Rinse moong dal under tap water a few times to get rid of any dust and grit. Transfer the rinsed lentils to a bowl and add hot water to the bowl. Soak the lentils in hot water for 20 minutes. Lentils will swell in size.
After the resting time, transfer the lentils to a strainer and drain the water. Rinse the lentils thoroughly under running water for a couple of minutes. Set aside to drain. Make sure the daal is drained thoroughly.
Add ghee to a heavy-bottomed pan. Transfer the lentils to a pan.
Sauté moong dal over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Initially, the lentils will stick to the spoon. Sauté for 8-10 minutes or until the lentils turn slightly deep in color and become fragrant. The trick is to evaporate all the moisture from the dal. So, do not overcook the lentils. Take the pan off the heat and allow the lentils to cool comfortably.
Saute for 8-10 minutes or until the lentils feel dry. The trick is to evaporate all the moisture from the dal. So, do not overcook the lentils. Take the pan off the heat and allow the lentils to cool comfortably.
Transfer the moong dal to a food processor. Pulse the lentils until fine in texture.
Pass the freshly ground lentils through the sieve to remove any bits of lentils. Set it aside.
Heat ghee in the same pan. Add the moong dal powder to this pan. Roast the powdered moong dal on medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook until the lentils turn deep yellow and impart a nutty fragrance. This roasting will take somewhere about 30-35 minutes. I know it sounds like a labor-intensive process, but this is the only lengthy process involved in making these moong dal ladoos.
After the moong dal powder is cooked, lower the heat to the lowest setting and stir in the cardamom powder. Mix to combine. Pour in the saffron milk mixture. Mix to combine the saffron milk into the moong dal mixture. Saffron milk will lend a beautiful yellow color to the mix. Add the powdered sugar to the warm moong dal mixture. Mix until the sugar is well incorporated. PROTIP- Moong dal ladoos are very sweet therefore, 1 cup sugar is added. But if you prefer sugar on the lower side, then add 3/4 cup, to begin with, and adjust according to taste. Take the moong dal mix off the heat and allow it to cool to a comfortable temperature. While the moong dal mixture is still warm, take 2 tablespoons of mixture in your palms. Press and roll the mix firmly in between your palm to form a round shape. Roll the ladoos until you achieve the desired round shape. Do not let the mixture cool down; try to shape the ladoos, while the mix is still warm.
Repeat this process until all the ladoos are formed. You can decorate moong dal laddus with saffron strands and pistachios.