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    Home » Recipes » Indian Sweets » Motichoor Ladoo

    Motichoor Ladoo

    Published On:March 16, 2022 By:Ruchi

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    Indian sweets and desserts are a pure manifestation of happiness and excitement, and Motichoor Ladoos are the special ones among them. They truly exhilarate the aura of any celebration or festivity! Their ambrosial taste inevitably renders festive vibes, and one can never overcome the bliss that it emanates!

    Motichoor ladoo on a plate

    Motichur ladoo is one of the favorite Indian desserts, and a quintessential sweet offered to Gods and Goddesses as Prasad during festivals and auspicious occasions.

    It is prepared for the celebration of Diwali, Holi, Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, and others.

    One can find a variety of ladoos in Indian cuisine, each equipped with different base ingredients such as semolina/ sooji, chickpea flour/ besan, wheat flour/ atta, rice flour, lentils flour, and include other flavorful ingredients like dry fruits, nuts, etc.

    What is Motichoor Ladoo

    The word ‘ladoo’ comes from the Sanskrit word ’ladduka’ or ‘lattika,’ meaning a small ball. ‘Moti’ means ‘pearl’ in Hindi, and ‘chur’ means ‘to crush’ or ‘to crumble.’

    Therefore, Motichur Ladoo collectively means ‘balls of crumbled pearls.’

    While making the ladoos, the tiny pearls are gathered up to be rolled into small balls. In the process, the delicate pearls/ boondi get crushed, and from there, they pick the name ‘Motichur’!

    Motichoor Ladoos are prepared from tiny gram-flour pearls, sugar syrup, and flavorings.

    These pearls are fried in hot oil and then soaked in warm sugar syrup infused with saffron, cardamom powder, and rose water. These are then rolled into spherical-shaped ladoos.

    The secret to the most well made Motichoor Ladoos

    One may wonder how to make the best Motichoor Ladoos. Well, the secret to the well-made ladoos is the right equipment that is being used for preparing the boondi.

    Motichur boondi is prepared with a jhara (skimmer) specially made for this purpose. It is a perforated ladle with the smallest holes ( number 0 or 1). The tiny motichur boondi/ pearls are made with a “0” number ladle.

    Since I did not have the correct equipment, I converted my number 2 boondi jhara to a “0” number skimmer. For that, I wrapped the base of my jhara tightly with aluminum foil and secured all its edges.

    Then, using a push-pin, I created tiny holes through the jhara. This effectively served the purpose and helped me make my best Motichur Ladoos!

    Motichoor boondi with jhara

    Difference between Motichoor and Boondi Ladoo

    Although they may seem similar, Motichoor and Boondi Ladoos have distinct differences. Like —

    • The first contrasting feature is the size of the boondi in both the ladoos. Motichoor has smaller sized boondi than the normal Boondi Ladoos.
    • Boondi ladoos have larger flour balls as compared to the Motichur Ladoos.
    • The sugar consistencies for both varieties of ladoos also differ. Boondi ladoos are prepared with the sugar syrup with 2-string consistency (2- taar chashni), whereas the Motichur Ladoos are prepared with 1-string consistency syrup (1- taar chashni).
    • The textures of granules also differ for both varieties. Motichur Ladoos granules have a melt in the mouth and velvety texture, whereas the Boondi ladoos have a slightly more complex texture.

    Reasons You’ll ♡ Motichoor Laddu

    You have endless reasons to love these luscious pearls of happiness rolled into Motichur Ladoos. To enumerate a few; these ladoos —

    • Are super soft, velvety, and purely indulgent.
    • Are addictively sweet and perfectly balanced in taste.
    • Have the oh-so-divine, melt-in-the-mouth texture.
    • Are made with readily available ingredients.
    • Can be made in advance and stored for serving later.
    • Are worth every effort to put it together!

    Ingredient list for motichoor ladoo

    Ingredient list for Motichoor Ladoo recipe

    Motichur Ladoos, among all, are the most popular and loved ladoos for their supreme deliciousness. They are made with a few ingredients common in our pantry.

