Boondi Laddu is a very famous Indian dessert usually made during festive times like Diwali, Navaratri.
INGREDIENTS
- Besan Flour (Kadalai Maavu) - 1 cup
- Water – 3/4 – 1 cup
- Baking soda – a pinch
- Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp.
- Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp.
- Cloves - 2 powdered
- Cashew nuts - 10 nos.
- Raisins – 15 nos.
- Oil - to deep fry
- Ghee – 2 Tbsp.
To make the sugar syrup
- Sugar – 1 cup
- Water – 1/2 - 3/4 cup (sugar should be just immersed so adjust accordingly)
METHOD:
STEP :- 1
Heat ghee in a small pan on medium flame and add cashews and fry them till lightly golden. Transfer them on a paper towel. Add raisins to the pan, when they plump up, remove them from the pan and set aside.
STEP :- 2
preparing the sugar syrup:
- In a heavy bottomed pan, add sugar with water till immersing level and heat it up.
- Cook the sugar syrup, till you get single string consistency means If you take a drop between your thumb and index finger you can see a single string forming - that's the right consistency. Set aside. switch off the flame. Keep the sugar solution aside.
- The sugar syrup should be hot when you add the boondis. So you can keep the sugar solution on a hot water bath - means place the pan on a plate or tray filled with hot water. You can fry the boondis and prepare the sugar solution side by side.
STEP :- 3
- Sieve besan flour with baking soda and transfer it to a mixing bowl. Add cloves powder, cardamom powder and turmeric powder to the bowl and mix everything well. Then add water little by little to form a thick paste.
- Then add more water to form a flowing batter. If the batter consistency is not perfect the balls will not be round and it will have tails.
- To check if the batter is in correct consistency : First take a spoon and dip the backside of the spoon into batter and hold it on top of the preheated oil. If it drops as perfect rounds then the batter is perfect. If they become flat, the batter is thin and if they get tail ends, the batter is thick. If thin, then add a bit of gram flour and check by frying a few boondis. if thick, then add a bit of water and then do the same test. once you get the correct consistency, proceed with the next step of frying the boondis.
STEP :- 4
- Actually we need 2 laddles for making boondhi : one for making the boondhis and another for draining them from oil. So take a dry perforated ladle and place it above the hot oil. don't keep too much on a height, as the batter droplets, when falling from a height, do not give a round shape.
- Pour a spoonful of batter on the perforated spoon ladle. Spread the batter lightly with a spoon at the same time. (Normally it will drip down by itself, you can even spread it using the laddle in circular motion, like we make dosa, for quicker process). Finish up the batter on the perforated spoon ladle this way.
- Allow it to cook on both sides evenly.It should not be crispy. When the oil stops sizzling, remove the boondis.
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Wipe off the boondi laddle with a cloth for each batch.Alternatively you can wash the boondi laddle and wipe it clean and then start the next batch.Repeat to finish the entire batter. this step also important because if boondis becomes crisp then the boondi ladoos won’t be soft and they won’t be able to absorb the sugar syrup.
STEP :- 5
- Drain the boondis in a tissue and immediately add it to the prepared warm sugar syrup. Once you add all the boondis to the sugar syrup, add fried cashews,raisins,cardamom powder,and cloves powder. Mix everything well. When its still warm enough to handle with your hands shape them into ladoos. You can greese your hands with ghee and start to make ladoos. The syrup and oil will squeeze out while pressing which helps the ladoos becoming moist, but after the sugar crystalizes it will become dry.
Store in an airtight container and enjoy your homemade sweet boondi ladoos!
NOTES:-
- It keeps well for a week in room temperature itself.
- If the sugar syrup crystallizes and if the boondis become dry just heat up the syrup for a minute or 2 (not more than that)...this is to make the syrup loose then try to shape them it will be easy.
- Always add cashews first while frying then when its fried halfway add raisins and fry till golden brown.
- Batter consistency is very important to get perfect round boondis. So be very careful while adding water.
