Flax Seed Laddu

I happened to see these flax seeds based laddus on a Telugu cook show a couple of days ago, when I was leisurely browsing the television. The laddus made with a medley of healthy ingredients sounded and looked so tempting that I had to prepare them immediately. The original recipe used about 2 cups flax seeds and 1/4 cup each of whole black gram / urad dal and roasted chickpeas aka the chutney dal. I didn't bother to toast and grind the flax seeds as I had a big bottle of flax meal sitting in my pantry and so used it instead. I reduced the flax meal quantity and added some peanuts. Even though urad dal is added in small quantity, these laddus tasted almost similar to sunnundalu, earthy and delicious. Another reason for me to fall in love with these laddus as sunnundalu are a favorite of mine.
 
Ingredients: (Yield 16 - 18)
1 cup flax seeds / flax meal
1/4 cup skinned whole urad dal / black gram
1/4 cup roasted chickpeas / chutney dal
1/2 cup toasted and skinned peanuts
3/4 to 1 cup powdered jaggery
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tbsp. ghee
1 tbsp. cashews
Lukewarm milk as needed

Method:
* Toast the cashews in ghee until golden brown and keep it aside.
* If using flax seeds, toast them in a pan on low flame until they start to splutter. Transfer them onto a wide plate to let cool.
* To the same pan add urad dal and toast, stirring constantly on medium flame until they change lightly brown or until you start to feel the aroma. Let the toasted ingredients cool down.
* Grind urad dal slightly coarse and transfer to a wide bowl.
* Next grind flax seeds, chutney dal and peanuts together finely and add the powder to the urad dal flour bowl. Add jaggery, cardamom and toasted cashews along with the ghee used to toast, to the bowl and combine the mixture well using hand.
* Add milk, starting with a tbsp. or so to the mixture and combine to see whether the mixture holds together to shape. If not, add milk in 1 tsp. increments until the desired consistency is reached.
* Fist a lime sized portion of the mixture and shape into a smooth ball using your dominant hand. Repeat the step with the remaining mixture.  

Note:
1.  The laddus can be made without using milk and by increasing the ghee quantity to shape them. Using milk will reduce their shelf life and need to be refrigerated.
2. If by any chance the mixture becomes too wet, add some ground chutney dal or peanut powder so that laddus can be shaped.
 
This goes to blogging marathon #57 under the theme 'Bookmarked Posts' and check here to find out what other marathoners are cooking today.

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