Healthy Dessert - A Myth?

I am not aware of any dessert, atleast any Indian dessert, which can be termed 'healthy'. All the sweets that I know of are loaded with sugar and ghee. And as my granny and one of Pranav's aunts claims some amount of ghee is essential for human body. Just like any machine needs good oiling for smooth functioning of its parts, human body needs ghee for smooth functioning of the bones :)

I dont buy into the argument, but have never dared to argue with them...

However, ghee or no ghee, I know of one dessert which is amazingly healthy. Even without ghee, this dish tastes really good! My great granny made this amazingly well...I remember she used to always make this with puran-poli, and used to manage the entire cooking on her own, even when she was really old! And when I make this one dish, it is an achievement for me although I have the mixie and other gadgets, she actually used the old style pestle to grind the wheat grains!

Ingredients: (serves 4 people)

1 cup whole wheat grain

2 cups grated jaggery

1/2 cup grated dry coconut

pinch of salt

3 tsps cardamom powder

2 Cloves

Coarsely chopped dry fruits (cashewnuts, almonds, raisins)

4-5 cashewnuts grated for garnishing

3 cups of water

Soak the wheat grains in water, such that the water level just covers the grains. Soak for 4-5 hours. Coarsely grind the soaked grains in a mixer.

You can also get broken whole wheat grains, and keep them soaked for an hour or so.

Grate jaggery

For ghee lovers you can heat some ghee in a pan and add cloves and the broken wheat grains and stir for a few minutes

If you dont plan to use ghee, just mix all the ingredients - broken wheat, jaggery, pinch of salt, water in a cooker

Cook for 2 whistles

Let out the steam from the cooker and mix roasted dry fruits, dry coconut and cardamom powder

Check water levels, there should be enough water to cook for one more whistle. A ratio of 1 cup of wheat to 3 cups of water makes this dish less 'watery'; however the authentic dish is exactly like porridge. So you will need to add atleast 1 more cup of water.

Garnish with grated cashewnuts

Serve hot; drizzle with ghee for the 'Indian' taste.