CURRY AND SPICE: SUGAR FREE POWER LADOO

When friends applaud my innovative recipe ideas, I deny! I know I cannot be origin of ideas... I might have seen something somewhere, idea absorbed then might have an influence on me later... years later. I remember I screamed seeing banana fritters at Bali in 2011.... "boss, erao amader moto kolar bora khai".... Thereafter, I discovered it in local shops... buy at times, can't take smell of egg in batter. I can't have something doesn't mean I have to indulge in criticism .... The sight of a suckling pig on plates disturb me, should I comment nonsensical on that post? Never should I.... that is what India today has become... intolerant.... West Bengal never entertained it. Radicalism destroys mindsets, nations. I could not have been able to live in a country where women are rule bound to take along male assistants while out in evening... I am too scared to go, live in an India after retirement where the government will have a say in what we do at home. We are Hindu, my men too know that they are Hindu but are atheists who enjoy beef.... I am prejudiced enough not to cook it at home .... in case I do it for my men.... who the hell anyone is to stop me... "set your rules in your respective homes".... that should be the wise thing to do.

You see I sit idle at home, nothing fruitful as such to do... hence, such thoughts play around ... I am worried to see how Indian media is sold out, how majority of Indians, educated class given in to radicalism... Anyway, this SUGAR FREE POWER LADOO has nothing to do with what I sit, think.... what I believe is that India's pride of being a democracy where different religious faiths stay in harmony is fading away.... neither does it have a good alternative... at least last 72 years of history says so. Sitting in this luxurious island, I should not give big talks... however, on my last visit I made it a point to ride buses... may be an AC bus or at stipulated times avoiding crowd! I remember, back in January, how Swati got tensed when I was catching a 221 bus from Kankurgachi, how Chandrayee would repeatedly say... "shabdhaney jash".... I get angry... "tora amai ki bhabish?"... I regret my inability to board an over crowded train from DumDum anymore... It requires special skills, I had it once!

Unless it's learning experience, I am unwilling to indulge in any useless talks .... uff! Mani please! I do not wish to be like you either "my home and only that, nothing else matter"..... Anyway, this particular sweet that I prepared yesterday is a keep, I am telling you it is. I enjoy preparing desserts, have my share too. I take ideas from different recipes, unable to follow ditto... if I am not given freedom in kitchen.... I cannot perform. I did come across few recipes on black sesame, peanut ladoo, thoroughly went through Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor's Badam Barfi, didn't follow any.... I decided to discard sugar syrup part. I am scared... if I am bleeding for such long... there must be a reason... if its menopause, its normal! If its polyps, tumour its not ok... will see doctor early next week. Let me take tiny steps towards a healthier life... I cannot be on bland diet unless a doctor enforces it on me.

The initial plan was to prepare three layered ladoo .... then lethargy crippled the idea... I had to cook dinner yesterday... My health hazards are not keeping me in high spirits ... I fear smell of hospital, gadgets... I made things easier for myself, for you... my readers! In the process, I used some freshly roasted peanuts, black sesame seeds, microwave made mawa, two sachets of Tropicana sugar free sweeteners, almond slices to garnish. Done within an hour, I enjoyed one guilt free too besides all those what I ate for entire day yesterday.

Around 11:30 am yesterday, I craved for a curry puff stuffed with egg, chicken & potato! ... the husband must rent home in Khatib next.... else wife would die soon. Around 3:30 pm... some good will prevailed, I went to nearest food court to have some greens, sweet & sour pork.... a wiser soul would have eaten only fruits piled at home.... At night, dinner was "kumra sheddho, dayil, ccingri".... few pictures of blog post had been changed!.... We had prawns for three consecutive weeks, next four weeks wouldn't get. Pumpkin or any boiled vegetables at this home have two different garnishes... I have it with mustard oil, green chilli while rest have with butter or ghee. Adding another feather to weirdness of my husband, he eats green chilli with "jhal muri" only.

Now question is why am I calling it "power ladoo?".... You don't have to travel backward as far as Bengal renaissance, just take a look at different Bengali movies of 50's & 60's... what did "pehelwan's".... "akhrer dada" ra ate after a workout session?... "kancha holud, gur, chine badam bhejano, chola bhejano"... When it comes to riding a camel or looking at their amazing body works, I am Lalmohon Babu's sister! Anyway, you bet this homestyle sweet, SUGAR FREE POWER LADOO is done within an hour, can be eaten guilt free.... not always though. My doctors do not recommend sugar alternatives to be had on a regular basis. Shall we proceed with the super simple recipe?

''uff kaal theke maach-mangsho-moshola shob namao... dekhi pranbhorey"..... I never feel obligated unless required... but there is something called wish.... I do not bypass it most of the time!

INGREDIENT : [ FOR THE INSTANT MAWA]

POWDERED MILK : 100GM
GHEE : 2TBSP
FULL CREAM MILK : 4TBSP

INGREDIENT : [FOR THE LADOO]

THE INSTANT MAWA
BLACK SESAME SEED : 2-3TBSP [RAW]
PEANUT : 100-150GM [RAW]
GREEN CARDAMOM POWDER : 1/2TSP [FRESHLY MADE]
SUGAR FREE SACHET : 2-3 [I USED DIABETIC FRIENDLY TROPICANA]
MIXED NUTS TO GARNISH, I USED ALMOND SLICES

PROCEDURE :

We will mix together milk powder, full cream milk, ghee.

Microwave at low for 3 minutes pausing, stirring after each minute. Our instant mawa is ready.

Switch on gas oven, place wok on it. Add raw peanuts, black sesame seeds on it.... keep roasting at low heat. Do it for 3-4-5 minutes or until you get sweet, nutty aroma.

Once done, store in bowl, let cool a bit.

When its still warm, add roasted peanuts, black sesame seeds, sugar free sweetener powder to blender not meant for preparing spice powders, pastes.

Grind to powder that will take some 2 minutes pausing in between.

Transfer to plate, add green cardamom powder, instant mawa / semi solidified milk to it.

Now knead well for 3-4 minutes.

My finger rings are on vacation now... Cristine saved one from going down toilet pipe. She did most of ladoo, broke coconut for me. South East Asia does not eat "daab" in true sense... "shash jomey kath, daab bolchey"... I feel bad throwing off shell after having water... don't have "dao".

The Sugar Free Power Ladoo is ready.