Charmuri Undo/ ChurmuriLaddoos ( Puffed Rice/Rice Crispie sweet balls)

Charmuri laddoos are a very popular snack back home. I used to love it as a child. Now I definitely make it at least once a year, especially during festival season. It's simple and easy to make, healthy, a great source of quick energy and the kids love it! Charmuri is nothing but puffed rice also known as rice crispies here in the US.

Servings: makes around 16-20 large laddoos

Ingredients: 

Jaggery: 1 cup
Puffed Rice :  4 cups
Cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp
Water: 1/4 cup

Method:

Dry roast the puffed rice until crispy, around 5-10 mins and keep aside in an airtight container.

Heat jaggery and water in a pot until the jaggery is completely melted and liquid. Now turn off the heat, let it settle for  5 mins. Gently pour the molten jaggery into a thick-bottomed  pot, leaving behind any sandy residue.

Heat the molten jaggery on medium flame until it thickens and is sticky when attempting to pick to pour from a spoon.

Add the cardamom powder. Now mix in the toasted puffed rice little at a time, mixing it well each time you add in ensuring that all the puffed rice is evenly coated with jaggery syrup.

Grease your palms with butter/ghee. Take tablespoonful of the hot puffed-rice- jaggery mixture and shape it into balls of desired size. If the mixture cools down, you will not be able to shape it into balls.

Store in an air-tight container.
Stays fresh at room-temperature for up to a month.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

While making laddoos, if you find that  you are not able to shape it into a ball inspite of the good stringiness and stickiness of the jaggery, then warm the dish a little, the jaggery will melt and be sticky once more!

It is much easier to make big laddoos than small ones as these laddoos are very light.

Tip for healthy living:

Puffed rice makes for a great snack as it is light, low in calories , nut-free and  gluten-free.

Snacking is a great habit as long as the snacks are healthy. One should eat several small meals a day rather than 2-3 large heavy meals. Eating small portions often keeps the metabolism going and also keeps us from binging!

Food for thought:

 Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired. Robert Frost