Toasted Coconut Cashew Date Laddoos

Name too long, I couldn’t think of anything better to describe this recipe :-). Have a better idea then just leave it in the comments. Mind you it is a kid friendly website :-). I must confess, before I made these aromatic toasted coconut cashew date laddoos I just wasn’t a big fan of dates. I started to eat them because of my diet that called for eliminating processed sugars with more natural forms. A word of caution it does have approx 8-9 grams of sugar per date, so keep a watchful eye. I just love to eat something sweet after a meal.

Nuts, Coconut and Date Balls Recipe

I found ripe dates are mushy and work as a great binder. Also you have to toast the coconut as fresh grated coconut goes bad  specially if it is hot. Laddoo( in hindi) is a word used for sweets that are round in shape. My first try of these aromatic goodness was with just cashews. On my second try I decided to add a Goan influence of coconut and cardamom.
Fyi Indians use cardamom to flavor the desserts, while cinnamon is more popular in the US.

Serving : 12-13 gumball sized

Ingredients:
12-14 medjool dates
6 oz of roasted / raw cashews
4 cardamom seeds pounded
3.5 oz of lightly toasted coconut
Pinch of salt

Directions:
• In a non stick pan add grated coconut and on medium low heat toast the coconut till light golden brown.
• In a mixing bowl, first de-seed the dates and smash it with a fork or use your fingers.
• Roughly chop the cashews and add it to the mixing bowl.
• Next add the toasted coconut, crushed cardamom and mix it well with your hands. It should have a dough ball consistency.
• Divide into equal portions depending on the size of date balls you want.
• Shape each portion to a smooth ball.

Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place. Enjoy it as a healthy snack or with a nice cup of tea. Its is vegetarian and vegan friendly.

For more recipes and Indian Spices visit us @ www.goanimports.com