Indian cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Besan Ladoo

Chickpea flour slowly roasted in ghee, shaped by hand into balls with powdered sugar and cardamom.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 300 g chickpea flour
• 150 g ghee
• 150 g powdered sugar
• 5 cardamom pods
• 50 g pistachios
• 40 g almonds
• 1 pinch salt

Instructions

1. Sift the chickpea flour through a fine sieve so no lumps remain; finely chop the pistachios and almonds and crush the cardamom seeds in a mortar.
2. Melt the ghee in a wide, heavy pan, stir in the flour and stir continuously over low heat for 20–25 min.
3. The mixture first turns firm and lumpy, then loosens up and is ready when it glistens fluidly, is deep golden brown and smells strongly of roasted nuts – never raise the heat, or the flour will burn.
4. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, mix in the chopped nuts along with the cardamom and salt and let cool to about hand-warm.
5. Sift in the powdered sugar and work it in thoroughly – if the mixture is too hot, the sugar will melt and the ladoo won't set later.
6. With lightly greased hands, firmly roll walnut-sized balls, place on a tray and let set in a cool place for 1 hr.; they keep airtight for about two weeks.