Ganesha Loves Jaggery Laddu !

As part of the series that I mentioned on Ganesh Chathurthi that I shall share 10 offerings (Prasadam) made to Lord Ganesha and how nutritious each of the recipes are, today I present Bappa’s (Lord Ganesha) Favorite laddu – Jaggery with Groundnuts (Peanuts/ Phalli dana)

This is a very simple and quick to make recipe and yes same time very healthy especially for kids and young girls and nursing mothers!
To make Jaggery laddus, you need grated jaggery 1/2 cup and 1 cup of roasted ground nuts coarsely ground
(Note: don’t make a fine powder out of the groundnuts), and cardamom powder.

Mix grated Jaggery and groundnut , add cardamom powder and mix well and make round laddus out of the dough.
(Note: If you find that jaggery is too dry and there is no binding in the mixture, just microwave the mixture for 15 -20 sec in microwave and the dough turns soft and moist perfect mix to make round laddus ) 🙂

Now lets see the nutritive quality and benefits of this dish :

As I wanted to detail this I felt that a little appreciation of jaggery is a must as we learn to make this recipe more so since there are at least five more recipes that I shall share in the coming days which has jaggery as a sweetener. Jaggery is my personal favorite too ! 😉

However I tired to have an unbiased opinion, since many do not like the from, color and amorphous some times sticky/gummy texture of jaggery and do not relish its flavor. But I think if you are used to making sweets with jaggery regularly and enjoyed small bites of jaggery as a kid I am sure you will love its taste and flavor compared to processed clean beautiful white sugar 😀 . Its again matter of habits and kind of foods we get exposed to from childhood.

Jaggery is made from sugar cane, its unrefined form of sugar made in large Iron barrels, with out 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. It is a complex form of sugar, generates warmth in the body and is absorbed in the body gradually with out 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 specially 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 🙂

A quick check on the ingredients :

Jaggery – we know store house of energy, minerals and Iron, trace amounts of fiber and silica
Ground nuts – Rich in proteins ,energy from essential fatty acids /oils, fiber, B Complex vitamins (Esp: Niacin and Riboflavin) and phosphorus
Cardamom- flavor and added dash of antioxidants

Is it a complete food? Yes it is ! Especially for those who think they need to increase complex carbs and reduce direct fats and improve the fiber content of the food .
Trust me I have not found an offering (Naivedhyam/Prasad) more yummier than this one so simple to make same time wholesome, especially for kids I am sure they would love this sweet! 🙂

Word of Caution : Make sure Peanuts used are plain with out any additives, like salted, sugar coated, roasted etc. Roast the peanuts fresh for this recipe, do not use powdered and stored groundnut powder since it can turn rancid over long storage. Avoid this recipe incase you are are allergic to peanuts /jaggery or suffer from frequent head aches /migraine.

* Anything in excess can be dangerous !

Sukha Karta Dukha Harta ! Ganapathi Bappa Moriyaa !