Peanut bar (pappu chekkalu)

How many of you munch on energy bars or other type of instant energy foods?  this is a healthy alternative to all those bars ,in fact not an alternative but good choice.

These bars was my most favorite snack when i was a kid (still...)  non messy , healthy and a very simple snack. Good for kids as a side snack in their lunch boxes.

Two main ingredients are
2.Jaggery( click here to see what is  Jaggery)

Most people think that eating Peanuts will increase their weight. But this is not completely true. In fact eating nuts lowers risk of weight gain. Peanuts are a very good source of monounsaturated fats ,healthy for heart.
This is good for new moms as it boosts milk supply 

Another star ingredient is jaggery  ,provides instant energy. good source of iron.It is rich in minerals and salts, vitamins and even contains some fibre, whereas sugar, being highly refined, lacks these things. The darker the jaggery in color, the richer it is in mineral content (particularly iron content) and better it is for health.Always buy unadulterated jaggary.


Here is the recipe by my mother-in-law. I was taking notes and clicking photos while she was preparing :)

ingredients:
2 cups peanuts
1.5 cup jaggery grated
elachi /cardamon powder(optional)
1 tsp ghee (see here how to prepare ghee )
if you don't have ghee ,use oil


Process:
heat a wide pan and add peanuts ,no need to add any oil.
Just roast them till rawness is gone.stir them continuously ,so that they don't get burnt.
let them cool and then remove the skin ,keep them aside


Preparing jaggery sauce:
 add grated jaggery and 1/2 cup water on thick bottom pan.

 let it boil .
 take a small spoon full of this and add to water. you will should see the texture like this.
if not let it boil for some more time till you get  texture like this


This is very important to get this texture.so be patient

now add peanuts and cardamon powder  to this and mix well.

on a plate rub some ghee and pour this mixture and spread evenly.

let it cool.

once it is completely cooled you can transfer it to a jar .


Tip: to get this out of the plate ,warm the plate lightly and invert it on a paper.
take care not to over heat it.


This is my entry to free wellness consultations contest hosted by linked to Edible Garden and The Balance Mantra



Comments

Unknown said…
i love this..healthy and high on protein
amna said…
thanks for the super healthy entry. this is one of my fave snacks!
M and S said…
thanks for visiting Nag. I'm a regular on your site.
Nice recipe and healthy too
M and S said…
Thanks for visiting!!