Narkel Naru (Coconut Ladoo With Jaggery)

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh grated coconut
• 1 cup organic jaggery powder or organic chopped or grated jaggery
• ½ teaspoon green cardamom powder – optional
• 1 to 2 teaspoons ghee for greasing palms, you can also use coconut oil

Steps

1. Heat a heavy kadai, reduce to low heat and add the freshly grated coconut.
2. Roast over low to medium-low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often and avoiding browning. This drives off some of the fresh coconut's moisture.
3. Put in the jaggery powder or grated jaggery.
4. Combine it thoroughly with the coconut.
5. Cook the coconut and jaggery for about 6 to 7 minutes over low to medium-low heat, stirring continuously.
6. The jaggery melts and the mixture thickens a little. Avoid prolonged or excessive cooking, which makes the ladoos chewy or hard. Cool a small sample slightly and try forming a tiny ladoo; if it shapes easily into a little ball, the mixture is ready.
7. Turn off the heat and put the pan on the kitchen counter.
8. Put the green cardamom powder into the mixture.
9. Stir thoroughly and let the mixture cool completely at room temperature.
10. Coat your palms with a little ghee or coconut oil. Take small-to-medium portions and shape into neat round balls.
11. Offer the Narkel Naru to deities or serve it as a sweet to your family.
12. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container. The jaggery's color determines whether the Narkel Naru is light brown or dark brown.