The festival of Raksha Bandhan will be celebrated across the country on August 28. Sweets hold a significant place during festive occasions, and preparing traditional treats is a common household practice. The primary concern during festivals is avoiding adulterated khoya found in market sweets, which makes preparing homemade alternatives the best possible solution. Grainy besan and suji ladoos are universally loved during Raksha Bandhan and can be prepared using relatively low amounts of ghee. The preparation method is remarkably straightforward, yielding sweets that are exceptionally delicious, soft, and texturally rich. Today, we will share a fresh and simple technique to make these ladoos in less time than usual. Let us explore the complete recipe in detail.
Ingredients and Proper Measurements
To prepare grainy besan and suji ladoos, gather one cup of fine semolina, one cup of gram flour, and one cup of powdered sugar, castor sugar, or bura. If you prefer less sweetness, you can slightly reduce the amount of sugar according to your preference. Use a single bowl or cup as a standard measuring tool to maintain the correct proportions for all ingredients. Additionally, keep ready half a cup of desi ghee amounting to 100 grams, finely chopped cashews, pistachios, and almonds, along with a quarter teaspoon of cardamom powder. Start by placing a kadhai on the heat, adding two spoons of ghee, and roasting the semolina thoroughly. Since gram flour takes longer to roast, it is best to roast it separately to achieve the ideal texture.
Roasting Techniques and Dry Fruits
While roasting the gram flour, add ghee gradually in small intervals rather than pouring everything at once. Once the gram flour is properly roasted, combine the pre-roasted semolina into it. Remember not to dump all the ghee at once throughout this recipe, but rather incorporate it little by little. After roasting the semolina and gram flour together, mix in the chopped cashews, almonds, and pistachios into the same batch. Sauté the dry fruits along with the flour mixture for about a minute. Maintain a low flame from the very beginning until the final step to avoid burning. Next, stir in the cardamom powder and set the mixture aside to cool down. Once cooled completely, add the powdered sugar and mix everything thoroughly using your hands. The mixture is now ready to bind into well-shaped ladoos.
Alternative Method for Making Ladoos
There is another equally simple recipe for making grainy besan-suji ladoos. Take 125 grams of ghee along with half a cup of fine semolina and half a cup of gram flour. Sauté the semolina properly in ghee over a low flame. When it develops a light brown hue, add the chopped dry fruits including cashews, almonds, and pistachios. Roast these lightly as well. In the same pan, use the remaining ghee to roast the gram flour. Since gram flour requires patience and time, roast it slowly on low heat. Once it achieves a golden color, turn off the heat and transfer it to a kadhai. When the roasted gram flour cools down, combine the roasted semolina and dry fruits into it. Add a hint of cardamom powder and mix everything evenly. To enhance the grainy texture of the ladoos, mix in powdered sugar or bura only after the base has cooled down completely, and then proceed to shape the ladoos.
Final Method for Perfect Texture
A third easy variation for crafting grainy besan-suji ladoos involves taking 125 grams of ghee and pouring it into a kadhai. Add half a cup of gram flour and continue roasting until the color turns light brown and tiny bubbles begin to appear. After roasting the gram flour thoroughly on low heat, introduce half a cup of semolina to the pan. Mix both ingredients well while continuing to roast. Add your choice of chopped dry fruits to the mix and sauté them for roughly a minute. As a final step, stir in half a teaspoon of cardamom powder. Transfer the entire mixture onto a flat plate and allow it to cool completely. Once cooled, incorporate the bura or powdered sugar. You may add a little extra ghee at this stage if needed to help bind the mixture firmly. Finally, shape the mixture into delicious, grainy round ladoos.
