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Mahua laddu
Mahua flower balls
Mahua laddu (महुआ लड्डू): naturally sweet roasted mahua flower balls with sesame, peanuts and ghee
Mahua trees flower across Jharkhand in March and April, and before dawn whole families gather the fallen, creamy, honey-scented flowers from the forest floor and dry them in the sun. In Santhal, Munda and Oraon homes, the dried flowers are roasted and pounded with sesame and peanuts into laddus that need almost no added sugar, a store-cupboard sweet for the lean months and for festivals like Sarhul. They taste of raisins, caramel and toasted nuts. Chef's tip: roast the flowers until they puff slightly and smell like caramel; underroasted mahua tastes raw and slightly bitter.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- 7 oz dried mahua flowerscleaned and picked over
- 2 ⅛ oz white sesame seeds
- 2 ⅞ oz raw peanuts
- 1 oz jaggery (optional)grated, optional
- 4 green cardamomseeds ground
- 3 tbsp gheemelted
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Rinse 7 oz dried mahua flowers quickly, then spread on a cloth to dry for 30 minutes. Pick out any stalks or grit.
5 minStep 2: Dry-roast 2 ⅞ oz raw peanuts in a heavy pan over a medium heat for 5–6 minutes, until the skins blister and the nuts smell toasty. Rub off the skins. Roast 2 ⅛ oz white sesame seeds in the same pan for 2–3 minutes, until golden and starting to pop.
9 minStep 3: Roast the mahua over a medium-low heat for 5–6 minutes, stirring constantly, until it puffs a little, darkens and smells like caramel. Common mistake: high heat; the sugary flowers scorch in seconds.
6 minStep 4: Pound or pulse the mahua, peanuts and sesame together to a coarse, sticky crumb. Add 1 oz jaggery if you like it sweeter and 4 green cardamom.
5 minStep 5: Drizzle in 3 tbsp ghee and press the mixture into 12 firm balls while it is still warm. Cool completely and store in an airtight jar for up to 2 weeks.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 170 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 20 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mahua laddu take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 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 white sesame seeds?
- Poppy seeds or finely chopped pumpkin seeds, same amount.
- What can I use instead of ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
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