Tag: Jaggery

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Discover Why Ganesha Loves Jaggery Laddu: Tips from a Dietitian

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As part of the series I mentioned during Ganesh Chaturthi, where I share 10 offerings (Prasadam) made to Lord Ganesha and their nutritional benefits, today I present Bappa’s (Lord Ganesha’s) favorite laddu – Jaggery with Groundnuts (Peanuts/Phalli Dana).

This recipe is very simple and quick to make, and it’s also very healthy, especially for kids, young girls, and nursing mothers!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup grated jaggery
  • 1 cup roasted groundnuts, coarsely ground (Note: Do not make a fine powder)
  • Cardamom powder

Instructions:

  1. Mix the grated jaggery and groundnuts.
  2. Add cardamom powder and mix well.
  3. Form the mixture into round laddus. (Note: If the jaggery is too dry and the mixture doesn’t bind, microwave it for 15-20 seconds to soften and moisten it, making it easier to form into laddus.)

Nutritional Benefits:

Jaggery is an unrefined form of sugar made from sugar cane, rich in iron, mineral salts, calcium, magnesium, and zinc. It generates warmth in the body and is absorbed gradually, preventing sudden spikes in blood sugar levels. Jaggery also aids in digestion, prevents constipation, and helps with lung and upper respiratory blockages. It acts as a nerve tonic, helps in fluid balance, and purifies the blood. Regular intake can prevent muscular cramps, especially in women.

Groundnuts are rich in proteins, essential fatty acids, fiber, B-complex vitamins (especially niacin and riboflavin), and phosphorus. Cardamom adds flavor and a dash of antioxidants.

This laddu is a complete food, especially for those looking to increase complex carbs, reduce direct fats, and improve fiber intake. It’s a wholesome and delicious offering (Naivedhyam/Prasad), especially loved by kids!

Word of Caution:

  • Use plain peanuts without additives like salt, sugar, or coatings.
  • Roast the peanuts fresh for this recipe; do not use pre-powdered and stored groundnut powder as it can turn rancid.
  • Avoid this recipe if you are allergic to peanuts/jaggery or suffer from frequent headaches/migraines.
  • Remember, anything in excess can be harmful!

Sukha Karta Dukha Harta! Ganapathi Bappa Moriyaa!

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Laddu Extravaganza for Bappa! Insights from an Expert Dietitian

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Lord Ganesha is offered several forms of laddu/laadu during Ganesh Utsav as he is fond of laddus. It seems like we have borrowed his sweet tooth for these ten days! 😊

After Modak, there’s a long list of laddus starting with motichoor laddu, boondi laddu, besan laddu, and rava laddu, which are commonly prepared and must-have prasadam/offering on one of the ten days.

However, it occurred to me that Ragi (finger millet) can be used to make delicious laddus and should not be missed as this is another preferred food of the elephant lord! In fact, I call Ragi laddus “Indian choco laddu” though they are devoid of cocoa. 😊

There are several variants in making these laddus. Below is my version of Ragi Laddus.

Ingredients:

  1. Ragi flour (Finger Millet) – 200 gm (slightly roasted in microwave for 1 min)
  2. Wheat flour – 100 gm (roast with a teaspoon of ghee (clarified butter) to a slightly brown color)
  3. Jaggery – 100 gm (grated)
  4. Dry coconut – 50 gm (grated)
  5. Milk – 100 ml (lukewarm)
  6. Ghee (clarified butter) – 20 gm
  7. Cashew nuts – 10-15 (plain roasted)
  8. Cardamom powder – 1 tsp

Method:

  1. Mix all the ingredients in the sequence listed above to make a soft dough.
  2. Form the dough into round laddus. The malty flavor and chocolaty color attract kids at first sight, so do make a point to name it Choco Laddu. What’s more, you are giving your child the best choco ever, 100% nutritious! 😊
  3. Laddus can be preserved in the fridge for up to one week. If you find the laddus too dry, just break them and bind them again by adding a little warm milk.
  4. You can also make a soft porridge of this laddu by adding hot milk, an ideal meal for infants and toddlers.

