Chalimidi is a melt-in-your-mouth delicacy from the southern part of India. This sweet and nutty treat is made with rice flour, jaggery (unrefined cane sugar), coconut, and cashews. It’s a taste of nostalgia for many and a must-try for anyone who loves rich, decadent sweets.
About the Recipe
If you’re a fan of Indian sweets, you’ve got to try this Chalimidi recipe. It’s a labor of love, but the end result is so worth it. The combination of rice flour, jaggery, coconut, and cashews creates a texture and flavor that’s just divine.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There’s a lot to love about this Chalimidi recipe. First, the aroma is incredible – a blend of toasted coconut, caramelized jaggery, and a hint of ghee. Then you’ve got the wonderful texture contrast between the soft, fudgy interior and the slightly crunchy cashews. And the taste? Pure indulgence. Sweet, nutty, and utterly addictive.
Image is only for illustration purposes and may not be of the actual recipe.
Cooking Tips
For best results, be sure to soak the rice long enough (at least 8 hours) so it blends into a super smooth flour. And don’t scrimp on the ghee – it adds such a lovely richness. Take your time caramelizing the jaggery too. The deeper the color, the more intense the flavor.
Serving and Storing Suggestions
These sweet morsels are best enjoyed slightly warm or at room temperature. They make a great dessert or snack, paired with a cup of hot chai. One batch yields around 20-25 pieces. Leftovers will keep for up to a week in an airtight container. Total prep time is around 1.5-2 hours.
Similar Recipes
- Adhirasam
- Pootharekulu
- Mysore Pak
- Jangri
Chalimidi
Ingredients
- 1 cup Raw Rice
- 1 cup Grated Jaggery
- Cashew nuts (Few)
- 4 tbsp Grated Coconut
- Water (As Required)
- 2 tbsp Ghee
Instructions
- Wash and soak the rice for 8 hours.
- Drain the excess water and spread the rice on a white cloth.
- Do not dry it completely, the rice should be little wet.
- Using a mixer, blend the rice into smooth powder.
- Sieve them and set aside.
- Take a pan and heat it.
- Add ghee, grated coconut and cashew nuts.
- Fry them until golden brown.
- Take them and keep it aside.
- To the same pan, add the jaggery and 2 tblsp of water and dissolve them.
- When the jaggery turns to a syrup consistency, Add the cardamom powder.
- Mix the rice flour and keep stirring it.
- When the mixture turns thick, add the fried ingredients and mix them.
- Remove from fire and let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Make small balls or any desired shape and serve them.
- This can be stored for a week in an air tight container.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular sugar instead of jaggery?
Jaggery gives a distinct depth of flavor that’s tough to replicate with regular sugar. If substituting, you’ll need to cook the sugar until it caramelizes for that richer taste. But for best results, do try to use jaggery.
My rice flour feels grainy, not smooth. What did I do wrong?
Chances are you didn’t soak the rice long enough before grinding it into flour. For extra smoothness, let the rice soak for at least 8 hours or overnight before blending.
How can I tell when the jaggery is ready?
The jaggery needs to melt and caramelize until it has a thick, syrupy consistency that coats the back of a spoon. This concentrates the flavors. The color will darken from pale golden to a rich amber hue.
Why do you add ghee and coconut to start?
Toasting the coconut and cashews in ghee helps intensify their aromas and add a lovely nutty richness to the final chalimidi. It’s an essential flavor base.
Can I make this recipe vegan?
Aurely. just replace the ghee with a vegan butter or coconut oil. The coconut already in the recipe provides plenty of rich flavor.
