When it comes to sweet cravings, we often reach for desserts that are too unhealthy, and the excess sweeteners or added sugar spike our blood sugar levels. According to the National Institutes of Health(NIH), several studies have found a direct link between excess sugar consumption and obesity and cardiovascular problems worldwide.
However, the solution isn’t cutting back on sweets, because the habit isn’t sustainable and will only increase your cravings. Rather, the solution is to find healthy alternatives to sweets and to maintain portion size, like chef Sanjeev Kapoor’s recipes for khajur (dates) and gond (gum resin) ke laddu.
On March 16, chef Sanjeev shared his recipe for khajur and gond laddu on his website. He even explained why this recipe is healthy for you, sharing that dates are very nutritious and natural sweeteners and gum resin is known to keep the body warm.
The main ingredients in the dish are dates, edible gum resin, dried coconut, and poppy seeds, among others. While the preparation will take around 20 to 25 minutes, the cooking time is around 10 to 15 minutes.
Ingredients
10 to 15 seedless dates (khajur)
2 to 3 tablespoons edible gum resin (gond)
1½ cups grated dried coconut
2 to 3 tablespoons ghee
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped almonds
1/2 teaspoon green cardamom powder
1 teaspoon toasted poppy seeds
Method
1. Heat a pan, add dried coconut, and dry roast on medium heat till golden brown. Transfer onto a plate and set aside.
2. Heat ghee in the same pan, add edible gum and sauté till puffed and crispy. Transfer to the same plate and crush lightly.
3. Add almonds, green cardamom powder, and poppy seeds and mix well.
4. Put seedless dates into a grinder jar and grind to a coarse mixture. Add this to the edible gum mixture and mix well.
5. Divide the mixture into small equal portions and roll into round laddus.
6. Arrange the laddus on a serving plate and serve.
Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

