Whole Grains : Popcorn Laddu

Popcorn Laddu a.k.a, Pelala Laddu in Telugu. I was looking for a recipe with corn and came across a recipe on the popcorn kernels packet which said 'Popcorn balls' and i decided to Indianise it by adding Jaggery instead of Maple Syrup. I vaguely remember that it is also made in rural parts of telangana with Jonna pelalu, called as Jonna Pelala Laddu. So i decided to give it a try. I followed Borugula (Murmura) laddu recipe of Indira of Mahanandi. Here's the experiment from my kitchen to yours.


Pelala Laddu:

Popping the corn:

1)A pan with a lid and handle to hold (or) a popcorn popper
2)Oil - 3tbsp
3)Corn - 1/2 cup

I don't recommend a Microwave to pop the kernels as it is harmful to your health. I would be posting more on that later. Preheat oil on high heat in the popper or pan for approximately 1 minute. Add kernels to the pan and cover. As the corn starts popping, Lower heat slightly. Agitate popper or pan until the popcorn ceases to pop. Pour popcorn into a bowl. Now grind the popcorn coarsely. make up to 6 cups of coarse popcorn.



Jaggery syrup:

1)Jaggery - 1 cup(powdered)
2)water - 1 cup
3)Cardamom - 2 (seeds powdered)
4)popcorn- 6 cups
Keep a small bowl with cold water ready.

Take a thick-bottomed vessel, add water and jaggery. Cook on medium-high heat. Jaggery melts and begins to concentrate. When it starts foaming , it reached the consistency we want for this recipe. To test, add few drops of Jaggery syrup to the cold water. When pushed with fingers, if the syrup can be rolled to a round without melting in spite of tilting the plate to different directions, it is done and the syrup is ready. This whole process takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
Constantly stirring, add popcorn. Also sprinkle in cardamom powder. Within one or two minutes, popcorn starts to soak up the syrup and comes together in to dry mass. Turn off the heat. Remove the pot from the stove top to counter top.Wait for about 5 minutes for popcorn-jaggery mixture to cool down and then start making laddus. Take a spoonful of mixture into hands and press gently into round shape.



Be Nourished!!