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Gond ke laddu
Edible gum and flour laddus
ਗੋਂਦ ਦੇ ਲੱਡੂ: warming laddus of puffed edible gum, roasted wheat flour, ghee, jaggery and nuts
When the January cold sets in around Lohri, Punjabi and Marwari kitchens make a tin of gond ke laddu, one of which is eaten each morning with hot milk to keep warm through winter. Edible gum (gond, from the acacia tree) is fried in ghee until it puffs into light crunchy nuggets, then crushed and mixed with ghee-roasted wheat flour, jaggery, dry ginger and plenty of nuts, so the laddus are rich, crumbly and crackle as you bite. Common mistake: frying the gum in oil that is too hot; it browns outside and stays glassy and chewy in the middle, so fry it on a medium heat until each piece swells to twice its size and turns opaque white. The flour is done when it smells nutty, turns golden and the ghee loosens at the edges. Chef's tip: roll the laddus while the mixture is still warm; once it cools it will not bind.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
- 7 oz ghee
- 1 ¾ oz edible gum (gond)
- 1 ¾ oz almondschopped
- 1 ⅜ oz cashewschopped
- 1 oz desiccated coconut
- 1 tsp ground green cardamom
- 7 oz jaggerypowdered
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat about a third of the 2 ⅛ oz ghee in a heavy kadhai over a medium heat. Add 1 ¾ oz edible gum (gond) a spoonful at a time and fry, stirring, until each piece swells, turns opaque white and feels light. Lift out onto a plate.
8 minStep 2: Once cool, crush the puffed gum coarsely with the bottom of a glass.
2 minStep 4: Add the rest of the 5 oz ghee and 9 oz whole-wheat flour (atta) to the kadhai and roast over a low heat, stirring constantly, for 15–20 minutes until the flour is golden, smells nutty and the ghee begins to separate at the edges.
20 minStep 5: Turn off the heat and stir in 1 oz desiccated coconut, 1 tsp dry ginger powder (sonth) and 1 tsp ground green cardamom. Leave it for 5 minutes until warm but not hot, so the jaggery won't melt into a puddle.
5 minStep 6: Mix in 7 oz jaggery, the crushed gum and the nuts thoroughly with your hands.
2 minStep 7: Press handfuls firmly into 16 round laddus while the mixture is still warm. Cool and store in an airtight tin for up to 3 weeks.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 270 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gond ke laddu take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 40 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.
- 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 jaggery?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
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Perfect for:Winter warmers