Ladoos: An Indian divine treat!

Ladoos has been and will always be the most liked sweet dish in an Indian household. Be it a celebration in the family or a festival pooja, nothing is complete without the lady of the house shaping the ladoos along with other preparations of the extravaganza. So much so that different festivals are associated to different kinds of ladoos. For Diwali, motichoor ladoos are prepared for Laxmi pooja. For Ganesh Chaturthi, Besan ladoos as well as “Modak” is prepared to be offered to Lord Ganesh. Even the “Karvachauth” fast that is observed by the ladies so that their husbands have a long and healthy life is not complete without preparation of rice ladoos.

Before we move further let me give you the technical gyan about Ladoos. The word ladoo has been derived from the Sanskrit word ‘lattika’ or ‘ladduka’ which means “small ball”. With such heavy dose of knowledge let’s learn about some varieties of ladoos commonly made in Indian kitchens.

1. Rava Ladoos are prepared using semolina and once prepared these are earthy brown in color. These ladoos are considered a healthier option of dessert.
2. Besan Ladoos are prepared using refined chickpea flour and is quite popular as “Prasad” in many temples across India. Its aroma and bright yellow color forces everyone to binge and overeat.
3. Atta Ladoos are prepared using wheat flour and is commonly prepared in Northern India.
4. Boondi Ladoos or Motichoor ladoos are bright orange in color and the only difference in Boondi and Motichoor ladoos is the size of boondi which is made using Bengal gram flour. For boondi ladoos the size of boondi is larger as compared to the fine boondi in motichoor ladoos.
5. Til ladoos are prepared using sesame seeds and is a delicacy relished during winters. It is generally taken with a glass of milk to help fight cold and to increase ones immunity.
6. Coconut ladoos are made using grated coconuts and is enjoyed in every season. Very easy to plate thus making these ladoos the easiest option for all mothers.

To accentuate these ladoos and to decorate these sweet delights, ladies since time immemorial have been using all kind of nuts with cashew and almonds as popular choices. Some even use “kesar” or saffron and even silver foils to add that royal touch to these delicacies.

With ladoos holding such an esteem position in our lives, I thought of preparing some to celebrate womanhood on International women’s day. Indeed this day is no less than a celebration! And I must say that best ladoos are the “Atta” ladoos or the ladoos prepared from wheat flour. Taste wise they are yummy and method is much simpler than the usual besan ladoos prepared.

Let me share the method so that all the lovely ladies can prepare this sumptuous delicacy so as to impress everyone around as well as oneself for bringing to plate such wonder. It is even a healthy option as a dessert as it is prepared with whole-wheat flour.

The ingredients required for making atta ladoos one requires:

1 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup Ghee
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup crushed almonds
Pieces of almonds to decorate

Melt the ghee in a pan and add atta (wheat flour) to it. The important feature to prepare ladoos is to keep the flame at low and keep stirring the atta and ghee together for next 20 minutes. One can see the color of the mixture changing from light brown to dark brown. Also, the kitchen will be engulfed with the sweet aroma and it is simply magical.

Next step is to put off the flame and remove the mixture in a bigger bowl or plate and let it cool. Now add the crushed almonds and sugar, mix them all using hands and roll them into ladoos. While rolling them into small balls it is best to press an almond so as to garnish the same.

Also it is best to store them in an airtight container so that the same can be relished for a longer time.