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Ragi Jaggery Laddoos

Healthier, wholegrain ragi laddoos made with oats, almonds and jaggery. Great for the festive season!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Makes: 10 laddoos
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Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup oats
  • 1/4 cup whole almonds (see notes)
  • 1 cup ragi flour
  • 6 to 8 tbsps ghee
  • 1/2 cup powdered jaggery
  • 1 tsp cardamom powder
  • Sliced almonds to decorate, optional

Instructions

  • Grind the oats till you have a fine, flour-like mixture. Transfer to a non-stick pan and set aside.
  • Grind the almonds till they resemble almond meal, a few small pieces are ok. Add to the oats and dry-roast both together for a couple of minutes until very lightly browned and aromatic. Set aside to cool.
  • In a sturdy wok or kadhai, heat the ghee on low, ensuring it doesn't start smoking or boiling.
  • Add the ragi flour and roast on low heat with the ghee for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture darkens and gives off a nutty aroma. It will be fairly liquid-y and will resemble coarse tar at this stage, don't panic :)
  • Add the almonds and oats mixture and roast for about another 5 minutes stirring constantly. The mixture will thicken a little but will still be runny. Turn off the heat, transfer to a mixing bowl and allow to cool completely at room temperature. Some of the ghee might rise to the surface. Stir occasionally and as it cools, the mixture will thicken automatically.
  • When it is completely cool, add the jaggery and mix well. The mixture will now be much firmer. Taste and add more jaggery if needed, keeping in mind that it causes the mixture to thicken which also makes it easier to shape. Mix in the cardamom powder. At this stage, you could shape the laddoos, or if the ghee is making the mixture too soft, simply chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. This will also depend on how hot your kitchen is.
  • Roll the laddoos in your palms and for a rounder shape, I prefer tossing each laddoo around in just one palm. Press a sliced almond into the top and store the prepared laddoos in the fridge. They taste best on day two, once the flavours have a chance to settle. Leave at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving. Have a great Diwali!

Notes

*If you decide to skip the whole almonds, you will likely need all 8 tbsps of ghee in the absence of their natural oils. If you do add the almonds, start with 6 tbsps ghee and while rolling the mixture, add a bit more ghee if you find it too dry.
*If the jaggery has some larger chunks, blitz it in the blender for a few seconds.