Wheat Besan Jaggery Laddoo

Sweet treats and healthy is a rare combo! These melt in mouth Laddoos are simply delicious with the goodness of wholewheat and besan as well as jaggery instead of sugar. Perfect for a festive treat or for just any day!

So here it is, my version of WHEAT BESAN JAGGERY LADDOO: 

Ingredients: 1 cup wholewheat flour, 1/4 cup besan flour, 1/2 cup pure ghee, 1/2 to 3/4 cup powdered jaggery/brown sugar depending on sweetness desired, 1 tsp elachi powder, 1 tbsp crushed Pistachio nuts.

Make: 

1. In a non stick flat bottom pan, melt the ghee then add wholewheat flour and besan flour. Roast evenly on medium flame, by continuously stirring until there is a roasted aroma. Should take around 15 to 20 mins. The mixture will look lumpy and golden brown in colour. Remove from hear and let cool to room temperature. 

2. To the mixture, add powdered jaggery and elachi and mix well. The mixture should hold shape in your hand enough to roll into Laddoos. If not, add just a teaspoon of warm milk to help shape.

3. Take small amounts of the mixture and roll into Laddoos. Let them cool completely and harden slightly before serving. Can be stored for a week or so.

Enjoy the healthy sweet treats anytime!

Rave Laadoo - Sweet Semolina Balls

Tastes from childhood are often the most loved, and this delicious sweet treat, Rave Laadoo is one of them for me! Watching and helping my Mum as a kid is one of my favourite memories, so ofcourse it's one I love making now.

There are many versions of it, but I make the version without coconut - the crispness of semolina is more enjoyable without coconut in my view. However adding coconut still makes it a delicious treat.

Here it is, my version of RAVE LAADOO:

Ingredients (for about 12): 1 cup fine Semolina, 1/3 cup fresh ghee, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp cardamon powder, raisins & crushed nuts of your choice.

Make:

1. In a thick bottom pan (non stick is better), roast the semolina and ghee on medium flame. Stir continuously to ensure it doesn't burn, after about 10 minutes it should look well roasted and have a lovely aroma. Let it cool to room temperature.

2. Powder the sugar or use ready powdered sugar, mix in the cardamon powder, in a separate bowl. 

3. Add in the warm roasted semolina and mix with powdered sugar. 

4. In the thick bottom pan, add another spoon ghee and fry the crushed nuts & raisins until golden brown. Add this hot mixture into the semolina.

5. Mix well with a spoon as ghee will be very hot, then use hands to shape into small balls. It should come together nicely. If too dry, add a spoon of warm milk, if too soft, put the whole mixture in the fridge for 5 mins then try to shape into balls.

Let the Laadoos cool completely and serve or store in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Besan Laddoo

Some traditional sweets are so good that there's no point in trying variations of it. Besan Laddoo (chickpea flour laddoo) is one of those!

Whether it's festivities or just any occasion to enjoy these yummy treats, Besan Laddoo is always a good idea.

Here it is, my version of BESAN LADDOO:

Ingredients: 1 cup Besan flour, 1/2 cup powdered sugar or icing sugar, 1/4 fresh ghee melted, 1 tsp cardamon powder, chopped nuts for topping if desired.

Make:

1. In a heavy bottom pan, roast the besan flour with ghee, continuously stirring to avoid any burning. After about 10 minutes the mixture will start to turn from crumbly to a smooth paste.

2. Continue to stir in low flame for about 15 more minutes, the mixture will release ghee and turn more like a dough. There will also be a roasted aroma and will look golden brown. Turn off heat and stir a few minutes to help cool it.

3. Leave the mixture to cool to room temperature, should take about 15 minutes. At this stage, add the powdered sugar and cardamon powder and mix the dough well. It will be a smooth dough that can be rolled easily into balls. 

4. Roll into round laddoos and gently press on chopped nuts. Let it cool completely then reshape if needed. Serve ideally the next day as it will harden up and taste delicious. 

Enjoy these melt-in-mouth Besan Laddoos!