Instant Carrot Laddoo in Microwave

Don’t you just love it when you see a ridiculously easy recipe, try it and with in no time produce the dish and finally much to your excitement find that there is no compromise on taste or appearance? I was beaming when I made this dessert for Dasara and could not help but wonder the amount of time saved and the ease with which it was prepared.

After the initial excitement wore down, I couldn’t help but think about the times I spent celebrating Dasara with my family and relatives back in India. Two days prior to the celebration, the women would gather and prepare delicious deserts, all that and more in the traditional way. There were no shortcuts then; the food would be made in large quantities all from scratch and that too in the laborious, conventional way. The different tasks would be divided among them and there would be chatting, laughter, sharing ideas, giving opinions, praises, pampering etc and the tedious tasks would be over even without realising it or without any complaints from anybody. I would enjoy playing with other cousins, eat delicious food, enjoy the pampering, attention from the elders etc.

I realized that celebration of festival not only meant praying and thanking the Almighty but also keeping up the traditions, enjoying, sharing and passing it to our next generation.

This is also my contribution to Jihva Special Editon : The Festive Series for Dasara hosted by the wonderful Vee of Past Present and Me

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed Grated carrot (I use baby carrots and then run it through food chopper)

• ½ cup Ricotta cheese

• 1 tablespoon Butter

• ½ cup Condensed Milk (fatfree)

• 2 teaspoons Sugar

• 4 tsps MTR Badam Feast (or substitute with 2 tablespoon milk powder, sugar, cardamom)

• 5-6 chopped almonds

• Raisins

Method:

• Place the butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 15 to 20 seconds.

• Add the grated carrots mix well and microwave for 2 minutes, until the raw smell of carrot goes away.

• Add the ricotta cheese, condensed milk, sugar. Mix well and keep it in the microwave for about 3 minutes.

• Next add the Badam powder, chopped almonds and microwave for another 3 minutes or until done.

• Let it cool a bit and then make ball out of it.

Place raisin in the middle of each ball. This makes about 7 medium ladoos.