Besan (Gram Flour) Laddoo Sweet Balls
Besan Laddoo
Yashoda Gupta
Laddoos are made from many different ingredients, besan ones being probably one of the most popular and most commonly home-made laddoos in India. Besan is the flour made from Bengal gram or small, black chickpeas.
Both my daughters Kavita and Neeta love these and call them 'nani ke laddoo'(nani's laddoos), naani being my mother, their grandmother. They say that they like hers the best and I agree. - Mamta
Makes 15-16 small laddoos
Ingredients
250 gm. gram flour or besan (laddoo gram flour/besan is granular, not smooth, like the usual besan
150-175 gm. ghee or clarified butter
250 gm. caster sugar or boora
50-100 gm. nuts or mewa (almonds, cashew nuts, pistachio-any or all) adjust amount to taste
Instructions
Measure all ingredients separately.
Chop nuts or buy ready chopped ones.
Heat clarified butter or ghee in a heavy bottomed wok or karahi.
Add gram flour or besan.
Fry on medium heat, stirring constantly, until besan changes colour to reddish brown and emits the roast aroma. Ghee also separates from the besan at this stage. Do not be in a hurry. Besan must be properly fry-roasted on medium fire. Turn heat off.
Add sugar and mix thoroughly.
Add nuts and mix thoroughly.
Take the pan off and let it cool, enough to be able handle the mix in your palms.
Take approximately 1-2 tbsp. of the prepared mix in one hand.
Squeeze and roll it between the palm and fingers of that hand, to make it into small but firm ball. Squeezing is necessary to make the laddoo compact enough to hold together. Continue until all laddoos are made.
Place on a tray until completely cool.
Store in an air tight boxes.