Motichoor ladoo made from fine chickpea flour pearls is a traditional Indian festive sweet. Can be prepared on Holi, Diwali, Janamashtmi or any special occasion throughout the year.
Motichoor ladoos prepared from gram flour are tiny droplets of flour that are fried, later immersed in thick sugar syrup and finally shaped liked ladoos. Mootichoor ladoos are used in Indian pujas (prayers) and offered to gods as a prasad (religious offering).
Are you wondering what ladoo means?
This melt-in-the-mouth Indian delicacy ladoo is derived from a Sanskrit word “ladduka or lattika” that means – a small ball.
The word “Moti” in Hindi meaning pearls and choor meaning “crushed“. Now let’s rephrase the whole thing in English- Motichoor Ladoo means “Crushed Pearl balls”.
How to make Motichoor Ladoos?
This recipe looks like a lot of work, but believe me it’s worth the effort! 🙂
Boondi for ladoos is always fried in ghee, but you can substitute ghee for oil. To fry boondi for motichoor laddos find a channi (strainer) with small holes, more like a jhara (picture below).
Since I didn’t have that, I have used the regular one and later crushed boondis in a food processor for finer pearls. Carefully pour besan batter through this strainer into the hot oil. Adding baking powder makes boondi balls to puff up; likewise, soda water will do the same job.
During the frying process, you may end up getting some flat balls of boondi.
How to avoid flat Boondis?
During the frying process, you may end up with some flat balls of boondi. To avoid that follow few simple tricks-
- Boondi batter should be of dropping consistency – neither too thick nor too thin.
- Check oil before adding the boondi.
- Hold the strainer above the kadhai/frying pan as this will result in small round boondis.
- Even if you get some sticky boondi lumps in the oil – no worries fry till crisp, and once sugar is added, you can break them apart.
- Do not over fry the boondis as they may result in discoloration.
- Make sure the sugar syrup is of the desired consistency. Step by step method explained below.
Preparing Sugar Syrup!
While preparing the sugar syrup, add lemon juice or citric acid, this will prevent the sugar from crystallizing. After mixing everything, allow ladoo mixture to sit for a while until it’s comfortable to touch.
Start shaping the ladoos. Binding them together is a task as they can crumble again if small pressure is applied. Therefore, form the ladoos with a gentle hand and store in an airtight container. Stays good at room temperature for 2-4 days.
Enjoy tasty and delicious Motichoor ladoo on any festive occasion!!
Craving for more, try other ladoos –
Sending this recipe to Sonal’s Holi Collective theme. Check out my friend’s blog for some awesome Holi recipes.
I hope you give this recipe a try. Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe. If you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them. Would love to hear from you. ?
Motichoor Ladoo
INGREDIENTS
FOR BOONDIS
- 1 cup Besan (Chickpea flour/ Gram flour)
- A pinch of Baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon Orange food color
- 1/2 cup Milk + 2 tablespoon more
- 2 cups of Ghee for frying (Oil is also an option)
SUGAR SYRUP PREPARATION
- 1 cup Superfine Sugar
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
- 1 teaspoon Rose water
- A pinch of Orange food color
ASSEMBLING LADOOS
- 1/4 cup Mawa
- 1 teaspoon Melon Seeds
- A pinch of Saffron
- 2 teaspoon Crushed Pistachios
- 1 teaspoon Cardamom Seeds
INSTRUCTIONS
BOONDI PREPARATION
- Assemble all the ingredients.
- In a bowl combine besan with food color.
- Add baking powder and milk.
- Using a whisk mix it well and prepare a lump-free batter.
- The batter should be of dropping consistency as shown in the picture.
- Find a strainer with holes as shown in the pic to fry boondi.
- Or use a jhara - as shown in this pic.
- Heat oil in a kadhai. Check the oil before frying, drop a pea size besan batter inside the hot oil..
- And if floats right back up, means your oil is ready for frying.
- Hold the strainer right above the kadhai, neither too low, nor too high. It should be couple of inches above the oil. Pour the batter into the strainer. start tapping the strainer with a spoon and you can see small drops of boondi falling in the hot oil.
- Once done remove boondis from oil and place them on a paper napkin to absorb excess oil. Crispy fried boondi all ready.
- Pulse them in a food processor for fine mootichoor ladoos.
- Boondi is ready!
SUGAR SYRUP PREPARATION
- Time to prepare sugar syrup for boondis. In a pan combine sugar, water, lemon juice and rose water. Boil till it is reduced in quantity and has reached one string consistency. It will take 5-7 minutes to reach one string consistency.
- Check its consistency - take some liquid on the back of a spoon and if it coats the spoon without dripping means sugar syrup is ready. Other way would be to take some cooled off sugar syrup in between your fingers, press and now open your fingers, if it forms a thick string between your fingers without breaking - sugar syrup is ready to use.
- To the boiling syrup add saffron strands, cardamom powder and chopped pistachios. At the last add mawa.
- Feel free to add color to the sugar syrup. Add fried boondi.
- Mix till the mixture is well blended. Take it off the flame.
- When it is comfortable to touch start shaping the ladoos.
- If the mixture feels sticky, apply some ghee in your hands and shape them.
- Repeat the process with rest of the mixture.
- Enjoy tasty and delicious Motichoor ladoo on any festive occasion!!
