Fasting or feasting: Tambittu for Shivratri..

Happy Shivratri folks..
Shivratri is supposed to be a day of fasting. But in my family, we love to feast on Shivratri. My grandmother- Ajji makes loads of goodies for the occasion. Tambittu, Kodbale, Kadalebeja Unde aka peanut clusters..etc. Generally I stay away from making Tambittu, but starting this year I am planning to make it for the occasion: it is all about setting the tradition for my sunny little boy!!
I called up Ajji last night and jotted down the recipe. And here we are some constrained Tambittu. The constraint being my coffee grinder which did not grind the rice to my desired consistency, But taste wise no complaints.

Here are some from last year courtesy Susheela Aunty..

We will need

Raw rice  1 Cup
Jaggery   about 1/2 -3/4 cup
Roasted Peanuts  1/2 Cup
Roasted channa dal / Kadalepappu  3 tbsp
Toasted Sesame Seeds        1 tbsp
Copra/ Kobbari  3 tbsp chopped
Cardamon 3 pods, seeds crushed.

Method:

• Heat a skillet and toast rice on it till the rice is fragrant and deep golden brown. Remove from heat and let it cool down.
• Combine the Roasted peanuts, channa dal, sesame seeds and copra in a large mixing bowl. Set it aside.
• Grind the cooled rice in a coffee grinder into a fine powder. The flour should resemble talcum powder.
• Stir in the flour into the nut-seed mixture.
• Heat the jaggery and a scant 1/4 cup water in a thick bottomed pot. Cook the mixture till the syrup reaches 'one thread' consistency i.e. you should be able to pinch the syrup between two wet fingers into a single thread.
• Pour the syrup at the edge of the the nut-rice mixture a tablespoon at a time. stir the mixture little at a time. Press it between your palms to make Laddus. Rest it on greased cookie sheet till it sets- an hour or so.
• Store in air tight box. It makes 5-6 lemon sized Tambittu.