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Besan Ladoo
Besan ladoo is a popular Indian sweet made with gram flour (besan), sugar, and ghee and flavored with cardamom powder. These delicious melt-in-the-mouth ladoos are a must-have for celebrations and festivals like Diwali.
Ingredients
- 1 cup besan gram flour, 120 grams (you can use either coarse or fine variety of besan)
- ¼ cup ghee 56 grams, not melted
- ½ cup white sugar (powdered) 94 grams, not confectioner's/icing sugar.
- 1.5 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 10 cashews coarsely chopped, optional
- 11 raisins for garnishing
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Instructions
- Heat a heavy bottom pan on medium-low heat and add besan and ghee.
- Mix the besan and ghee together. It will look dry and clumpy. Don't worry, and keep stirring continuously. Reduce the heat to low.
- Keep roasting and stringing nonstop to prevent the besan from burning. The mixture will release ghee and start to loosen around 15 minutes.
- It will start to loosen more and get a smoother paste-like consistency. Keep stirring on low heat.
- I roasted the besan for about 30 minutes on low heat until it looked fluffy and airy and had a golden-ish color with a shine on top. By then, your kitchen will be filled with aroma. Taste test to see if the besan is well roasted. The time may vary depending on the pan's thickness and the intensity of heat.
- Turn off the heat, remove the pan, and place it on the counter. Stir it for around 5 minutes until it cools down a bit.
- Cool the mixture to lukewarm (about 10-15 minutes), stirring intermittently. Ensure the besan has cooled to a warm temperature before adding sugar.
- Stir in cardamom and cashews followed by the powdered sugar and mix well.
- Mix, rub, and knead the mixture with your hands. It will look dry and crumbly, but don’t worry. The warmth in your hand will melt the ghee and help bind all ingredients.
- I use a cookie scoop to make equal portions, but you can eyeball it, too. This recipe makes about 9-11 small besan ladoo, they are perfect bite treats.
- Take one portion and press the mixture between your palm and fingers to bind. The heat will cause the ghee to melt and is sufficient for forming balls.
- Place a raisin on the top and press the mixture again to bind and give a rough round shape. Roll it between your palms to make a smooth ball. Make all ladoos similarly.
- Delicious, nutty, and melt-in-mouth Besan Ladoos are ready!! Store them in an air tight container.
Video
Notes
I have included all the important tricks and tips in detail in the post, so please read that before making besan ladoos.
Roast the Besan Well: The key to good ladoos is thoroughly roasting the besan (gram flour) in ghee over low to medium-low heat. This brings out the nutty aroma and prevents a bitter and raw taste. Roast until the besan is a smooth paste, airy, fluffy, and aromatic. Make sure not to over-roast it; otherwise, you will burn it.
Let Mixture Cool Before Adding Sugar: Once the besan is roasted, cool it to slightly warm (not hot or cold) before mixing it in powdered sugar. Adding sugar too soon can cause it to melt, affecting the texture and making binding difficult. Similarly, adding sugar when the besan is still cooking will result in the besan not being cooked properly and tasting raw.
Check for Binding Consistency: Make ladoo while the mixture is still warm to the touch, as it's easier to shape them. When rolling the ladoos, if the mixture crumbles, add a little warm melted ghee to help with binding. The right texture should hold its shape easily without falling apart.
Nutrition
Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 109mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg
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