Besan Ki Ladoo

Happy New Year ~ Besan Ki Ladoo

Besan ki Ladoo

It’s New Year for people in some parts of India. For people from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, it is called Ugadi whereas the people of Maharashtra term the same as Gudi Padwa. The festival marks the new year day for people who follow the Indian lunar calendar. Maharashtrians love their chaat (snack) very much but they also have a sweet tooth. So, I wanted to celebrate this day,by making something that signifies their region, Besan Ki Ladoo. Although Puran Poli would justify more of a Maharashtrian sweet, Besan Ki Ladoo is no less. It is a very easy dish but requires a lot of muscle power. So, if you are up for some upper arm workout for about 45 minutes, this is the dish to make. I do not prefer using a microwave for this but that’s your choice. I do not make these often, so why not make it the traditional way which tastes so much better?

Recipe: (Makes about 15)

2 cups Besan
< 1/2 cup Ghee
Shakkar – > 1/2 or per taste
Coarsly Ground unsalted pista, badam (optional)
1 tsp Elaichi powder
A pinch of Kesar

Heat ghee in a pan, add the besan and sautee it on a medium low flame. Initially you might find it difficult to mix, but as you keep doing it, you start seeing that the besan quantity shrinks and the ghee separates from the besan and the mixture becomes loose and very easy to handle. Do not sautee on high flame, other wise the besan will burn. You need a lot of patience to keep sauteing it for a long time; I did for almost 45 minutes until you see the mix turns light brown like caramel color. Below you can see the change in color.

Turn off the heat, add the pista, badam mixture & kesar. Let it cool. Once cooled, add shakkar, mix well, roll into small balls. Since I did not use any water or liquid, this will store in airtight jars for about 20 days or so. Enjoy ladoo whenever you have a craving for sweet.

Besan ki Ladoo

TIP: In case the mixture is too loose and hard to roll into balls, just keep it in the freezer for 5 minutes then roll into balls.