Dry Fruit Laddu

 Its Dec 31st of 2022. The last day of the year and all I had on my mind was to write a blog and share a recipe with you all. Life is going on a faster pace and I am feeling I have to try harder to keep up with the pace and meet all the demands at the same time, with the same zeal, focus, perfect, on time...! And somewhere I am getting exhausted and overwhelmed with the life demands! Well, my husband says, it can be descried in one word, a small three letter word 'age'!! (lol), maybe, yes, but I always think/thought, I do handle things well, work well under pressures. No, it has not come naturally or easily! It's with experiences I have gone through over the period of time, has made me really tough and stronger! 

Is tough and stronger both convey the same meaning? Let me goggle and come back...! (lol). When I searched up the meaning, both words showed up in each other's 'similar' word suggestions. But I like to use the word, 'stronger', I can say I have become stronger, to withstand the pressures of life (I think)!

2022, is, I write 'is' because, still there is exactly 11 hours and 20 mins for the new year, in my part of the world. So 2022 I can tell in one word as 'unconditional faith' gave unexpected, enormous happiness! My belief and faith in the 'ultimate', did not leave my hands, in fact has never left mine! But this year was totally a game changer!

I am ending this year, heart filled with immense gratitude and gratitude and only gratitude! 

Oh WOW! I could not complete the blog in 11 hours and 20 mins of 2022.

As we all took booster 2nd dose of vaccination, and felt a bit uneasy, I took my morning a bit slow, by drinking coffee and started writing the  blog, and had to stop as I had to cook for a potluck New Year's Eve party, went with husband to give order for the new recliner we both loved, well I can say, the whole shopping experience was like, we have grew together as partners and somewhere we meet, actually in many things! Felt comfort and content about the shopping. I always see even in the smallest things of life....is there a chemistry, is there a harmony, is there a meeting place, is everyone happy, comfortable! This shopping was one of them I felt that way. Our DD's also had loved and actively participated and involved in design and fabric selection. 

Okay long story short, so my husband and myself went and finalized the order, then I had to wash my hair, then dress up and rush to the party, which anyways we were late. So I could not sit and finish my blog. And 11 hour and 20 mins just slipped by and 2023 came and I missed writing a blog in 2022,  the regret of my life! 

As I was writing and mentioning how 2022 was so wholesome, with so many milestones achieved, so many best things happened, which will affect positively in life, so many experiences, all the patiences and dedication just got transformed into amazing results which made each one of use, proud, content, happy and the faith to 'ultimate' strongest, 2023 suddenly started of my husband and DD's falling very sick! 

The New year's party eve was also filled with fun, happiness and it all suddenly changed into, 3 people, struggling to get up, violent coughs, horrible, terrible throat pain, congestion, fever, body aches, headaches...and no one could go to school, or office. I can say, it does not happen in my household pretty often, touchwood, that we miss school or office! No, not that we don't fall sick...but we never miss!! 

But the whole entire week, no school, no office, no sign of recovery, and despite all the tests came negative and doctor could not pinpoint as to what it is and neither could suggest a proper medication! Kinda put all of us in a very strange situation, wondering what, where and how it went wrong!? Day after day, symptoms increased, violent cough increased....leaving me devastated and thinking, what I should do to make them feel better!? The soups, the Kashayas, the home remedies, the over the counter medicine, nothing seem working in a good direction. 

Above all, what left in puzzle is, I survived! I remained untouched! I felt to an extent of am I even a human being, or I felt guilt...or may be I felt that way because, people kept on asking 'Oh Bindu is okay!!!!' 

Now 15 days, everyone is on the road of recovery, going back to school, office, still not able to shake the cough off...I suddenly felt sick 5 days ago, and thought, I am mentally stressed out and will be okay in a day!!? No, thats not how it transpired....it put me down! The same symptoms as all these guys had, putting me in even more crazier state of mind, why now, when everyone actually sort of recovered!!?

But a very good friend is so kind and generous to bring hot lunch every single day, in the cold weather, with varieties, just dropping off at the door, no actually, we do not want her to come inside and get exposed. The amount of caring, attention and the love is coming, I am very grateful to the 'Ultimate'! Only these things matters in life!

'HE' has some plan for all of us! And it is of course the best plan, the right one and 'HE' will never leave our hands no matter what! This is another phase....within 11 hours and 20 mins the year changed and so as many things changed! WOWOW, I feel amazed to think about it! We never thought last year when waiting in apprehension and doubt, and fear...HE gave the best we can't even think or imagine or put rest to all our doubts, fears and apprehensions. In the same way, this is also, we never thought, we will all fall sick, without a reason or even without any diagnosis, to pinpoint! So HE will definitely help to sail through this! The first help is the kindest, caring soul who is bringing food! I bow my head humbly and accept what ever comes in my way! 

Wishing all my readers a very Happy Healthy Prosperous New Year!  Thank you so much for reading my blog, thank you for supporting and encouraging and putting up with my inconsistent time in writing blogs. I promise this year will write very often, with lots of healthy, fun amazing recipes. Today I am sharing the oldest, traditional recipe, which is my Amma's, but has modified a tiny bit in that. Its the most healthiest filled with nutrition, yummy taste and it's the best dessert! You can eat as a dessert or a snack. It's Dry Fruit Laddu. A dessert which is totally guilt free or a snack which can refresh and gives you instant energy. There is no artificial sugar or flavoring or color. Before I start to write the recipe, the thing I just modified from the original my Amma's recipe is, I do not add ghee.  And my Amma never used walnuts, she used to use, cashews. If you want to you can replace walnuts with cashews and add ghee while making. 

Ingredients: (15-20 laddus)

Almonds-1 cup

Walnuts-3/4th cup

Dates-1and 1/4 cup(cut into disc shapes)

Raisins-1/4 cup

Cloves-5

Nutmeg-1/2 Tsp

Saffron-A large pinch of saffron strands

Method:

In a large pan, dry roast almonds. Make sure you don't burnt them. Dry roast walnuts and make sure you don't burnt them. Once it cools down, add rest of the ingredients mix well and coarsely grind in the mixer. If you do not like the coarse texture, you can grind it to a fine, but then, you need to grind only the nuts to a fine powder and then add the rest of the ingredients and grind. As dates and raisins will make it harder to grind the nuts into a fine powder. 

Once you grind the mixture, shape them into laddus or balls of the desired size. This does not require to put it in the fridge, and it stays fresh on the counter more than a month. Enjoy this healthy, nutritious  very tasty and guilt free dry fruit laddus. If you want to make it more, increase the quantity of the ingredients. like double or three times

Tips: Use soft dates and I generally cut in disc shapes, so that it's easier for the mixer to grind. I use one and a quarter cup of cut dates, if you like it more sweeter, you can add more or if you prefer less, you can add less.