By Shreya Sarpal
March 20, 2026
Dried ippa flowers release a deep, jaggery-like sweetness when roasted, filling the kitchen with a warm, almost caramel aroma. Shaped into soft laddus, each bite feels earthy, slightly chewy, and closely tied to traditional forest kitchens.
1 cup dried ippa puvvu (mahua flowers) ½ cup grated jaggery ¼ cup grated coconut 2 tbsp ghee 2 tbsp chopped cashews 1 tsp cardamom powder
Clean and lightly rinse ippa flowers, then soak in warm water for 10 minutes and drain completely.
Dry roast the flowers on low heat until aromatic and slightly crisp, then grind to a coarse mix.
Heat ghee in a pan, add cashews and sauté till golden, then add ground flowers and coconut.
Mix in jaggery and cook on a low flame until it melts and binds the mixture together.
Add cardamom, mix well, cool slightly, then shape into small laddus.