Some Knowledge on Ragi and its Qualities: Ragi (finger millet) is popular in the southwestern states of India. It is widely consumed as a staple food apart from rice in Karnataka and some parts of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra. Ragi is a very soft millet when made into flour and is a rich source of calcium, other minerals, and fiber. It is easily digested, soothes the digestive system, and is a natural coolant. Ragi soaked overnight in buttermilk or water is consumed as the first meal in hot summers, as it is loaded with rich minerals and fiber, absorbed gradually due to its fiber content, helping maintain fluid balance in the body and preventing energy loss/exhaustion. It is one of the cheapest and best infant foods popular in southern states of India and is making its mark in several branded cookies for its fiber and calcium-rich qualities, making it ideal for diabetics, cardiac patients, and weight managers. Regardless of the region, Ragi is a great food for infants because of its soft malty taste when cooked in milk with a bit of jaggery or sugar and a pinch of cumin powder. This is certainly an important food for moms-to-be and nursing mothers.

Nutritional Benefits:

  • Ragi: Rich in calcium, fiber, energy, and protein.
  • Wheat: Good amount of protein, energy, and fiber.
  • Jaggery: Unrefined sugar, iron, minerals, and fiber; great taste enhancer as a sweetener; complex form of sugar.
  • Coconut: Rich source of protein, vitamin E, minerals, and fiber.
  • Ghee: A better option of fat compared to saturated fats and trans fatty acids.
  • Cashew nuts: Rich in protein, essential fatty acids, fiber, and antioxidants.
  • Cardamom: Adds flavor, antioxidants, and essential oils.

Shall we call it a complete nutritious food? YES, of course! My take is that it’s the best food for all seasons and festivities and a great snack for kids with the goodness of all nutrients from various sources. You can make variations by replacing wheat flour with any other flour of cereals or pulses as per your taste and liking. You can also add cocoa powder to make it a real choco flavor for normal days. However, it is a practice in India to use all-natural sources of foods to prepare the Prasad or Naivedhyam (offering), so it’s all-natural in the current recipe. 😊

So, let’s get started with a hands-on experience!

Note: Always remember, anything in excess is dangerous!

Ganapathi Bappa Moriyaa! Mangala Moorthi Moriyaa!

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Expert Dietitian’s Guide to Ganesha’s Beloved Kheer/Payas/Payasam

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Any festival is incomplete without the regional form of Kheer/Payas/Payasam offered to Lord Ganesha. As we enter the third day of Ganesh Utsav on 21st September 2012, here’s a little detail on Kheer. There are at least 50 variants of Kheer prepared across India that I am aware of, and there may be more! 😊 However, I have ensured that my version is not too elaborate, requiring too many ingredients or long hours of cooking. Typically, Kheer is a sweet made using milk (boiled to half its quantity on a low flame) mixed with sugar/jaggery, along with vermicelli/sevainya made from wheat or rice flour. It can also be made from broken wheat/semolina or cracked rice (Govindobhog rice is the best option for rice kheer) and sometimes a mix of rice and dals/pulses (green gram/bengal gram).

Note: When milk recipes are cooked on a low flame for a longer time, the taste is certainly richer compared to short-time, high-flame cooking!

My Version of Kheer:

Ingredients:

  1. Milk – 4 cups (boil on low flame for 30 minutes; leave a small porcelain dish in the pot to prevent spilling or burning)
  2. Jaggery – 1/2 cup (grated)
  3. Milk Maid – 100 ml
  4. Broken wheat (Bansi Rava) – 1/2 cup (soak for 30 minutes before cooking)
  5. Clarified butter (Ghee) – 20 gm
  6. Dry fruits (cashews, raisins, and almonds)
  7. Cardamom and saffron for flavor and color

Method:

  1. Pressure cook the soaked broken wheat with its soaking water for 4-5 whistles.
  2. Heat a frying pan, add ghee, and fry the dry fruits until golden.
  3. Add the cooked broken wheat to the pan and mix on a low flame for a few minutes.
  4. Add grated jaggery and Milk Maid diluted with 100 ml of water. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the jaggery melts, stirring continuously.
  5. Slowly add the reduced milk, keep stirring, and allow it to boil for 5-10 minutes on a low flame.
  6. Serve lukewarm.

