Peanut ball, as the name suggests, is a crunchy snack ball which is made by using peanuts as one of the main ingredients. These balls are popular in various world cuisines and are known by different names. In Indian cuisine, these balls are caramelized and are known as moongphali ladoo.
The size of peanut balls is almost similar to tennis balls and they are prepared in both sweet and savory form. Sweet peanut balls are mostly relished by children as snacks.
Ingredients and Preparation
The ingredients which are typically used for peanut ball preparation include; peanuts, flour, butter or cream, salt, oil, spices and seasoning. For making sweet peanut balls, sugar, cinnamon and cream are the main ingredients. Peanut butter is often used in the dish instead of peanuts.The choice of ingredients and the combination of ingredients can vary as per the recipe or personal preferences.
For preparing peanut balls, the peanut is either used in whole form or is used in crushed form. All the ingredients are mixed and the balls are either prepared by baking, refrigerating, caramelizing or frying.
Serving
Peanut balls are usually served as a snack or appetizer or a main course dish. Dry savory peanut balls are often served accompanied by dips and sauces. When peanut balls are prepared in gravy, they are served as a main course dish and are relished with hot bread or rice. A sweet peanut ball is mostly eaten as snack along with tea or coffee or as it is.
Variations
Caramel peanut balls –Caramel peanut balls are delicious balls which are prepared from roasted peanuts, condensed milk and vanilla extract. These little candies make an excellent snack for the kids.
Peanut sesame balls – Also known as moongpali til ladoo in Indian cuisine, these are sweet treats which are often relished during winter season. Crushed peanuts are mixed with roasted sesame and coated with layer of jaggery and served. These balls are sometimes prepared by rolling over grated coconut or chocolate chips.
Chicken peanut balls – These are crunchy peanut balls containing tiny morsels of chicken. The pieces of chicken are mixed along with peanut butter and spices, shaped into balls and finally fried after rolling over bread crumbs. These savory balls are usually served with hot dips and sauces.
Kulikuli – Kulikuli is a name for West African peanut balls. The peanuts are pounded well and mixed with stir fried onions, cayenne and salt. Once a smooth mixture is formed, small balls are formed which are fried in heated oil and served.
Trivia
Fitness ball meant for exercising are also referred to as peanut ball. These balls are also used for enabling pain free normal delivery of pregnant women.