Boondi laddu is made from a simple batter of gram flour or besan. The boondi, or drops of batter, are fried first and then cooked in a flavored sugar syrup. Finished with roasted melon seeds and pistachios, it is very easy to make boondi laddu at home. Surprised to hear that? Well, follow my recipe to learn the easy steps.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Boondi laddu is a very common sweet dish in India.
- Serve it with festive meals, puja offerings, or as a delightful dessert after dinner.
- Boondi laddu tastes soft, rich, and mildly crunchy with the sweetness of sugar syrup.
- Other similar laddus are motichur laddu, besan laddu, coconut laddu, and til laddu.
The Ingredients:
For making boondi:
- 1.5 cup gram flour (besan)
- 1.5 cup water
- 1 pinch baking soda
- 1 pinch food color
- 1 tbsp oil (hot, to mix with the batter)
- Refined oil as required for frying
For making the laddu:
- 1.5 cup sugar
- 1¼ cup water
- 1 tsp cardamom powder
- 1 pinch saffron (kesar)
- 2 tbsp melon seeds (or watermelon seeds, peeled, roasted)
- 1 tbsp pistachios (chopped)
This recipe came from the peon at my elder son’s tuition center. One day, while I was waiting outside, he offered me one of the couple of laddus he was eating, seeing me sit hungry. It was so tasty that I asked for the recipe. He said his wife made it every day and gave her number. I called her up and she shared the recipe, giggling happily.
I tried it at home the next day. My husband appreciated its depth, and my sons were amazed something so simple could taste that rich. Now, this is our weekday rescue meal. That bite reminded me that generosity and good food often come from those who work the hardest, without ever showing it.
How to Make Boondi Laddu? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Set a strainer on a bowl and put 1.5 cups of gram flour (besan) in it. Strain it nicely. Then, put 1¼ cup of water gradually and stir it continuously to make a batter.
Step 2: It should have a free-flowing consistency and should fall in drops in the end. Each drop should be clear as shown in the image below.
(Pro tip: The quantity of water should not be more or less than the ratio shown or else you will not have perfectly round boondi).
Step 3: Then, put a pinch of baking soda and a pinch of food color in the batter and mix them well. Put the batter aside.
(Pro tip: Always use red tandoori color or yellow food color to make boondi).
Step 4: Heat an adequate amount of cooking oil in a kadai to make the boondi. When the oil heats up, take a spoonful of the hot oil and add it to the batter. Mix it nicely. This will make the boondi nice and crispy.
(Pro tip: Always fry boondi in a thick kadai and on high heat for perfect round shape. If it is thin, reduce the flame to medium and then fry the boondi).
Step 5: Hold a perforated ladle or skimmer (jhara) on top of the hot oil at a distance from the kadai. Pour a ladle of batter on it. Do not shake. Let the boondi fall freely on the kadai below. This will prevent the later ones from sticking to the partially fried boondis in the kadai.
(Pro tip: You can make boondi with anything that is a bit large and has holes in it such as a grater, vegetable masher).
Step 6: When they are fried properly to a lovely golden-brown color, remove them and keep them aside on a plate to cool down.
Step 7: Now, to make the sugar syrup, take a separate kadai which can be covered easily. Put 1.5 cup of sugar and an equal quantity of water (1.5 cup) in it. Let it come to a boil.
(Pro tip: The measuring cup or utensil should be the same used to measure besan. Do not mind if the chashni is more. It will add to the softness of the laddus and prevent them from becoming dry after some time).
Step 8: Now, add 1 tsp of cardamom powder and a pinch of saffron (kesar) in it. Let it boil for another couple of minutes to make a sticky sugar syrup. Check the doneness. It should be sticky but leave no strands in the wake.
Step 9: Then, turn the flame to low and put the fried boondi in it. Mix them all nicely with the sugar syrup, but do it gently starting from the sides and working inside.
Step 10: Now, turn the flame of the gas stove to low, cover the kadai, and cook it for 2 to 3 minutes. Then, remove the cover and check to ensure that the boondi have absorbed the sugar syrup completely. If it has, switch off the gas stove, cover it again and let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes more to cool down.
