Rava Laddoo / Suji Laddoo

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.

Rava Laddoo / Suji Laddo

Ingredients

• 1 cup very fine Semolina/Sajjige/Suji/Sooji
• 1/4 packed cup grated coconut, fresh or frozen (Optional)
• 3/4 cup granulated/powdered Sugar (adjust acc to taste)
• 1/2 cup +1 tbsp Ghee/Clarified Butter
• 2 tbsp Cashew Nuts, halved
• 2 tbsp Raisins/Sultanas
• 6 Green Cardamoms, peeled and crushed to smooth powder
• A large pinch of Saffron dissolved in 1 tbsp warm water or milk
• Few tsp of Milk (Optional)

Method

• Heat 1 tbsp of Ghee in a deep pan or kadai and add cashew nuts to it. Roast cashew nuts on low flame till they start to turn light golden in colour. Immediately add raisins or sultanas and fry them till they are plumped up, about 1 minute. Remove them with a slotted spoon and keep them aside.
• Next add grated coconut to a pan and roast them till they turn light golden in colour on low flame, about 2-3 mins. Transfer them to clean bowl and keep it aside.
• Now add semolina and dry roast them on low flame till they change colour to light golden and the aroma of roasted semolina fills the kitchen, about 3-5 mins. There should be noticeable change in colour and aroma compared to raw semolina. Make sure that the semolina is dry roasted on low flame. Transfer this roasted semolina to a bowl containing roasted coconut.
• Add granulated or powdered sugar, cardamom powder, roasted cashews and raisins, saffron dissolved in warm milk and remaining ghee to the roasted semolina and coconut.
• When the mixture is warm enough to handle take a small handful of them and squeeze between your fingers and palm to form small lemon sized balls. If the mixture is too dry and starts to crumble, add few teaspoons of milk, one at a time, and form the balls. Don’t worry if the Rava Laddu/Laddoo is too soft as they will harden after a while.
• Once cooled, store them in an air tight container and keep them in a cool, dry place or store them in refrigerator.