Kadale Hittu

Honestly speaking, this was not my intended post for today as I had already another one ready, prepared a few weeks ago. I was not even sure whether this deserved a post but a bottle of kadale hittu sitting on my kitchen counter and now being in the middle of 'Dasara' festival led me to some nostalgia. Besides this is a recipe involving only four ingredients. 

I had used it to stuff the kajjikaya that I had prepared last month for Ganesha Chatutrthi and had some leftovers. Kadle hittu is a Kannada word usually meaning chickpea flour / besan. However this finely ground sweet mixture of roasted split chickpeas, jaggery, dried coconut and cardamom is also referred to as kadale hittu. The word 'kadale' here is used in reference to the roasted split chickpeas which are called hurigadale in Kannada, (Huri+Kadale meaning roasted chickpeas). Where as 'hittu', the Kannada word for 'flour' refers to the texture of this mixture which is very finely ground. (Mine is not finely ground since I prefer it that way.) 

 

Small paper pockets filled with this kadalehittu can be commonly seen distributed as 'prasada' in temples in and around Bangalore. I know now the scenario has changed but I remember my mother used to distribute a treat each day during Dasara to the neighborhood kids who would come to our house to look at the arrangement of dolls. Ditto with the other matrons in the neighborhood. I remember that this kadale hittu also used to be one of those treats and also my reason for posting it today. 

There is also a another version which uses coconut, sugar and cardamom instead which kinda is my favorite since the coconut is the dominating flavor there and I love it. I am guessing this kadale hittu can also be used to make laddus adding ghee and roasted nuts. When not smoothly ground, it can be used to stuff kajjikaaya as mentioned above.

Ingredients:

1 cup roasted split chickpeas (The one used to make chutney.)

1/2 cup dried, grated coconut

1/2 to 3/4 cup jaggery (Adjust based on it's sweetness)

1/2 tsp. ground cardamom 

Method:

* Add all the ingredients to a mixer / grinder and grind it fine. Use as needed.

 
Check here to find out what the other marathoners are cooking as part of the Blogging marathon #69.

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