We have an aloe vera plant at home now, so obviously, we have given up on store-bought cosmetics with trace amounts of aloe vera that have been burning a hole in our pockets since time immemorial. Aloe vera gel, that is scooped out from the aloe vera leaves has truly been a gamechanger of sorts for us, and the world alike. From umpteen skin, beauty and hair benefits to actually giving a natural boost to our overall health and immunity, aloe vera has proved itself worthy of all the praise and hype it has been getting over the years.
The aloe vera plant was actually gifted to us by one of our neighbours who were moving out. We started using aloe vera topically, and it is only now that we have started using it in our diet and are we loving the results! If you look up on the internet, you would find various recipes with aloe vera, most of them may appear ‘too healthy’ or ‘too niche’ for you to attempt, but guess what, aloe vera bodes equally well in desi preparations as well. Take, for instance, these aloe vera ladoos.
Indian Winter+Ladoos= Match Made In Heaven
Winter in India is synonymous with ladoos. To date, many Indian households make heaps of ladoos using warming ingredients such as nuts, dry fruits, flaxseeds (alsi), coriander seeds, jaggery and oodles of ghee. Not only are they a delight to bite into, but they also serve as energy boosters in the chilly months. The tradition of serving healing foods in form of ladoos is actually an ancient one. It is said that Sushruta’s scholars would combine ‘unpalatable’ but very healthy ingredients in ladoos or similar such mixture and serve the same to their patients. Now, of course, ladoos have gained a rather indulgent reputation. Dripping with ghee and packed with sugar, ladoos are rarely viewed ‘healthy’ now, unless they are made at home, with choice ingredients and attention to detail, like the 'Gondh ke ladoo' made with edible gum or Panjiri ladoo made with a bunch of warming ingredients mentioned before.
What Makes Aloe Vera Ladoo Perfect For Winter?
The aloe vera ladoo can also be placed in the same coveted league. Made with combining aloe vera puree, wheat flour, besan, ghee, sugar and almonds, this ladoo has a similar look and feel as besan ladoo, the atta, of course, firms it up further. Aloe vera is actually bitter in taste, but it is balanced out by sugar and other ingredients present in the ladoo. A bizarre but absolutely brilliant addition to the ladoo is that of black pepper. Just a hint of this hot spice makes this ladoo so rich and complete in terms of flavours and nutrition. Bothe aloe vera and black pepper are famous for their immunity-boosting properties, additionally, they are also good for metabolism, weight-loss, and heart.
Wondering how to make aloe-vera ladoos? Follow this recipe and let us know how you liked it.
