Besan Ladoo or Besan Ke Laddu is a popular and traditional Indian sweet treat made from gram flour (besan), ghee (clarified butter), sugar, and a combination of aromatic spices and nuts.
It is a popular dessert prepared during festivals, celebrations, and special occasions in India.
The history of Besan Ladoo can be traced back to ancient Indian culinary traditions, where it was prepared as an offering during religious ceremonies and distributed among devotees as prasad (blessed food).
Key Takeaways:
- Besan Ladoo, a traditional Indian sweet, is loved during festivals and special occasions.
- It is made from gram flour, ghee, sugar, and a blend of aromatic spices and nuts.
- Besan Ladoo has a nutty, buttery taste with a moderate sweetness.
- It can be served with chai, milk, ice cream, or other Indian sweets.
- Alternatives to Besan Ladoo include Motichoor Ladoo, Gulab Jamun, Coconut Ladoo, and more.
The Ingredients
- Besan or gram flour: 300gm
- Sugar: 150gm
- Ghee or fortified butter: 150gm
- Cardamom powder: ½ tbsp
- Cashew nut: 2 tbsp (chopped)
- Chal magaz or melon seeds: 2 tbsp
- Pistachios: 2 tbsp (chopped)
How to Make Besan Ladoo (Step by Step Images)?
1. First, prepare the boora shakkar or porous sugar. Heat the wok and add the sugar. Then, add 2 tbsp of water and stir. The sugar will start melting and release moisture on its own. Do it in a low heat.
(Pro tip: Ensure you prepare this on low heat as high heat may cause it to change color due to caramelization.)
2. Once the sugar has melted, add 1 tbsp of ghee. Keep on stirring.
(Pro tip: You can also use refined oil, but ghee releases a fantastic aroma. Keep stirring to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.)
3. Continue stirring otherwise it will stick to the bottom.
(Pro tip: You can prepare the syrup with batasa (sugar drop) or nakul dana (mimosa sugar balls) instead of sugar.)
4. When you see foam appearing while stirring, the syrup is ready. Turn off the flame and continue stirring to cool it down until it turns granular into boora sugar.
(Pro tip: To avoid lumps, use a spatula to break them up while stirring.)
5. Eventually, the sugar will lose its moisture and begin to crystallize, turning into boora shakkar or porous sugar.
(Pro tip: For a finer version, you can strain the porous sugar with a strainer.)
6. Now dry roast the magaz or melon seeds. Stir it on a low flame. Fry it very lightly, when it will emit a nice aroma, take it off the flame.
7. Add the chopped cashews. Sauté it.
8. In a separate nonstick pan, add 4 tbsp of ghee or fortified butter and let it melt.
9. Add the besan or gram flour. Continue stirring on a low flame. Mix the ghee or fortified butter with besan or gram flour very well. Gradually add the ghee with the besan or gram flour while continuously stirring on low flame.
(Pro tip: Have patience while stirring the besan, it should be stirred continuously on a low flame. Take your time with this process and do not add all the ghee at once, as the besan may lose its consistency.)
10. Embrace stirring, do it continuously. Make sure it does not turn brown in color then it will taste bitter.
11. Add 1 tbsp ghee into the besan or gram flour gradually. Mix it well.
12. Now sauté the mixture and let it cool down to a lukewarm state.
13. Once the mixture cools down to a lukewarm state, add the boora shakkar or porous sugar into the gram flour mixture and mix well using your hands.
14. The mixing is done. Add less than 1 tbsp of ghee into the mixture and combine thoroughly.
(Pro tip: If the mixture is too granular and needs more firmness, you can add more ghee. On the other hand, if it is slightly soggy, you can dry roast the gram flour and add it.)
15. Now, add the roasted melon seeds, pistachios, cashews, and cardamom powder to the mixture. Mix everything thoroughly.
