Andhra sweet · makes about 14

Kobbari Undalu (Coconut Jaggery Laddu)

కొబ్బరి ఉండలు · नारियल गुड़ के लड्डू · नारिकेल-गुड-लड्डुकाः · Kobbari Undalu · Nariyal Gud Ke Laddu

Kobbari undalu are the coconut laddus Andhra homes make for festivals, naivedyam and an everyday sweet. They need only coconut, jaggery, cardamom and a spoon of ghee. The jaggery is melted and strained, the coconut is cooked in it on a low flame until the mix holds together, and the laddus are rolled by hand while still warm.

Our Cheruku Bellam gives them a light golden colour and a mellow caramel taste. This recipe makes about 14 laddus.

Prep10 min
Cook20 min
Total30 min
Makes14

Allow another 15 minutes for the laddus to cool before you store them.

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In short

Melt cane jaggery, cook it with grated coconut till it comes together, add cardamom and ghee, and roll into laddus.

చెరుకు బెల్లం కరిగించి, తురిమిన కొబ్బరితో కలిసి ముద్ద అయ్యే వరకు ఉడికించండి. యాలకుల పొడి, నెయ్యి కలిపి ఉండలు చుట్టండి. మిశ్రమం ఉండ కట్టకపోతే ఇంకో 2 నిమిషాలు ఉడికించండి; గట్టిపడితే ఒక చెంచా గోరువెచ్చని పాలు చిలకరించి మళ్ళీ ఒత్తండి.

गन्ने का गुड़ पिघलाएँ, कसे हुए नारियल के साथ मिश्रण बँधने तक पकाएँ, फिर इलायची और घी मिलाकर लड्डू बना लें। मिश्रण से लड्डू न बनें तो 2 मिनट और पकाएँ; बहुत सख़्त हो जाए तो एक चम्मच गुनगुना दूध छिड़ककर फिर से दबाएँ।

Ingredients makes 14

For the laddus

2 cups grated coconut 1 medium coconut; grate only the white part
1 cup grated cane jaggery about 180 g; pound or grate the pieces first
½ tsp cardamom powder or the crushed seeds of 4–5 pods
1 tbsp ghee plus a little for greasing your palms

Optional

10 cashews, optional broken and fried golden in ghee

Method

Grate the coconut, leaving out the brown skin so the laddus stay light in colour.
Pound or grate the cane jaggery into small pieces so it melts evenly.
Melt the jaggery with 2 tbsp water on a low flame, then strain it through a fine sieve. This catches any grit or bits of cane from the block.
Return it to the pan, add the coconut and cook on medium-low, stirring, until the mix leaves the sides of the pan and holds together, 12–15 minutes. Keep stirring so it does not catch at the bottom.
If you are using cashews, fry them in a little ghee till golden while the mix cooks.
Stir in the cardamom, ghee and cashews. Take the pan off the heat.
Let it cool till you can handle it, grease your palms with ghee and roll it into small balls. Press each one firmly so it holds together.
Set the laddus on a greased plate and let them cool completely before you store them.

Tips

If the mix won't hold a shape, cook it 2 minutes more. If it sets too hard, sprinkle in a spoon of warm milk and press again.
Keep the flame at medium-low; on a high flame the jaggery darkens and the laddus turn hard.
Roll the laddus while the mix is still warm; once it cools completely it will not bind.

Variations

Palm jaggery: use the same amount of grated palm jaggery for darker laddus with a slightly smoky sweetness.
Dry coconut: use the same amount of grated dry coconut (kopra); the mix comes together faster, so watch it closely.
Kobbari burfi: spread the cooked mix on a greased plate, let it set a little and cut it into squares instead of rolling laddus.

Serving

Serve as an everyday sweet, offer them as naivedyam, or add them to the festival sweet plate.

Storage

Keep in an airtight container and eat within 3 days at room temperature, or within a week if kept in the fridge.

Questions

Why are my kobbari undalu not holding shape?

The mix needs a little more cooking. Put it back on a low flame for 2 minutes, stirring, until it leaves the sides of the pan, then roll it while it is still warm.

Why did my laddus turn hard?

The jaggery was cooked too long or on too high a flame. Sprinkle in a spoon of warm milk, mix and press again. Next time, take the pan off the heat as soon as the mix holds together.