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Besan ladoo
Gram flour sweet balls
बेसन के लड्डू: coarse gram flour roasted slowly in ghee until it smells of toasted nuts, then rolled with powdered sugar and cardamom
Every North Indian and Gujarati kitchen has its besan ladoo argument: coarse or fine flour, boora or caster sugar, nuts or not. What nobody argues about is the roasting. The gram flour has to cook in ghee on a low flame for half an hour, going from a stiff lump to a loose, flowing paste the colour of sand, until the raw beany smell is gone and the kitchen smells like roasted peanuts. That patient roast gives a ladoo that is melt-in-the-mouth, faintly grainy and rich, never pasty. They are made for Diwali, offered to Ganesh on Chaturthi and packed for travellers because they keep for weeks. Use besan packed without wheat if you need it gluten-free. Chef's tip: let the roasted besan cool until just warm to the touch before the sugar goes in; hot besan melts the sugar and your ladoos slump into flat discs.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
- 5 ½ oz gheeplus 1–2 tbsp if needed
- 9 oz coarse gram flour (ladoo besan)sifted
- 6 ½ oz powdered sugar (boora)
- 1 tsp ground green cardamom
- 2 tbsp almonds and pistachios (optional)chopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Melt 5 ½ oz ghee in a heavy kadhai over a low heat. Add 9 oz coarse gram flour (ladoo besan) and stir with a flat spatula, breaking up the lumps.
2 minStep 2: Keep roasting on a low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the base, for 25–30 minutes. It starts thick and crumbly, then loosens into a flowing paste, turns golden-brown and smells nutty. Common mistake: turning up the heat to hurry it; the outside browns while the inside stays raw and the ladoos taste bitter and floury.
30 minStep 3: Take the pan off the heat, tip the besan into a wide plate and let it cool for 15–20 minutes, until warm but not hot when you hold a pinch.
15 minStep 4: Add 6 ½ oz powdered sugar (boora), 1 tsp ground green cardamom and 2 tbsp almonds and pistachios, and mix with your hands until evenly combined. Squeeze a little in your fist: it should hold. If it crumbles, warm 1–2 tbsp extra ghee and work it in.
Step 5: Take about 35 g at a time and press firmly into round balls, rotating between your palms. Makes about 16. Leave for an hour to firm up, then store airtight for up to 3 weeks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 19 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does besan ladoo take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
- What can I use instead of powdered sugar (boora)?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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Perfect for:DiwaliRaksha Bandhan