Andi Unda (Kerala Special Cashew & Rice Balls) Recipe

Andi Unda is an interesting Ladoo recipe which is a bit traditional and at the same time high on the nutrient side too. Made with Kerala red rice and cashew-nuts, a humble ball that has got so much of nutrients packed, like an atom, small in size but rich in energy and health. Course : Dessert Ingridients : 1/2 cup Red matta rice 1 cup Cashew nuts , unsalted 1 cup Jaggery , powdered or brown sugar 1 cup Dry coconut (kopra) Instructions To begin making the Andi Unda recipe, roast the red matta rice in a wide pan without oil. The rice will become crispy and starts crackling. Once you start hearing the sound of crackle, take it off the stove and let it cool on a flat plate.In the same wide pan, add the cashew-nuts and dry roast them until they turn brown. Take care not to burn or black them. Once roasted, spread them on a flat plate to cool down.In a mixer grinder, first, grind the rice to a fine powder. Next grind the cashew-nuts. Do not run the mixer continuously, it will result in cashew butter, we don't need cashew paste, we need powdered cashews, so just pulse it 4-5 times.Mix powdered cashews, powdered rice, powdered jaggery and coconut together. Transfer the mixture to a mixer grinder and pulse them together 4-5 times to mix it well. This will help to bind them easily into balls.Transfer the contents to a clean bowl, take fist pull of powder and start making balls by pressing it tightly in your palms, shaping them like laddus. Keep the balls in a clean flat plate. Follow the same process with the remaining mixture.Andi Unda tastes best within 2-3 days. If you are planning to store for more days, then keep them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. But then too, it is best to consume them within a week or 10 days.Serve them as a snack during hunger-pangs or even as a regular addition to your kids lunch box to improve their nutrient intake.