Nutritional Benefits:

  • Milk: Rich source of protein, calcium, and vitamin A.
  • Jaggery: Rich in iron, minerals, and fiber.
  • Milk Maid: Provides calories, protein, and fat.
  • Broken Wheat: Rich in protein, carbs, vitamin B complex, and fiber.
  • Clarified Butter: A better fat option compared to saturated fatty acids and butter.
  • Dry Fruits: Provide vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.
  • Cardamom and Saffron: Add flavor, natural color, antioxidants, and essential oils.

A complete food indeed! 😊 So go ahead and experiment with ingredients to make your version of a complete food Kheer.

Note: You can avoid Milk Maid if you have good quality milk, but you might need to boil the milk longer to make it creamy/thicker.

Caution: Anything in excess is dangerous!

Ganapathi Bappa Moryaa! Mangala Moorthi Moryaa!

Nutritious Food

Day 7 of Navratri Maa Kaalratri – Offer her jaggery to seek her blessings!

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Day VII of Navratri Maa Kaalratri – Offer her jaggery to seek her blessings and ward evil from our mortal forms. Eat complex carbohydrate rich sweets made of jaggery and yes same time remember Jaggery is a high caloric food and hence unless you have really lived on fruits on day 5 and 6 do not go over board on eating sweets today .

The Day 5 and 6 are purely spent on fruits and honey it’s now time to again charge your system with high energy complex foods with jaggery (Gur) as main ingredient. Maa Kaalratri is worshipped as the seventh form of Maa Durga. She is a remover of all the evil powers and thus is called by the name of Kaalratri. She is offered sweets made of jaggery or jaggery as Prasadam.

What to make ? Jaggery stuffed rotis (Gur ki roti), Bengal gram jaggery cooked and stuffed rotis (puran poli),  Jaggery with rice or  or broken wheat and Jaggery kheer, rice flour Jaggery mixed pan cakes, any local food offered as Prasadam where Jaggery is the sweetener – sweet Pongal, chana daal Gur porridge, ragi laddu, groundnut/ til laddu etc.
Some learning on Jaggery: Jaggery/Gur is made from sugar cane, its unrefined form of sugar made in large Iron barrels, without any preservatives and has a small amount of fiber too. It is rich source of Iron and several mineral salts. It is also a decent store of calcium, magnesium, and zinc.

Jaggery is loaded with antioxidants and minerals like zinc and selenium, which help prevent free-radical damage and also boost resistance against infections .It is a complex form of sugar, generates warmth in the body and is absorbed in the body gradually without causing fluctuations in blood sugar levels (sudden rise in sugar levels that is typically noticed on consumption of glucose or white refined sugar)

Jaggery is excellent in secreting digestive juices, and prevents constipation. It benefits in case of lung and upper respiratory blockages. It is a nerve tonic and helps in fluid balance, and cleansing the body and purifying blood. Muscular cramps especially among woman can be prevented with regular intake of Jaggery in small amounts. Jaggery enhances and improves the quality, color of a recipe apart from sweetening

Want to effectively detox your body? Eat a small piece of Jaggery. It helps detoxify your liver by flushing out harmful toxins from your body. Cough and cold, water retention, bloating and migraine are some of the minor health problems that most of us experience on an everyday basis. However, you can fight these symptoms with the help of Gur. All you need to do is mix it with warm water and drink or add it in your tea instead of sugar to reap its benefits.