    Chickpea flour — Also known as besan, it is the key ingredient that makes the delicious motichoor ladoos. For these ladoos, we need to use thin besan to achieve better consistency.

    Food color — The beautiful orange color makes the motichoor ladoos look so tempting and completely irresistible.

    Ghee — Needed for frying the motichoor (chickpea pearls). You may use homemade ghee for this recipe and reach for a divine flavor! Alternatively, you can also use any neutral flavored refined oil.

    Sugar — Added for sweetening our gorgeous ladoos.

    Rose Water — Adds a delicate floral aroma and subtle taste to our motichoor ladoos.

    Cardamom powder — Lends a refreshing floral aroma along with a pleasant flavor to the sugar syrup.

    Lemon juice — When added to the sugar syrup, it prevents the sugar from crystallizing.

    Saffron strands — Helps to add a beautiful subtle flavor and enticing color to the motichoor ladoos.

    Water — Water is used to prepare the batter and sprinkle over the motichoor if it feels hard to be rolled.

    Dry nuts — Such as melon seeds and slivered pistachios are used for garnishing and added nutrition.

    How to make Motichoor ladoo recipe

    For the FULL, printable recipe card, please scroll down to the bottom of this post.

    Prepare sugar syrup — Combine sugar and water into a wide pan. Bring it to a boil and add lemon juice to prevent crystallization. Add saffron strands and cardamom powder to the cooking sugar syrup.

    Allow the sugar syrup to simmer over medium heat until it reaches one-string consistency. It will take 7-10 minutes to get one string consistency. Once the syrup forms a thick string between your fingers without breaking – sugar syrup is ready to use. Cover and set it aside.

    Combine sugar + water in a pan

    Make motichoor ladoo batter — Combine besan, food color, and a teaspoon of ghee in a mixing bowl. Add a little water at first and make a lump-free thick batter. Slowly and gradually add water to make a smooth, lump-free, and pourable batter.

    Fry Motichoor boondi — Heat oil in a pan. Always use a wide kadhai to fry the boondis. 

    While frying the boondi, create a higher platform so that the jhara is 3-4 inches above the oil. I used a container lined with a thick cloth and then placed the jhara on top to support it.

    Once the ghee/oil is hot, pour the batter through this jhara. Shake it vigorously (up and down) over the oil so that the whole batter drops through those holes as tiny droplets. Fry them for a minute, then remove them immediately before they start to change color. 

    Use a fat skimmer to collect the fried boondis. You can also use a tea strainer, but it has a small handle. A fat skimmer with a long handle works the best.

    Always drain fried boondi onto a paper-lined plate to ensure that extra oil is drained from the boondis. Perfectly shaped motichoor boondis are ready for the sugar syrup.

    Size of motichoor boondi

    Soak the ladoos — If the sugar syrup has cooled down, bring it to a quick boil. Lower the heat to the lowest setting, then add the fried motichoor boondis to this pan.

    Cook the boondi for 1-2 minutes at the lowest setting, stirring continuously. This way, the boondi will become soft and soak in the sugar syrup.

    Take the pan off the heat and add slivered pistachios and melon seeds. Cover the pan and let it rest for an additional 1-2 minutes.

    Motichoor ladoo mix with silvered pistachio and melon seeds

    Shape the ladoos — When comfortable enough to touch, take a golf-sized mix into your palms and roll them into spherical-shaped ladoos. Repeat the same with the remaining mix and shape all the ladoos.

    Motichoor ladoos also have a long shelf life and can be made in advance for any celebration or event.

    Form Motichoor ladoo

    Recipe tips and Variations

    Preparing motichoor ladoos may look like a complicated task, but in reality, it is not! With just a little practice, you can master the art. Follow these tips, and you will prepare the most awesome ladoos right in your kitchen.

    Use fine besan — Always use fine besan for preparing the motichoor ladoos as it forms a smooth batter that makes perfect motichoor (pearls). Also, remember to sieve the besan to ensure it doesn’t form lumps when water is added to it.

