Lapsi - Gur ka Daliya (Broken wheat Porridge with Jaggery)

Lapsi is a traditional Indian dessert which is made with gur(jaggery) during special occasions. Since it is warm and comforting, it is made quite often during winters in the northern parts of India, especially Rajasthan and Gujarat. Its a meal cum dessert with goodness of nutty broken wheat and earthy jaggery.

When I moved to Mumbai in 2005,  I stayed with my cousin for couple of months. She often made lapsi for dinner. It used to be cooked perfectly with right texture. Sweetness was also at par and not overwhelming. My mom did lot of trials but she couldn't get the recipe right. She even rang my cousin asking for the exact recipe. Honestly it's a simple recipe, all it needs is watchful cooking. I am glad I managed to crack it in my first trial(That does not mean I am a better cook than my mother- she reads my blog too ;)

Come winters and I automatically starts craving for gur. I have always enjoyed eating gur in the form of til-gur, peanut chikki (going to attempt it soon), lapsi and as an accompaniment to my meals. Did you know that gur tastes divine with makki ki roti (Corn flatbread)? My my, I am dreaming of it now!

Apart from being a natural sweeter, jaggery is a healthier option compared to sugar . Since it gradually gets absorbed in blood, it gives energy for a longer period of time. Eating jaggery helps fight fatigue and is ideal for those suffering from Anemia. It also provides relief from constipation and indigestion.

Serves - 4

Ingredients

1 cup broken wheat
3 cups water
2 Tsp ghee
3 Tbsp gur
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
Chopped almonds - garnish

Method

In a deep pan, saute broken wheat with ghee till it becomes slightly brown in colour.

Now add water and cook covered with a lid. (Alternatively, you can use pressure-cooker too but make sure to not overcook)

Check if its cooked through and add more water if required. It has to be slightly al-dente.

Once wheat reaches almost cooked stage, add jaggery and cardamon powder and let it cook for further 5 minutes on low heat. (Jaggery shouldn't be added at an earlier stage otherwise porridge will become chewy and rubbery)

Take off heat.

Garnish with almonds. Serve hot

Making this lapsi is very easy. They key here is to not overcook wheat and maintain nutty texture of the grain. Don't get it all mushy and starchy by adding too much water.

Thanks for stopping by

Nishu