HAPPY DEEPAVALI
with
I have been wanting to prepare the traditional Aranmanai Laadu from a very very long time. The recipe is from the well known cook book SAMAITHU PAAR by Meenakshi Ammal - an inseparable gift, which was given to me during my wedding about four and a half decades ago. I do not know how or why Aranmanai Laadu ( meaning Palace Laadu ) got its name. But the heavenly aroma that it emanates during the preparation is enough to vouch for the royalty of the 'golden' Aranmanai Laadu !
INGREDIENTS
Bengal gram dal - 2 cups
Powdered sugar - 2 cups
Ghee - 1 cup + 2tbsps
Fresh Coconut gratings - 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts - 1/4 cup
Cardamom - 4
Edible camphor( Pachchai karpooram ) - 1/2 a pinch
METHOD
1. Heat 2 tbsps of ghee and roast the cashew nuts and coconut gratings separately till they are golden brown in colour. Keep them aside.
2. Powder cardamom and edible camphor together and keep aside.
3. Wash and soak Bengal gram dal for two hours.
4. Drain the soaked dal and grind it into a very thick batter.
5. Heat one cup of ghee in a thick bottomed kadai and add the batter to it.
6. Roast the batter on low flame till all the moisture evaporates.
7. Keep stirring using a spatula till the whole mass crumbles.
8. Add powdered sugar and blend well and switch off flame. I also added two table spoons of plain sugar for texture.
9. Mix in the roasted nuts and cardamom powder and blend well .
10. Take a scoop of the mixture and firmly shape it into a badminton ball size Laadu.
My husband suggests that an addition of more nuts like pista and badam, raisins and saffron strands to Aranmanai Laadu will doubly justify its name !
Share the flavoursome Aranmanai Laadu with your near and dear ones and enjoy the HAPPY DEEPAVALI celebrations.
Comments
Peace :)