Coconut and Jaggery Laddoos / Kamarkat / Kamarkattu

Festivals are a time to celebrate and the best excuse for making sweets & snacks. The festive season also takes you back to your childhood and the traditional savories mom used to – and hopefully, still makes. So I decided to make one of my favorite sweet munchies to connect back to that time. This dish is ideal for distribution during festivals and quite a hit with kids too.

Recipe for Coconut and Jaggery Laddoos / Kamarkat / Kamarkattu

Makes : 12-15 pieces
Ingredients :

• 1 cup grated coconut (fresh/frozen)
• 3/4 cup jaggery
• A pinch of cardamom powder (equivalent to 3-4 cardamom pods)
• 1 tsp ghee
• 1 cup water

Method:

• Heat the water in a pan and add the solid pieces of jaggery. Mix well and stir continuously till the jaggery dissolves completely. Occasionally, some lumps or fine impurities may remain – so filter it after switching off the flame.
• Clean the pan and transfer the filtered jaggery syrup back to the pan and heat it on a low flame. The syrup will start bubbling and turn aromatic. At this stage, check for the string consistency of the liquid. (This is that stage when the syrup can’t dissolve in water. It can be tested by taking few drops of syrup onto a spoon of water)
• Add cardamom powder and grated coconut in the syrup. Stir well and keep monitoring till the coconut slowly absorbs all the syrup and becomes thick. Check the consistency by making a small ball. If you are able to roll it, switch of the flame and let it cool slightly.
• The trick is to roll the laddoos when they are warm. Grease your palms with a little ghee and roll them. If the mixture cools down, you will not be able to roll them.

Tips :

• If you are using freshly grated coconut, do not use the coconut shavings very near to the shell.
• The colour of jaggery syrup is critical. If you overheat it, the laddoos might turn dark brown , hard and difficult to chew. I like the golden brown colour shown in the pic.
• Jaggery can be of any type. If its fine, it becomes easier to dissolve.
• If you are making large numbers, please make it in batches because the whole mixture will dry fast.
• This has to be stored in a dry container and refrigerated for further use. It is advisable to consume within 4-5 days upon refrigeration.