Step 11: While the boondi cools down, take another pan and dry roast 2 tbsp of peeled melon seeds or 2 tbsp of peeled watermelon seeds (whichever you have) separately on a low flame, stirring them continuously to prevent burning and rendering a bitter taste. Now, put the roasted seeds in the laddu mixture and mix them nicely.
(Pro tip: Always roast the seeds nicely before adding to the laddu mix. Fried and puffed seeds add to the taste and flavor of the laddus).
Step 12: Now, take a handful of the laddu mix in your hand, put some chopped pistachios in it, and then, shape all the laddus, one by one.
Step 13: In this way, your sweet and tasty homemade boondi laddoo will be ready. Arrange them on a plate and serve.
Recipe Card
Boondi Laddu
Ingredients
For making boondi:
- 1.5 cup gram flour besan
- 1.5 cup water
- 1 pinch baking soda
- 1 pinch food color
- 1 tbsp oil hot, to mix with the batter
- Refined oil as required for frying
For making the laddu:
- 1.5 cup sugar
- 1¼ cup water
- 1 tsp cardamom powder
- 1 pinch saffron kesar
- 2 tbsp melon seeds or watermelon seeds, peeled, roasted
- 1 tbsp pistachios chopped
Instructions
- Set a strainer on a bowl and put 1.5 cups of gram flour (besan) in it. Strain it nicely. Then, put 1¼ cup of water gradually and stir it continuously to make a batter.
- It should have a free-flowing consistency and should fall in drops in the end. Each drop should be clear as shown in the image below. (Pro tip: The quantity of water should not be more or less than the ratio shown or else you will not have perfectly round boondi).
- Then, put a pinch of baking soda and a pinch of food color in the batter and mix them well. Put the batter aside. (Pro tip: Always use red tandoori color or yellow food color to make boondi).
- Heat an adequate amount of cooking oil in a kadai to make the boondi. When the oil heats up, take a spoonful of the hot oil and add it to the batter. Mix it nicely. This will make the boondi nice and crispy. (Pro tip: Always fry boondi in a thick kadai and on high heat for perfect round shape. If it is thin, reduce the flame to medium and then fry the boondi).
- Hold a perforated ladle or skimmer (jhara) on top of the hot oil at a distance from the kadai. Pour a ladle of batter on it. Do not shake. Let the boondi fall freely on the kadai below. This will prevent the later ones from sticking to the partially fried boondis in the kadai. (Pro tip: You can make boondi with anything that is a bit large and has holes in it such as a grater, vegetable masher).
- When they are fried properly to a lovely golden-brown color, remove them and keep them aside on a plate to cool down.
- Now, to make the sugar syrup, take a separate kadai that can be covered easily. Put 1.5 cups of sugar and an equal quantity of water (1.5 cups) in it. Let it come to a boil. (Pro tip: The measuring cup or utensil should be the same one used to measure besan. Do not mind if the chashni is more. It will add to the softness of the laddus and prevent them from becoming dry after some time).
- Now, add 1 tsp of cardamom powder and a pinch of saffron (kesar) in it. Let it boil for another couple of minutes to make a sticky sugar syrup. Check the doneness. It should be sticky but leave no strands in the wake.
- Then, turn the flame to low and put the fried boondi in it. Mix them all nicely with the sugar syrup, but do it gently starting from the sides and working inside.
- Now, turn the flame of the gas stove to low, cover the kadai, and cook it for 2 to 3 minutes. Then, remove the cover and check to ensure that the boondi have absorbed the sugar syrup completely. If it has, switch off the gas stove, cover it again and let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes more to cool down.
- While the boondi cools down, take another pan and dry roast 2 tbsp of peeled melon seeds or 2 tbsp of peeled watermelon seeds (whichever you have) separately on a low flame, stirring them continuously to prevent burning and rendering a bitter taste. Now, put the roasted seeds in the laddu mixture and mix them nicely. (Pro tip: Always roast the seeds nicely before adding to the laddu mix. Fried and puffed seeds add to the taste and flavor of the laddus).
- Now, take a handful of the laddu mix in your hand, put some chopped pistachios in it, and then, shape all the laddus, one by one.
- In this way, your sweet and tasty homemade boondi laddoo will be ready. Arrange them on a plate and serve.
