Description
Delight in the traditional Indian sweet Boondi Laddu, made from delicate gram flour droplets fried to perfection, then soaked in fragrant saffron-cardamom sugar syrup and shaped into bite-sized, nut-studded balls. This classic dessert offers a beautiful balance of crispy texture and sweet, aromatic flavor, perfect for festive occasions or as a special treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Syrup and Flavorings
- ¼ tsp saffron strands
- 8 green cardamom pods, seeds only
- 225g caster sugar, plus 1 tsp
- 225ml water (for syrup)
Batter
- 125g gram flour (besan)
- Water, enough to make batter the consistency of double cream
Frying
- 1 litre sunflower oil or 500g ghee, for deep-frying, plus extra for your hands
Garnish
- 2 tbsp chopped pistachios
- 1 tbsp pine nuts, chopped, or dried melon seeds (char magaz)
Instructions
- Soak the Saffron: Grind the saffron strands with a pestle and mortar and transfer to a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of warm water and let it soak for 1 hour to release its color and aroma.
- Prepare Cardamom Powder: Pound the cardamom seeds together with 1 teaspoon sugar into a fine powder using the pestle and mortar. Set aside.
- Make the Batter: Sieve the gram flour into a large bowl and whisk in enough water to achieve a smooth batter with a consistency similar to double cream. Ensure there are no lumps.
- Heat the Oil: Fill a wok or karahi halfway with sunflower oil or ghee and heat to 180°C. Test readiness by dropping a cube of bread into the oil — it should brown within 30 seconds.
- Create Gram Flour Droplets: Using a slotted spoon or coarse metal sieve held about 2 cm above the hot oil, spoon batter onto the spoon. Use the rounded base of the ladle to gently push batter through holes in a circular motion, forming droplets. Adjust consistency as needed: thicker batter by adding flour if droplets flatten, or thinner by adding water if droplets become elongated.
- Fry the Droplets: Fry the batter droplets in batches for 30-40 seconds until cooked but not browned. Drain them on kitchen paper. If using a slotted spoon, wipe clean between batches.
- Prepare Nut Mixture: Once droplets have cooled, break up clumps with fingers and combine in a large bowl with cardamom powder, chopped pistachios, and pine nuts (or melon seeds). Set aside.
- Make Sugar Syrup: In a saucepan, dissolve 225 grams of sugar in 225 ml of water. Boil over medium heat until the syrup thickens and reaches 110°C on a sugar thermometer, about 10 minutes.
- Add Saffron: Stir the soaked saffron with its water into the syrup and boil for an additional minute. Remove from heat.
- Combine Syrup with Droplets: Pour the hot syrup over the gram flour mixture. Use the back of a wooden spoon to roughly crush one-third of the droplets into the syrup. Cover and let cool, then chill for 1-2 hours for the syrup to thicken and bind the mixture.
- Shape the Laddus: Lightly oil your hands and tightly squeeze the mixture into 14-16 walnut-sized balls. Place the laddus on a parchment-lined tray.
- Store and Serve: Keep the laddus in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Serve at room temperature to enjoy their full flavor and texture.
Notes
- Maintain the oil temperature around 180°C to ensure even frying without burning the boondi droplets.
- Adjust batter consistency carefully: too thin leads to flat droplets, too thick results in elongated ones.
- The soaking time for saffron is important to bring out rich color and aroma.
- Use a sugar thermometer for accurate syrup temperature to achieve the perfect binding consistency.
- Use ghee for a richer flavor or sunflower oil for a lighter taste.
- Store laddus in an airtight container and refrigerate to keep fresh for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: Boondi laddu, Indian sweets, gram flour laddu, saffron cardamom dessert, traditional Indian dessert, festive sweets
