Tip the desiccated coconut into a nonstick frying pan.

Stir the coconut gently over low heat, till it softens slightly. Add the cardamom. It’s optional but highly recommended, and a pinch of salt. Be careful here, coconut tends to brown quite quickly and you don’t want that.

Pour in the sweetened condensed milk. Stir the ingredients together for about 5-7 minutes, until the mixture comes together and leaves the sides of the pan, it takes just a few minutes. Also add in the vanilla extract, and take the pan off the heat.

Let the mixture cool for about 10-15 min, till it can be handled – it’ll be quite hot.

Next, roll the mixture into 1 tbsp size balls. If the mixture is too sticky, apply a drop or two of some vegetable oil on your palms, it should help. You can also wet your hands very lightly.

To finish, I like to rolls the balls in some desiccated coconut so that it looks a bit more like a snowball, perfect for the holiday season. You could also dip them in some chocolate.

This recipe keeps for up to two weeks if stored properly, in the refrigerator (I doubt these will last that long- they will be finished before you know it!) It is perfect for coconut lovers, its so easy to put together, it’s super festive for the holidays - but really, you can enjoy this delicious treat any time of year.