    Consistency of the batter is important — Ensure that the batter is free-flowing and without any lumps. The thin batter makes the beautiful boondi (tiny pearls) that we need for this recipe.

    Do not over fry motichoor boondi — Fry the motichoor boondi (pearls) just for about a minute. If you fry them for longer, they will become crispy and will not soak up the sugar syrup, and will turn hard.

    Sugar syrup consistency is the key — The consistency of the sugar syrup must be maintained. We make 1- string or single-thread (Ek-taar) consistency sugar syrup for this recipe. It will not be possible to roll ladoos if the consistency is more than one string or less than one string. So, make sure it is just right.

    Add boondi to the warm sugar syrup — Make sure it is warm and not hot when you add boondi to the sugar syrup. The too-hot syrup will turn the boondi soggy and undesirable in texture.

    Roll ladoos when warm — It’s best to roll the ladoos when the mixture is still warm as it is easier to roll them and also hold a better shape.

    Oil/ghee temperature — Before frying, check the temperature of the oil/ghee . Please make sure the oil/ ghee is hot enough for pouring the batter into it. Maintain the temperature at low-medium as the boondi requires this temperature to retain its shape and also fry perfectly to crispy pearls. This also facilitates absorbing the sugar syrup later.

    Substitute — You may fry the boondi in ghee instead of oil. The option is entirely yours. However, ghee ladoos taste purely heavenly!

    Large boondi pearls — If you ended up with larger pearls/ regular boondi, do not bother. Just take a few seconds to pulse the boondi to get a more delicate texture. However, make sure not to pulse any longer than a few seconds, else you will be left with the powdered boondi.

    Motichoor ladoos garnished with saffron and pistachios

    For softer boondi — You may notice your boondi is still crispy after being added to the sugar syrup. In this situation, add 1- 2 tbsp of milk or water to the mixture and heat it a little. It will turn moist and super soft.

    Ghee as a binding aide — Add a teaspoon of ghee to the mixture and see how it helps in binding the ladoos perfectly.

    Sugar syrup — As soon as the pearls/ boondi is ready, plunge it straight into the warm sugar syrup. Don’t wait for the boondi to cool down. If the boondi is allowed to cool, it will not absorb the sugar syrup well. Boondi soaks best in warm sugar syrup.

    Tip for rolling the ladoos — When rolling the motichoor ladoos, make sure the temperature of the boondi-sugar mix is moderately hot. If the mixture is allowed to cool, it will crystallize and become a hassle to bind and shape up. For troubleshooting, slightly warm the mixture and try to bind them again.

    The extra sugar syrup — If you end up with some extra sugar syrup in the boondi, just drain it off. This makes it easier for you to shape the ladoos well.

    For a runny batter — If you feel that the batter is watery, add a tablespoon of besan/ chickpea flour and whisk again. This is the only way to bring the batter to the right consistency.

    The trick to the perfectly round pearls/ boondi — Hold the strainer just above the kadhai/ pan for the perfect round balls of boondi. It should not be too high; else, the boondi will become flat.

    Let me know what you think!

    Whether it is a celebration or any festive occasion, these motichoor ladoos never fail to impress anyone.

    And with this simple recipe, you can make your perfect ladoos, even if it’s the very first time. So, let’s begin with the recipe and gorge on these gratifying saffron balls of goodness!

    Should you make this Motichur ladoo recipe, please let me know your thoughts by sharing your comment below. And don’t forget to share it with your family and friends.

