a big favorite of my little one, and he has been demanding that I make them. It's quite simple and quick to make them, as compared to other Indian sweets and I usually make them first in Diwali.  There are many recipes, I have tried different recipes and settled on this one for last few years. It's quite quick to make, so start to finish....maybe an hour :)... shorter..if u are fast at handling hot, laddoo mix. I have given the exact measurements, but you can increase or decrease the measures of the ghee(fat) and sugar according to your preferences. 

That comment is a note to myself :) 

Ingredients:

• sooji/semolina/rava about 350-400 gms
  
• sugar 250 gms
• freshly grated coconut 250 gms
• ghee 3 tbsps
• green cardamom 7 (crushed)
• nutmeg (about 1/2 tsp grated)
• nuts(cashew nut/pistachio/almonds chopped) and raisins (about 2 tbsps each) and a pinch of saffron to garnish (optional)

Recipe:

• Heat ghee in a thick bottomed or a non stick pan. (I usually keep a separate pan for cooking sweets/desserts/milk based desserts)
• Add the nuts and raisins and stir fry them in ghee. Take them out with a slotted spoon and keep them aside. (I omitted this step, as I didn't use any nuts)

• Measure the semolina. I have made it with 350 gms and with 400 gms, both turn out to be fine. Also measure the coconut and sugar and keep it ready.

• Add the semolina to the heated ghee. 

• Stir fry the semolina on moderate heat for 5-7 minutes. Keep stirring continuously, so that it doesn't burn in pockets. 

• Once, it changes color a shade darker..and appears roasted, add coconut. 

• Keep stirring the mixture for another 3-4 minutes, after adding coconut.

• Add sugar, mix into the mixture well. Keep stirring, for 3-4 minutes and you will see that the mixture starts coming together in clumps. 
• Add the stir fried nuts and raisins and mix well. (Didn't follow this step)

• Add the powdered cardamom and grated nutmeg and stir it well in the mixture.

• Turn of the heat, and keep it aside to cool for 5 minutes or so. 

• Once the mixture is cool to handle, but still warm enough, take about a tbsp of mixture in your hands. 
• Press and roll/shape the mixture to a ball about 1 inch in diameter.

• Roll out the rest of the mixture in balls.
• Garnish with saffron strands. (optional)

Quantity:

• Makes 28-30 laddoos

Notes:

• You can increase the amount of ghee or sugar according to your preference.
• The amount I have used makes moderately sweet laddoos.
• You can use dry desiccated coconut, instead of fresh coconut. In this case, the mixture will not come together, in clumps after adding sugar. After adding sugar, stir-fry for 3-4 minutes and then add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of evaporated milk or even regular milk, a tablespoon at a time. That will bind the mixture to balls.