Dink,Methi Ladoo- One a Day for the new Mom.

Hello Dearies!!! Today's post is specially for all the preggies and new moms who might be reading the blog. After delivery a new mom is given a high calorie rich food, to replenish the nutritional value for her own self, and to be able to bump up the milk supply for her little bundle of joy. Various types of soups, stews, munchies are prepared for her. Ideally her food should be watery, piping hot and easy on digestion. The new mom essentially eats for two, so her food is to be highly nutritional, easy to digest and help her recover from child birth.

When I was expecting, I remember my mom getting these ladoos for me from an sweet lady Mrs. Sapre in Goregaon, Mumbai, India. She makes these amazing methi ladoos. The taste has been lingering on me forever and even when I am not thinking about them, they keep thinking about me. They are so good. I pestered harassed my mom to make them for me when she was visiting, although good, my mom did not reach Mrs. Sapre skills. My soul keep hunting for these, till I saw Amu Bhai post a similar wheat ladoo recipe on his blog. So I had some hope and set my heart to work.

I decided to trail my memory lane and collect all the tastes and senses Mrs. Sapre's ladoos bring to me. I knew she had to add methi/fenugreek, edible gum and nuts, if she was making for someone who needed it post-partum. with the basic research, I set to try Amubhai's recipe with some twists. I raided my pantry, fridge to see what all I would have on hand that can be used. I found Pista powder, dry date powder, edible gum and  even crushed methi seeds. Some joys of staying in New Jersey. You are never away from home and Indian grocery.

You Will Need;
makes 16-18 medium size ladoos.

2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 Cup plus 2 Tbspn ghee/clarified butter
1.5 cups Sugar-Confectioner or ground sugar
1 tbspn Pista Powder
1tbspn Almond Powder
2 Tbspn Edible Gum/Dink/Gond
2 Tbspn Crushed Fenugreek/Methi seeds
1/3 rd cup chopped Walnuts
2 Tspn Cardamom Crushed or Elaichi powder

In a wok, heat the 2 tbspn ghee, fry the edible gum, till it blooms in the ghee. once fried, remove on a plate and let cool. Then crush the fried gum and keep aside.

In the same wok, take the remaining ghee, add the wheat flour and roast  on medium heat. Stir continuously taking care than the flour does not stick to the pan and burn. Stir for about 25-30 mins, till the mixture looks frothy and becomes really loose.
**Amu bhai has put step by step pics on his blog, so refer them to see when to stop roasting.

When the flour changes color add the methi seeds and keep roasting for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously. Switch off the flame and let cool. When the mix is warm enough to dip your finger and you can bear the heat, that is the time to add the sugar, elaichi, dink, chopped walnut, almond and pista powder. Mix Well. Roll the ladoos when they are cold enough to hold shape. These keep well for 10-15 days, although they do not last that long.

The recipe is sort of same for besan ladoos, but besan is chick peas flour which is difficult to digest and break down, so new moms are not given such foods. But if you have no such condition, try it with besan and maybe you have a new invention on hand. Make these even if you have no new mom around to make, they are good in winters too, just restrict yourself to One a day and you will be in great shape.