    SOME OF THE OTHER RECIPES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO TRY

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    This recipe was originally posted in 2016 and has been updated to improve reader experience.
    Have you tried this recipe?
    Leave a star rating by clicking on the ⭐ below!
    Motichoor ladoo on a plate

    Motichoor Ladoo

    Author : Ruchi
    Indian sweets and desserts are a pure representation of happiness and excitement, and Motichoor Ladoos are the special ones among them. They truly uplift the aura of any celebration or festivity! Their heavenly and luscious taste naturally renders festive vibes, and one can never overcome the bliss that it derives!
    4.63 from 16 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 2 hrs
    Total Time 2 hrs 20 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Indian
    Servings 16
    Calories 77 kcal

    EQUIPMENT

    • Steel bowl – Kadhai
    • Mootichoor Boondi Jhara
    • Glass Mixing Bowls
    • Fat skimmer

    INGREDIENTS
     

    FOR BOONDIS

    • 1 cup Besan (Chickpea flour/ Gram flour)
    • ⅛ teaspoon Orange food color
    • ½ cup Water + 2 tablespoons more
    • – – Ghee for frying (Oil is also an option)

    SUGAR SYRUP PREPARATION

    • 1 cup Sugar
    • ½ cup Water
    • 1½ teaspoons Rose water
    • ½ teaspoon Cardamom Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
    • A pinch of Saffron
    • A pinch of Orange food color

    ASSEMBLING LADOOS

    • – – Melon Seeds
    • – – Crushed Pistachios

    INSTRUCTIONS

    SUGAR SYRUP PREPARATION

    • Combine sugar and water into a wide pan.
      Combine sugar + water in a pan
    • Bring it to a boil and add lemon juice to prevent crystallization.
      Add rosewater
    • Add saffron strands and cardamom powder to the cooking sugar syrup.
      Add cardamom powder
    • Allow the sugar syrup to simmer over medium heat until it reaches one-string consistency. It will take 7-10 minutes to get one string consistency.
      Make one-string syrup
    • Check consistency – take some cooled sugar syrup between your fingers, press the fingers down, and now open your fingers; if it forms a thick string between your fingers without breaking – sugar syrup is ready to use. Cover and set it aside.
      How to make a 1-string sugar syrup - Ruchiskitchen

    PREPARE BOONDI

    • Combine besan, food color, and a teaspoon of ghee in a mixing bowl.
      Combine besan and dry ingredients
    • Add a little water at first and make a lump-free thick batter.
      Add water
    • Slowly and gradually add water to make a smooth, lump-free, and pourable batter.
      PROTIP – If the batter is of the right consistency, it will fall into the oil as even-sized tiny droplets resulting in perfect motichoor boondi.
      Consistency of batter
    • Since I didn’t have the right motichoor jhara, I converted my size 2 boondi jhara to a size 0 by wrapping it in aluminum foil.
      Motichoor Ladoo Jhara wrap in foil
    • If you plan to use this method, please make sure the foil is tightly secured around the jhara.
      Wrap jhara in foil
    • Then, using a push-pin, I created tiny holes through the jhara. This effectively served the purpose and helped me make my best Motichur Ladoos!
      Make tiny holes in motichoor jhara
    • Heat oil in a pan. Always use a wide kadhai to fry the boondis. The kadhai should be wider than the size of the jhara. This way, when you tap the jhara over the kadhai, the batter falls straight into the kadhai rather than on the edges.
      Heat oil in a pan
    • To check that, drop a little batter in the oil; if it gently floats to the top, the oil is ready.
      Drop a pea size batter
    • While frying the boondi, create a higher platform so that the jhara is 3-4 inches above the oil.
      hold jhara over oil
    • I used a container lined with a thick cloth and then placed the jhara on top to support it.
      Placement of Jhara over the kadhai
    • Once the ghee/oil is hot, pour the batter through this jhara. Shake it vigorously (up and down) over the oil so that the whole batter drops through those holes as tiny droplets. Once the boondi is in oil, you have very little time.
      Fry them for a minute, then remove them immediately before the boondis start to change color. Do not over-fry the boondis.
      PROTIP – The thick cloth underneath the container acts as a cushion when you vigorously shake the jhara over oil to drop the batter in the oil.
      Make sure the handle of the jhara is resting over the container and does not come in close contact with the hot oil in the kadhai.
      Pour batter in boondi jhara
    • Use a fat skimmer to collect the fried boondis.
      PROTIP – We do not need crisp boondi for motichoor. Since they are very tiny in size, they will cook fast; therefore, be quick in removing the motichoor boondi from oil at the right time.
      A crisp boondi is not good for motichoor ladoos.
      Fry motichoor boondi
    • You can also use a tea strainer, but it has a small handle. A fat skimmer with a long handle works the best.
      Drain motichoor boondi
    • Always drain fried boondi onto a paper-lined plate to ensure that extra oil is drained from the boondis. Spread the boondi in a single layer over the paper napkin to drain maximum oil. To prevent the fried boondi from drying out, cover the boondi with a lid while you fry the whole batch.
      Fried motichoor boondi
    • Perfectly shaped motichoor boondis are ready for the sugar syrup.
      Size of motichoor boondi
    • During the last leg of frying, my besan batter became thick, and it spread between the holes of funnel-shaped jhara resulting in some large-sized boondis. If this happens with you too, do not discard these boondi; transfer them to a food processor and pulse them into smaller pieces.
      Pulse motichoor boondi
    • Lightly pulse big pieces and then add them to the remaining boondi.
      Pulse boondi for few seconds

