CURRY AND SPICE: SUGAR FREE POWER LADOO

When any of my friend applaud about my innovative recipe ideas ... I humbly deny! I know that I cannot be the origin of any idea... I might have seen something somewhere, the idea absorbed then may have an influence on me later... years later. I remember how I screamed at the sight of banana fritters at Bali back in 2011.... "boss, erao amader moto kolar bora khai".... Then I discovered it in the local shops... do get it at times but cannot take the smell of egg in the batter. I cannot have something does not mean that I have to indulge in criticism .... The sight of a suckling pig on a plate disturbs me, should I comment nonsensical on that post? Never should I.... that is what India today has become... intolerant.... West Bengal never entertained it... although some tried always. The reason why I hate any kind of radicalism ... radicals destroy 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 the evening... I am too scared to go and 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 the Indian media is totally sold out, how a majority of the Indians, the educated class has given in to radicalism... Anyway, this SUGAR FREE POWER LADOO has nothing to do with what I sit and think.... what I believe is that India is not in safe hands.... neither does it have a good alternative... at least the last 72 years of history says so. Sitting in a 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 the crowd but I did! 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 and I had it! You will know more about "Roll No. 35's" inability to influence on who I actually am....

Unless it is a 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 that it is. I enjoy preparing desserts and have my share too. I take ideas from different food shares but very much unable to follow ditto... if I am not given freedom in the kitchen.... I cannot perform. I did come across few recipes on black sesame and peanut ladoo and thoroughly went through Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor's Badam Barfi but did not follow any.... I decided to discard the sugar syrup part. I am a little scared now... if I am bleeding for so long... there must be a reason... if it is menopause, it is normal! If it is polyps, tumour it is not ok... will see a doctor early next week. Let me take tiny steps towards a healthier life... I cannot be on a bland diet unless a doctor enforces it on me.

The initial plan was to prepare a three layered ladoo .... then lethargy crippled the idea... I had to cook the dinner too yesterday... My health hazards are not keeping me in high spirits ... I fear the smell of a hospital, the gadgets... I made things easier for myself and for you... my readers! In the process, I used some freshly roasted peanuts and 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 the entire day yesterday.

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

Now the question is that why am I calling it "power ladoo?".... You do not have to travel backward as far as Bengal renaissance, just take a look at the different Bengali movies of the 50's & 60's... what did the "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 the amazing body works, I am Lalmohon Babu's sister! Anyway, you bet this homestyle sweet, SUGAR FREE POWER LADOO is done within an hour and 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 the milk powder, full cream milk and ghee.

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

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

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

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

Grind to a powder that will take some 2 minutes and pauses.

Transfer to a plate and add the green cardamom powder and 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 the toilet pipe. She did most of the ladoo and opened the coconut shell for me. South East Asia does not eat "daab" in the true sense... "sash jomey kath, daab bolchey"... I feel bad throwing off the shell after having the water... do not have a "dao"...

The Sugar Free Power Ladoo is ready.