Thinai maavu laddu / foxtail millet laddu

Foxtail millet / Thinai is one of those forgotten grains that were a part of ancient Tamil culture. Foxtail millet is called ‘Thinai’ in Tamil, is offered to Lord Muruga in Tamil Nadu during the month of karthigai. I bought few packets of thinai maavu from India when i last visited. Thinai maavu has lots of health benefits, so i made simple laddu with jaggery and turned out very tasty.

Ingredients:

Yields 10 to 12 laddu's

• 1 1/2 cup - Thinai maavu / foxtail millet flour/ millet flour
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup - Jaggery (or add as needed)
• 1/4 tsp - Cardamom powder
• 10 nos - Cashew nuts (broken into small pieces)
• 4 to 5 tbsp - Ghee (or add as needed)

Preparation method:

1. Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a pan, add cashew nuts and roast until they are slightly brown in color. Then add thinai maavu/ foxtail millet flour on top of roasted cashew nuts and slightly roast them all together over medium flame until raw smell goes.
2. Take a mixing bowl, add roasted thinai maavu along with cashew nuts, powdered jaggery, cardamom powder and hot ghee (heat remaining ghee), mix it well with a spoon and make small balls (lemon sized) while the heat is endurable(tolerable or bearable).
3. Now tasty thinai maavu laddu /urundai is ready. Store it properly in an airtight container and enjoy this healthy laddu.

Notes:

• Increase or decrease the quantity of jaggery as per your taste level.
• You can replace jaggery with powdered sugar.
• Though i mentioned 4 to 5 tbsp (approximately) of ghee in the list, you have to add as required to make perfect laddu.

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