Besan Laddoo / Besan Laddu

Laddu or Laddoo is a ball-shaped sweet popular in Indian Subcontinent as well as regions with immigrants from the Subcontinent such as Hijaz. Laddu is made of flour and sugar with other ingredients that vary by recipe. It is often served at festive or religious occasions.

Laddu comes from the Sanskrit word transliterated as ladduka or lattika meaning a small ball. Though contested, it is widely believed to originate from the Mithilanchal region of Bihar during the times of Chandragupt Maurya.

Besan Laddoo 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter or ghee 
• 1 and 1/2 cup besan (gram flour)
• 2 tbsp suji/semolina
• 1/4 tsp  cardamom powder
• 4 tbsp sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp white sesame seeds(optional) 

Method

• Put the basen (gram flour) and sooji, in a large frying pan and mix well.Turn on the stove,in low flame dry roast the flour and stir in between to prevent burning.
• Roast it well till the raw smell goes.
• Once the colour has started changing immediately add ghee and mix well.
• Stir well without lumps and roast the mix well until it gives nice flavor.
• Remove the pan from the heat and let the besan mix cool to a warm temperature.Don’t let it to come to room temperature.While the mixture is warm add sugar and  mix well.
• Then add cardamom seeds, almonds,white sesame seeds(optional).
• Mix well and start making ladoo.
• Take 2 tbsp of warm besan mixture and gently press and roll between your palms to form a lemon sized balls.Repeat this step for rest of the flour.let it cool for sometime and then serve it as  a snack.