How to Make Chalimidi with Jaggery? (Enjoy Your Craving)

Chalimidi is one of the hidden gems of the South Indian desert. It is made only on special occasions and holds an important part in Indian culture.

Apart from its cultural significance, this dessert is also special because of its nutritional qualities. Made of jaggery and rice, it has the benefits of healthy carbs, vitamins, and minerals. Pregnant women, brides, and other women love to enjoy this mouthwatering delicacy.

In this blog, we will cover how to make Chalimidi with jaggery and raw rice. You will learn how to make rice flour at home, what the cultural significance of Chalimidi is, and some tips to help you prepare Chalimidi with ease.

Okay! Let’s kickstart the learning with some interesting facts about Chalimidi.

Significance of Chalimidi in Indian Culture

Are you aware that it is customary to send some sweets along with the bride after the wedding? Yes, throughout India, the brides carry specific sweet delicacies with them to share with the groom’s family.

In the southern regions of India, particularly in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka, a sweet laddu made of jaggery and rice is given to the bride. This sweet is called Chalimidi.

Now, this tradition is also present in North India. The bride is given a similar sweet made of rice and jaggery, called Dhodee. Some of them also have coins hidden inside. Whoever finds the coin is considered lucky.

Anyway, Chalimidi is associated with good luck, fortune, and prosperity. It is also prepared at the time of baby shower ceremonies on the maternal side of the expectant mother.

One more interesting fact about Chalimidi or Dhodee is that they have a long shelf life. So, earlier, when the bride used to travel in the palanquin, the travel time was long. The brides and other people can eat Chalimidi and proceed without any issues.

Chalimidi is an instant energy booster. The presence of rice makes it easy to digest, and jaggery provides enough minerals, vitamins, and sucrose for a day’s work. Isn’t it a meal in itself?

It’s time to learn how to make Chalimidi with jaggery and rice. But you must pay attention to every detail, okay?

Chalimidi: A Delicious Dessert from Southern India

Traditionally, Chalimidi is made from rice and jaggery. The rice flour is prepared at home, which makes the process long but worth the result. If you don’t have time or patience, you can prepare Chalimidi with jaggery and ready-made rice flour.

Today, we aren’t skipping any steps! So, let’s see how to make Chalimidi with jaggery in the traditional way.

How to Make Chalimidi with Jaggery in the Traditional Way

To make Chalimidi, we have divided the process into three steps:

1. Preparing rice flour
2. Preparing jaggery syrup
3. Mixing rice flour and jaggery syrup

Here are the ingredients you will need to make Chalimidi.

Ingredients to Make Chalimidi with Jaggery

• 1 cup of jaggery
• 2 cups of rice
• Cardamom powder (Elaichi)
• 1/2 cup of ghee
• Chopped dry fruits: cashews, almonds, and raisins.                          
• Fresh coconut, crushed or chopped into chunks

Are you ready to begin the first step? Alright, here it is.

Preparing Rice Flour

To prepare rice flour at home, follow these steps.

• Take 2 cups of your favourite raw rice. Choose any local organic rice that’s more flavourful like Sahyadri, Indrayani, Kala Namak, Kamod, Ajara, Sona Mansoori, etc.
• Soak the rice for a few hours. Then, drain the water and rinse the rice with clean water.
• Now, spread the rice on a clean cloth or a large tray and leave it to dry under a fan or in sunlight, or you can use an oven to dry it faster.
• Once the rice is dried, transfer it to a blender and make a fine powder.
• Sieve the rice powder and grind the larger rice particles again. Repeat the process until you get fine rice powder/flour.

This step can easily take a whole day, depending on the weather and the time taken by the rice to dry. So, plan your day accordingly.

Preparing Jaggery Syrup

This step requires the most attention. It is the make-or-break step of the Chalimidi dessert.

• Take 1 cup of organic jaggery, crushed or powdered.
• In a heavy-bottomed skillet, heat some oil and sauté dry fruits like cashews, resins, and coconut chunks. Keep them aside.
• Now, add jaggery with some water and let it melt.
• Stir continuously to dissolve jaggery quickly in water. Once the syrup starts becoming frothy and starts thickening, it is time to test the consistency of the jaggery syrup.
• Take a bowl filled with water. Now, add a drop of syrup to it.
• Lift the jaggery syrup from the bowl and try to roll it into a ball. If it doesn’t dissolve and holds its shape between your fingers, the consistency of the syrup is right.
• If it doesn’t, cook it a little more and check again.

Mixing Rice Flour and Jaggery Syrup

• Turn off the flame and add crushed cardamom and roasted dry fruits to the jaggery syrup.
• Then, gradually add the rice flour to the jaggery syrup while mixing it continuously.
• Don’t add too much rice flour at once or make a thick mixture; keep it loose.
• The mixture will thicken as it cools down. Therefore, be mindful while adding rice flour.
• Let the mixture cool down a bit. Take a small portion of it and make balls.

That’s it. Chalimidi is ready to be served and enjoyed!

So, you now know how to make Chalimidi with jaggery, rice flour, coconut and dry fruits. Not yet? Well, you will feel more confident after learning a few tips. Let’s see them.

Tips to Make Perfect Chalimidi with Jaggery

These few tips will surely help you master Chalimidi:

• Don’t press hard while making Chalimidi balls or laddu. As the jaggery becomes hard when it cools down, pressing it hard will result in even harder Chalimidi, which is difficult to eat.
• Check the quality of the jaggery before using it. It should be organic and unflavoured.
• To make good syrup, add water precisely. Too much water will increase the cooking time and alter the consistency of the syrup.
• Make sure the rice powder is very fine, just like rice flour. Having coarse rice powder will spoil the texture of Chalimidi.
• You can flavour Chalimidi with a little cinnamon or kesar.
• Don’t try to cook rice flour over a flame. The rice cooks through the heat of the jaggery syrup.
• Don’t forget to turn off the flame before adding rice flour to the jaggery syrup.

FAQS: How to Make Chalimidi with Jaggery

Can Chalimidi be eaten when following a diet?

Even though Chalimidi is a dessert, it is fully packed with nutrients, fibres and vitamins. When Chalimidi is made with jaggery, its nutritional benefits increase as well. You can certainly eat Chalimidi if following a diet, just make sure to eat it in moderation.

Is Chalimidi given during pregnancy?

Yes, Chalimidi is given to pregnant women at the time of the baby shower as a symbol of good health and new beginnings. Pregnant women can include Chalimidi in their diet in moderation. In cases of diabetic or pre-diabetic conditions, consult with your gynaecologist and nutritionist about portion size.

Wrapping Up!

Chalimidi is a rich dessert from India, filled with nutrients and great flavours. This dish is close to tradition and signifies happy beginnings in a woman’s life. This recipe can be enjoyed at any time of the year, from the comfort of your home. We hope that this blog, “How to Make Chalimidi with Jaggery,” will inspire you to give it a try.

Just one important reminder: only use organic jaggery and rice or rice flour for this recipe. Check out the Two Brothers Organic Farms certified organic jaggery and rice products for purity and authenticity.