Ingredients:

• 200 gm (2 cups) oats (instant oats)
• 80 gm (½ cup) almonds, chopped
• 3 tbsp butter or ghee
• 220 gm (¾ cup) jaggery* (use 1 cup jaggery, if not using the brown sugar)
• 55 gm (¼ cup) brown sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 100 gm (½ cups) chopped and pitted dates
• 90 gm (½ cup) raisins
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)

Method:

1. Grease an 8″ by 12″ baking dish with butter, ghee or neutral flavoured oil and line it with parchment paper.
2. In a heavy bottomed pan, roast the oats and almonds until they change colour and give out a toasted aroma. This should take about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Pre heat the oven at 150°C/300°F.
4. In a saucepan, put in the ghee, jaggery, and brown sugar and once the jaggery melts, turn off the heat.
5. Mix in the vanilla extract, oats and all the dry fruits and stir well.
6. Transfer the mixture into the prepared tin and level the uneven surface with a flat cup. (I use a roti press.)
7. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Allow to cool a little and cut into rectangles or squares while still warm. After the bars completely cool down, you can lift a piece carefully and then remove the others as well.
8. You have to use jaggery in block form and not powdered jaggery to get the right texture.
9. You can omit the brown sugar if you prefer your granola less sweeter, but your granola maybe crumbly.