Enjoy truly authentic Indian food with family and friends on Diwali. Just as I use only the freshest ingredients, I want to pass that on to the world; you’ll never have to open a package to cook any of my recipes.

As of this writing, it is Day 1 of Navaratri and day 2 of Batukamma. Day 1 of the festive season. 9 days of Navratri, then Diwali. Have a festive Navratri, Diwali!!

Entire India is ready for Navratri and worships Goddess Durga for nine days. Nine nights of Navaratri celebrations, the tenth day is celebrated as Vijayadashami or Dasara. On that day, Idols of Goddess Durga are immersed into the water. Navratri usually comes in the month of October, but dates vary per to lunar calendar. As of this writing, in 2016, day 1 of Navaratri is October 1 and goes on till October 10, with 11th being Dasara. And today being Day 1 – October 1, 2016 (Saturday) – Pratipada, Ghatsthapana, Shailputri Puja.

At the same time, in southern India in the state of Telangana, batukamma is celebrated for 9 days. Day 1 being Engili Poola Bathukamma. It is celebrated on the Pethara Amasa (Mahalaya Amavasya – Bhadrapada Amavasya). At the time of writing, in 2016, Day 1 is on September 30th. Bathukamma is a festival of flowers and is celebrated for 9 days before Dasara, 10th day. 9th day is Saddula Batukamma, it is final and grand celebration of Batukamma.  The Bathukammas prepared with layers of flowers immersed in water. It falls on Durga Ashtami day and sometimes it falls on Mahanavami day.

Whether is it’s called Navaratri in north India or batukamma in south India, it is a celebration of great goddess Durga avatars. Both are celebrated for 9 days before Dasara and on 9th-day immersion takes place.

Of course, no celebration in any culture would be complete without food. At this auspicious occasion, celebrate with low-carb and low-sugar food without sacrificing genuine Indian taste with my recipes. For those who are on Navaratri vrat or fasting, this recipe is fasting compliant. No rice and rice flour, wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sooji (rava or semolina), chickpeas flour or gram flour.

Roasted gram, poppy-seed and coconut laddu

 

Save Print

Depending on your taste buds, you can add more or less poppy seeds and coconut.

Author: Ujwala Chintala

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup Dalia/roasted Bengal gram /putnalu
• ¼ - ⅓rd cup poppy seeds
• ¼ - ⅓rd cup fresh or dry grated coconut.
• ¼th tsp - fresh ground cardamom
• 1½ cup - brown sugar or grated jaggery. If using jaggery, use 1 - 1¼ cup only
• ¼ - ½ cup - fresh ghee. Using homemade ghee give laddu's a mouth-watering aroma
• few cashews to garnish

Instructions

1. Roast Dalia, poppy seeds and coconut separately till the raw smell is gone.
2. Grind poppy seeds first. When they are ground to powder, add Dalia. Grind to a powder. You can leave a little coarse. Then add coconut, cardamom and brown sugar and pulse. Pulsing everything together helps in even mixing.
3. Remove into a mixing bowl. Let it cool.
4. Meanwhile, fry cashews in a little ghee till golden brown. Let them cool.
5. Add ghee slowly to roasted mixture. Keep mixing as you add. This ensures just enough ghee needed. Adding more ghee makes mixture slimy. Try forming balls as you add ghee. When you think you can make balls, don't add any more ghee.
6. Add cashews to this mixture. Make balls by pressing in your hand and fingers.

3.5.3208