    ASSEMBLE MOTICHOOR LADOOS

    • If the sugar syrup has cooled down, bring it to a quick boil. Lower the heat to the lowest setting, then add the fried motichoor boondis to this pan.
      Add motichoor boondi to warm syrup
    • Cook the boondi for 1-2 minutes at the lowest setting, stirring continuously. This way, the boondi will become soft and soak in the sugar syrup.
      PROTIP – Do not cook for long as overcooking will result in dry boondi ladoo.
      Mix motichoor boondi with syrup
    • Take the pan off the heat and add slivered pistachios and melon seeds. Cover the pan and let it rest for an additional 1-2 minutes.
      Cover motichoor mixture
    • After that, uncover the pan and allow the motichoor mixture to cool slightly. When comfortable enough to touch, take a golf-sized mix into your palms and roll them into spherical-shaped ladoos.
      Repeat the same with the remaining mix and shape all the ladoos.
    • Motichoor ladoos also have a long shelf life and can be made in advance for any celebration or event.
      Motichoor ladoos are ready

    RECIPE NOTES

     

    Frequently asked questions

     
    What is the perfect temperature for frying boondi?
    Having the right temperature is imperative when you drop boondi in the oil. If the boondi begins to float on the oil after some time, it confirms the perfect temperature.
     
    How can I store the Motichur ladoos?
    Motichur Ladoos have a long shelf life. The ladoos solidify after being shaped and cooled to room temperature. They stay perfect at room temperature for 8 -10 days and for a month in the fridge.
     
    Can I freeze Motichoor Ladoo?
    Absolutely, you can! Motichoor ladoos freeze well for about a month when stored in a freezer-safe container.
     
    What can I do if my Ladoos have turned hard?
    Bringing the Motichur ladoos back to their soft deliciousness is super easy. Just crush them again, add some ghee, warm the mix, and re-shape them. It’s that easy!!
     
    Why do my boondis turn flat?
    During the frying process, you may end up with some flat balls of boondi. There are three basic tricks to attain the perfectly puffed up boondi —
    • First, ensure that the consistency of the batter is thick yet flowing. Runny batter will result in flat boondi.
    • Second, ensure that the oil temperature is perfect when you make the boondi. Perfect means a low-medium temperature where the pearls/ boondi start floating soon after a while when the batter is put in the hot oil.
    • Third, hold the jhara above the kadhai/frying pan, resulting in small round boondis.
     
    Even if you get some sticky boondi lumps in the oil – no worries, fry till crisp, and once added to the sugar syrup, you can break them apart.
     

    NUTRITION

    Calories: 77kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 65mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg
    Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided above is approximate. Variations may exist due to the ingredients/brands used. These numbers should be considered estimates, as they are not calculated by a registered dietician.

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    Hi, I am Ruchi!

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