• Place poppy seeds in a heavy-bottomed frying pan.

  Dry-roast on medium heat, stirring continuously for 1-2 min, until fragrant and slightly browned.

  Transfer to a medium large mixing bowl.
  
• Place dry coconut powder (or grated dry coconut) in the same pan.
  
• Dry-roast on medium heat, stirring continuously till fragrant, crisp and light golden brown.

  It should be done in 2-3 min - be very attentive - as it can it burn fast. Transfer to the bowl with the poppy seeds.
  
• Place the buckwheat groats in the same pan.
  
• Dry-roast on medium heat, stirring continuously, till the grains start to pop a little and become toasty and fragrant, browning just a little.

  It will take about 3-4 min on medium heat.
  
• Grind the buckwheat groats to a powder.

  Slightly coarse texture is OK: it adds a nutty, subtle crunch to the Laadoos. Transfer to the mixing bowl.
  
• Grind the almonds to a powder: slightly coarse powder OK
  
• Transfer to the mixing bowl. Add raisins.
  
• Get ready to fry the Gum Arabic. It looks like small translucent rocks.
  
• Place about 1 tsp ghee in a small wok. Heat for about a minute on medium heat. Test whether the Ghee is sufficiently hot by add 1 small piece of Gum.

  It should bubble/froth and puff up almost immediately more than doubling in size; if it does not, continue to heat the Ghee for about 30 sec and test again.

  If a small wok is not available, use a small frying pan.
  
• When the Ghee is properly hot, add about 1 tsp Gum to the Ghee. Stir continuously with a small spoon (a teaspoon is perfect), while heating, turning the pieces over to ensure that every little piece and corner of the gum is properly puffed in the hot ghee. Parts that do not puff remain hard, and don't taste good in the Laadoo.

  Collect the puffed Gum into the stirring spoon, holding it tilted against the side of the wok, to drain some of the Ghee back into the wok. Transfer the puffed Gum to the bowl with the rest of the assembled mixture.

  It should take no more than about 1 min to do this. Longer time in the hot Ghee will burn the Gum and make it bitter.

  Repeat, adding 1 tsp Ghee and 1 tsp Gum each time,
  
• Add about 1 tbsp of the measured whole wheat flour to the wok used for frying the Gum. This flour will soak up and 'collect' the Ghee left over in the wok after frying the Gum.

  Transfer the Ghee-soaked flour to a an 8-10 inch frying pan, preferably stainless steel (or a carbon steel wok); add the remaining (measured) whole wheat flour and 1 tbsp Ghee.

  Roast the flour on medium heat, stirring constantly, until it is pleasantly fragrant and a rich golden-brown.

  Decrease the heat and taste-test a pinch to check for done-ness: it should have a pleasant nutty taste, not taste raw at all, but it should not have a burnt taste either! In Marathi, this stage of perfect browning is described as "Khamang" (Khum-ung)

  It will take 5-6 min. to roast it properly. Be watchful and attentive - it tends to burn very fast if left unattended.
  
• Add the roasted flour to the mixture in the bowl.
  
• Add the powdered jaggery and Coconut Palm sugar.

  If using chunky jaggery, you will need to shave/shred the jaggery, to allow even mixing with all the ingredients. Be careful while doing this, especially if the jaggery chunks are very hard. Some jaggery varieties are softer, and easier to work with.

  Stir well to mix evenly.
  
• Add the powdered cardamom, nutmeg and cloves.
  
• 
• Stir again. If you wish, you can serve this mixture like Khirapat / Panjiri.

  It is lighter (less fat/calories) than the Laadoos, which need more Ghee to be added to the mixture to facilitate binding.

  Makes about 1 3/4 cups of mixture (12-14 servings, 2 tbsp each)
  

To make Laadoo

• Add 1 tbsp Ghee to the mixture- the Ghee should be semi-solid. If it is a firm solid, warm it gently for a few seconds before adding. Use your hands to work it into the mixture, squeezing a little as you do so. Mix well.

  Place 2-3 tbsp mixture on your palm, close your fist and squeeze tight; open your fist and see if the mixture 'sticks' together.

  If it is still pretty crumbly, you will need to add more ghee, 1 tsp at a time (you may need up to 3 tsp total); work it into the mixture, and repeat the squeeze test. You will notice that more mixture begins to 'stick' as you add more Ghee. Expect some portion of the mixture to not stick - that's normal.
  
• Make small Laadoos with about 2 tbsp mixture per Ladoo (or larger ones if you prefer)

  Squeeze the mixture in your fist to 'stick' and bind the mixture firmly, then gently work the bound mixture, turning and rolling in your hands to shape into smooth balls.

  If the balls flatten after you shape them, it means you added just a tad too much Ghee.

  It's OK- shape the balls, put them on a plate and refrigerate for 10-15 min. They firm up as the Ghee solidifies.

  Now, pick up one slightly flattened Ladoo, squeeze very gently and quickly roll again into a round ball. Repeat with all the Laadoos. They should now hold their shape, and stay round.

  Makes about 12-13 small Laadoos.
  
• Enjoy!