VERKADALAI URUNDAI / PEANUT BALLS

Hey all ! Here I am with another 

traditional South Indian sweet recipe..

This is  specially made during

 "Karthikai Deepam" festival.. 

This sweet is not only tasty but

very healthy as well, as we use only 

peanuts & jaggery :-) Lets begin :-)

VERKADALAI URUNDAI RECIPE:

Recipe cuisine: Indian / Recipe category: Dessert

Prep time: 20 mins / cook time: 30 mins
INGREDIENTS
Peanuts : 1 cup
Jaggery : 3/4 cup
Water : 3 tblsp
Cardamom powder (optional) : a pinch 
Dry ginger powder (optional) : a pinch
Ghee / rice flour ( for rolling ) : as required
METHOD:
Heat pan, dry roast the peanuts and
remove the skin completely. Let it cool down
till it becomes crispy.

 

Let's prepare the jaggery syrup. Heat pan, add 3
tblsp of water. Powder the jaggery & add it to the
water. Let it dissolve completely. Then the jaggery
will start to boil. Keep cooking the jaggery.

Take a cup with water & drop the
jaggery syrup. Please see the pictures below, the
jaggery will not dissolve in water & you should
be able to make a small ball. This is the right 
consistency. Cook jaggery  syrup till this consistency
in medium flame only.

  

Immediately pour the syrup to the dry roasted 
peanuts. Mix it well with spatula  or spoon.
Apply some rice flour or ghee on your palms
and start making balls.. Please do it when the 
peanut jaggery is hot..As it will become hard 
once it is cool..

Enjoy yummy Verkadalai urundais :-)

NOTES:

* I used peanuts with skin. Peanuts without skin can also

be used. Pls make sure the peanuts are crispy. If not the 

sweet will not be crunchy.

* I used light colour jaggery. Dark coloured jaggery can be

used & the sweet will look brownish instead of golden colour.

* It is very important that we achieve right consistency for 

jaggery syrup. If not,we cannot roll it into balls & it will

 start to separate. Also, cook jaggery syrup in medium flame only,

if not the syrup will burn.

* Once the mixture is cool, we cannot make balls.

So just microwave the mixture for 2 mins or so depending

on the quantity & continue to make balls.
* Adding cardamom & dry ginger powder is optional.
* We can apply oil also on our palms instead of ghee or rice flour. 
If not, the hot mixture might burn our hands.
* Once you make balls, wait till the balls cool before you 
serve. This sweet should not be served hot as it will be soft
and not crispy.
* For my non tamil speaking friends - "verkadalai" means 
peanuts & "urundai" means balls

  Please do try and give your feedback..

Your comments and feedback are really important to me:-)

Happy happy yummy yummy cooking..

See you all soon with more interesting recipes :-)