Paan Coconut Laddu

Feels like it’s been ages since I wrote my last post .. didn’t realize I was so connected to this platform already! 🙂 Well, I was a bit unwell. Blame it on the winds or the chilling weather but my little one and I were down with a runny nose all weekend. And Monday was Raksha Bandhan so I had to roll my sleeves, clean up the house and get in a festive mood as it was Sumeha’s first Rakhi! 🙂

But with all the last-minute prep I was left with little time for dessert. Coconut and condensed milk are usually a part of my pantry so I keep trying different variations using these 2 primary ingredients. So this time, I thought of revisiting the paan shop experience in India! In India, heavy meals are usually concluded by a delicious meetha (sweet) paan stuffed with rose petal preserve (gulkand), fennel seeds and topped with a cherry. It acts as a mouth freshener and aids digestion too.

These delightfully delicious laddus are no less than a meetha paan .. our festive grand dinner concluded with these paan laddus and that is when I missed my family the most – that moment when we sit together with our paans, gossip, giggle and celebrate life!

Prep Time:

• 20 minutes

Makes:

• 8 – 10 laddus

Ingredients:

• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut for rolling
• ½ cup condensed milk
• 1 tsp coconut essence (optional)
• 4 betel leaves (paan leaves)
• 5 tsp rose petal preserve (gulkand)
• 1 tbsp ghee / clarified butter
• 3-4 drops of edible green color (optional)

Method:

• Add chopped betel leaves and condensed milk to a blender / food processor. Pulse till both are well-combined. Set aside.
• Heat ghee in a pan on medium heat. Once ghee is hot, add desiccated coconut and roast for 2-3 minutes on medium-low heat.
• Next, add the condensed milk – betel mixture, coconut essence and stir to combine. You may now add edible green color if you like.
• Cook for another 2 minutes on low heat, mixture will thicken. Transfer to a plate and let the mixture cool down a bit.
• Grease your palms with ghee, take small portion from the coconut mixture, flatten it and add 1/2 tsp of rose petal preserve in the center.
• Bring the edges together and roll to form a ball like laddu.
• Roll the laddu in desiccated coconut. Repeat the same process with the remaining laddus.
• Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.