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Narikol laru
নাৰিকল লাৰু · Assamese coconut and jaggery balls for Bihu
Narikol laru are the small, chewy coconut balls that sit next to til pitha on every Bihu plate in Assam, offered to visitors with tea and jolpan. Fresh coconut is cooked with jaggery until it binds, flavoured with cardamom and rolled warm. They are soft and moist, not dry like desiccated-coconut ladoos, and are made in big batches the night before the festival. Chef's tip: roll them while still warm with damp palms; once cold, the mixture won't hold.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Melt 6 ½ oz jaggery with 3 tbsp water in a heavy pan over a low heat, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until it is a smooth syrup.
3 minStep 2: Add 10 ½ oz fresh grated coconut and cook over a medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 12–15 minutes until the mixture darkens a shade, stops looking wet and gathers into a mass that leaves the pan. Common mistake: cooking it too long; it turns hard and chewy like toffee.
15 minStep 3: Stir in ½ tsp ground cardamom and take off the heat. Leave 3–4 minutes until cool enough to handle.
Step 4: With damp hands, roll walnut-sized balls, pressing firmly. Roll in 1 tbsp white sesame seeds if using. Cool on a plate; they keep 4–5 days in an airtight tin.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does narikol laru take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of jaggery?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of white sesame seeds?
- Poppy seeds or finely chopped pumpkin seeds, same amount.
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