16. Form small balls to shape the ladoos, and use the strength of your hands to mix them well. Ensure the powdered sugar melts into the gram flour and ghee mixture.
17. The Besan ladoo is shaped and almost ready.
18. Garnish Besan Ladoo with silver vark (tabak) and chopped pistachios and serve.
Recipe Card:
Besan Ladoo (Besan Ke Laddu)
Ingredients
- 300 grams Gram flour or besan
- 150 grams Sugar
- 150 grams Ghee
- ½ tbsp Cardamom powder
- 2 tbsp Cashew nut (chopped)
- 2 tbsp Melon seed
- 2 tbsp Pistachio (chopped)
Instructions
- First, prepare the boora shakkar or porous sugar. Heat the wok and add the sugar. Then, add 2 tbsp of water and stir. The sugar will start melting and release moisture on its own. Do it in a low heat.(Pro tip: Ensure you prepare this on low heat as high heat may cause it to change color due to caramelization.)
- Once the sugar has melted, add 1 tbsp of ghee. Keep on stirring.(Pro tip: You can also use refined oil, but ghee releases a fantastic aroma. Keep stirring to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.)
- Continue stirring otherwise it will stick to the bottom.(Pro tip: You can prepare the syrup with batasa (sugar drop) or nakul dana (mimosa sugar balls) instead of sugar.)
- When you see foam appearing while stirring, the syrup is ready. Turn off the flame and continue stirring to cool it down until it turns granular into boora sugar.(Pro tip: To avoid lumps, use a spatula to break them up while stirring.)
- Eventually, the sugar will lose its moisture and begin to crystallize, turning into boora shakkar or porous sugar.(Pro tip: For a finer version, you can strain the porous sugar with a strainer.)
- Now dry roast the magaz or melon seeds. Stir it on a low flame. Fry it very lightly, when it will emit a nice aroma, take it off the flame.
- Add the chopped cashews. Sauté it.
- In a separate nonstick pan, add 4 tbsp of ghee or fortified butter and let it melt.
- Add the besan or gram flour. Continue stirring on a low flame. Mix the ghee or fortified butter with besan or gram flour very well. Gradually add the ghee with the besan or gram flour while continuously stirring on low flame.(Pro tip: Have patience while stirring the besan, it should be stirred continuously on a low flame. Take your time with this process and do not add all the ghee at once, as the besan may lose its consistency.)
- Embrace stirring, do it continuously. Make sure it does not turn brown in color then it will taste bitter.
- Add 1 tbsp ghee into the besan or gram flour gradually. Mix it well.
- Now sauté the mixture and let it cool down to a lukewarm state.
- Once the mixture cools down to a lukewarm state, add the boora shakkar or porous sugar into the gram flour mixture and mix well using your hands.
- The mixing is done. Add less than 1 tbsp of ghee into the mixture and combine thoroughly.(Pro tip: If the mixture is too granular and needs more firmness, you can add more ghee. On the other hand, if it is slightly soggy, you can dry roast the gram flour and add it.)
- Now, add the roasted melon seeds, pistachios, cashews, and cardamom powder to the mixture. Mix everything thoroughly.
- Form small balls to shape the ladoos, and use the strength of your hands to mix them well. Ensure the powdered sugar melts into the gram flour and ghee mixture.
- The Besan ladoo is shaped and almost ready.
- Garnish Besan Ladoo with silver vark (tabak) and chopped pistachios and serve.
Video
Notes
- Roast the besan on a medium heat until it changes color and turns aromatic. I stir continuously to avoid burning. This step will ensure that the ladoos render the delicious nutty flavor.
- Use the right amount of ghee or clarified butter so that the ladoos turn out to be soft and flavorful. Heat the ghee before adding. It will ensure better distribution and absorption.
- Use boor sugar to make the ladoos. This will offer a smoother texture. First, dissolve the sugar in little water and then add to the besan.
- Shape the ladoos while the mixture is still warm. This will allow easier and perfect shaping.
