Urad Dal Halwa or Ulundu Urandai is a sweet treat that’s very healthy, protein rich and a traditional recipe passed on by grandmothers.
My paternal grandmother was anything but traditional and conventional. She wanted all her grandkids to call her “Amma”(mom). She was progressive in many ways. I was 18 when she left us. I wasn’t matured enough to really ask her about her beliefs, her likes. Interestingly though, I didn’t need to interview her to know she was a lady after her own will. She danced to her own tunes.
She was not one to tell me: you need to learn to cook. All her boys were great cooks and helped her around. She most definitely didn’t scare me or her children into living a life like everyone did. She let me believe in me, gave me the strength to think for myself and supported me in ways no one did. She went against all norms. She had a big personality.
She didn’t fast on Friday’s or avoid meat on Saturday. She believed in pooja(prayers) and never feared God. That’s not to say she didn’t believe in a higher power, although I might never know what her thought process was. She had patience, a lot of love to give and she would fight with the world for her kids, her daughter in laws and grandkids.
A moment I remember like it was just yesterday, I was about 10 then. I see this pretty girl walking in our street, and I look at amma and say, “she’s so pretty, look how nice her makeup is, I will never look like that”. To that, she held my hands and said, “you are pretty, you don’t need all that makeup, you are a natural, you are my movie star”. Hey, I knew I was no movie star, but her comforting words was like a warm cozy blanket on a cool wintery day. Everyone needs someone like her to spoil them, to pamper them, to support them.
I had her. And to be honest, I still feel like she is around watching me, at least her food lives in me.
Food was her love language. If she touched something, we knew it was good.
I was 15 and obviously didn’t cook, or had any interest. But, surprisingly enough I know the exact recipe of her famous Ulundu Halwa or Ulundu urandai. She most wasn’t old fashioned, but believed in food and it’s power. She brought it to me in a steel dabba when I attained puberty. I remember her telling me, how important it is to eat this to strengthen a woman’s bones during the delicate time.
So here’s the recipe of my Amma’s bone and general health strengthener with a bite of nostalgia. Life’s lessons and a few recipes to keep me going through life.
Benefits of Ulundu Urandai
- It’s very good for strengthening the bones.
- High in protien and fat for the developing years of young adults.
- It’s high in folic acid.
How to make Ulundu Urandai/Urad Dal Halwa/Ulundu Kali
To make this Urad dal Halwa or Ulundu Urandai, you can use black gram, green gram or plain white husked urad. Or a mix of all. Toasting the urad dal on low heat until it gets nutty and light brown is important.
You can grind the urad dal with the light brown jaggery, mix with cardamom and make the urad dal halwa any time you prefer. Fresh ghee is important.
Ulundu Urandai is extremely delicious and stays good in the refrigerator for a week.
- 1 cup split urad daal ( or you can use a mix of black split urad, green moong and white urad daal). I used ¾ cup of urad and ¼ split moong
- 6 tbsp of ghee
- ½ cup jaggery or brown sugar
- 3 cups of boiling water
- 4 cardamom, toasted, seeds taken out and powdered
- ⅓ cup finely sliced almonds
- In a flat bottomed pan, dry roast the urad daal for about 10 minutes on simmered heat and constantly stirring. You will see that the dal will turn color and you will smell the nuttiness. Turn off the heat and let cool.
- Grind it to a fine powder.
- In a large pan, add the ghee, let it melt and add the urad flour. Toast for about 3 minutes in the ghee on simmer.
- Pour boiling water one cup at the time being cautious to take your hand away from the pan. The urad flour will soak up the water. Then add another two cups. Keep stirring and cooking on medium heat until all the water is soaked and it comes together in a ball. Add the jaggery at this point, keep stirring and incorporate for about 2 minutes.
- Turn off the flame, add cardamom powder and almonds. Mix well.
- You can make round ladoos or press them in between your palm.
You can grind the urad daal and jaggery and keep the powder in hand to make ladoos any time you want.
If you want more a crumbly ladoo, add melted ghee to the flour mixture and make ladoos.
If you make this ulundu urandai or ulundu kali, make sure to tag me on social media. This urad dal halwa is a very authentic recipe that’s super healthy and a protien powder of the simple old days.
Thanks for reading and visiting!
