I have been cooking with plenty of different kinds of rices for the past few years.When the last of the precious Burma Black Rice (I had got from my Pondicherry trip early this year) showed signs of infestation, the last thought on my mind was to chuck it. Determined to fight the battle between insects v/s me, I had decided to salvage as many grains as possible till the last grain. So I did. Without bothering to make any Dosas, Idly etc like I do out of habit.
What you see are Burma Black Rice Gondh Laddoos as the name suggests, are fortified with Gondh combined with the goodness of Jave Godhi (Emmer wheat), ghee fried nuts and some warm spices sweetened with jaggery like I always do. Delicious as much as they are nutritious and a powerhouse of energy. Perhaps, a result of my obsession with Punjabi Pinniyan that I made several times last winter, these rich laddoos are a good mix of its two parent inspirations – Punjabi Pinniyan and our own Gondh Unde.
These Burma Black Rice Gondh Laddoos happened more as a result of providence than my planning. All thanks to the weevils. The beautiful purple hues of the rice though are taken over by the brown of the jaggery. Purple or brown, a rice battle won is a new recipe born to be shared with you.
Very few Indian foods are purple in color. This Burma Black Rice grown in Karnataka is one such that is a beautiful light purple. It comes close to chettinad Karuppu Kavuni arisi in nutritional profile. Rich in anthocyanins (the reason for the purple pigmentation) and full of anti-oxidants from the rice, the laddoos make great supplemental food for growing children, girls in particular of menstruation age as well as for postpartum women.
It has all the good ingredients that are helpful in supplying that extra energy needed for nursing mothers as well as healing properties – anti-inflammatory from the rice and the Gondh and warming properties needed for colder months.
Burma Black rice is nutty in taste and chewy in texture and it keeps one fuller longer one third the quantity of rice. I prefer to use it normally in Dosa, Idli or in this kind of a Laddoo than as a cooked rice in a meal to allow the nutrients to be more bio available for the body.
This recipe can be made with Karuppu Kavuni Rice as well. I have made it twice and it comes out pretty well.
How to salvage infested rice:
Most people are squeamish at the sight of weevils infested rice. Anyone’s first knee-jerk reaction is to get rid of it. Here’s where a pause helps immensely. How long did it take for the farmers to grow it – at least 6 months, time taken to de-husk it, mill it, distribute, pack it, retail it – i’ll leave the math to you. How can such a precious thing – a labor of nature’s love be chucked without giving it a second chance?
Weevils are a good sign that the rice hasn’t been touched with harmful pesticides. When you see signs of infestation mild to severe, do not fret and throw away the rice. Firstly, wash in several changes of water to get rid of the insects and the their residues. You’ll see then that the hollow eaten up rice float to the top. Drain those off. Once you let those hollow grains go, you’ll realize that those that are spoilt are way less than what can be saved and used.
Soak the rice in water over night. Then drain, spread on a thick towel and let dry completely.
The rice that is washed like this will have to be used up immediately or within the next few days.
Or you could save it in the freezer to avoid another infestation and use up as soon as possible.
How to eat:
Eat two laddoos with a glass of milk as snack when hungry or first thing in the morning.
If I may interest you with another different kind of gum that is good for you, check this Gulabi Paanaka
Also, Rave Unde/Rava Laddoo and Sajjige
Burma Black Rice Gondh Laddoo
Prep Time
1 d 8 hrs 30 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
cooling time
10 mins
Delicious and nutritious Burma Black Rice laddoos
Servings: 50 small, bite size
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup burma black rice
- 1/2 cup emmer wheat flour or Jave godhi hittu
- 1/4 cup edible gum / Indian gondh Gum Arabic
- 1/3 cup almonds
- 1/4 cup cashews super finely chopped
- 2/3 cup dried melon seeds / magaz
- 3/4 cup soft kolhapuri jaggery / unde bella
- 1/4 cup water for jaggery syrup
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp dried ginger powder
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder about 6 cardamoms
Instructions
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wash burma black rice in several changes of water. if the rice is not infested with weeviks, save the water for use later as it is rich in anthocyanins. Else re-use that water for plants
Soak the rice overnight in drinking water.
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after the water is drained and water saved, spread the damp rice over a thick towel on the kitchen counter or in a cool, dry place and allow to dry overnight or one full day till there is no wetness
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finely chop cashews into bits and keep aside
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Dry roast dried burma black rice in an iron kadai or thick bottomed pan until it smells toasty and begins to pop. do not let it burn. keep aside
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In the same pan, heat 1/4 cup ghee next and fry almonds and keep aside.
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Repeat with edible gum/gondh in the remaining ghee till the gum granules bloom to creamy white, airy and light pop corn like things
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Repeat with dry melon seeds and lastly with the cashew bits. strain cashew bits onto a plate/cup when they turn faint golden brown
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If needed, add ghee in between any step.
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Next, add the emmer wheat flour and roast till aromatic.
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Let them all cool.
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Grind toasted burma black rice to fine powder in a mixie and remove into a mixing bowl.
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Next, grind all the ghee roasted ingredients (except cashew bits) to a neither too fine not coarse powder
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Mix roasted rice flour, emmer wheat flour and cashew bits, dried ginger and cardamom powder. Make a well in the center.
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In a pan, add water to jaggery and let it melt. Filter the liquid using a fine cloth to get rid of sand and impurities. transfer to the washed pan and bring to frothing one string consistency syrup
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Pour jaggery syrup to the well in the mixing bowl little at a time.
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Mix well with a flat spotted ladle
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Let the mixture cool till just warm enough to handle
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make Laddoos/Unde quickly while still warm
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Don’t worry if the flour jaggery mix appears semi solid before shaping into Laddoos
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As it cools, it will become hard
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When cooled, Store Laddoos in a dry, air tight container
Notes
Stays well for a week to 10 days
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