Ladoos are yummy & irrestible… Well, this Diwali I am on a ladoo spree! A couple of days ago I posted a successful microwave Besan Ladoo & here I am with another post of ladoo… the very delicious Rava Ladoo!!! I have to please my family with their favorite ladoo & I am busy binding & actually enjoying it. Diwali is always an exciting time for me as I go all the way making all the traditional sweets/mithai we truly love & relish. My hubby loves ladoos, burfis & all types of traditional Indian mithai but when it is ladoos I have to consider preferences & hence end up making quite a few types. This is one ladoo which I have a preference for.
I remember watching so many of my friends & neighbours over the years making different types of ladoos… each one having their own unique procedure for it. Some of the people I know would be making several dozens & it would be a community ritual to help make them. It used to be fun to participate & enjoy with a lot of pleasant exchanges & bonding over the entire gamut of preparations for Diwali… the rangolis, the making of flower garlands, the lighting of lamps & diyas, the huge lantern in the shape of a star & above all the pre-preparation & finally the preparation of sweets/mithai. Now, with the emphasis & recent trend of small & nuclear families, the beauty of community participation is gradually disappearing but a ray of hope still flickers where many are trying to revive it…
The Rava Ladoo… the traditional Indian speciality is so simple & easy to make. In Maharashtra the Rava Ladoo has a place of pride & is a must in the faral thali served during Diwali. This ladoo can be prepared in the microwave too… just follow the Microwave Besan Ladoo Recipe which I posted recently. I made the Rava Ladoo in the traditional way just because we had a little power problem. I am very happy the way it turned out … just look at the picture of the Rava Ladoos! Aren’t they gorgeous? 🙂
Ingredients :
- 1 cup Rava/Suji/Semolina
- ¾ cup Sugar pwd.
- 4 tbsps. melted Amul Pure Ghee or home made
- ¼ cup warm Milk
- A few cashew nuts (chopped) & Raisins
- ½ tsp. freshly ground Green Cardamom pwd.
- Whole Almonds for garnishing (optional)
Procedure :
Heat a thick bottomed pan/wok/kadhai & dry roast rava over low flame for about 5 mins., stirring continuously until the rawness disappears completely. Do not brown the rava.
Transfer the roasted rava to a bowl & let it cool completely.
Meanwhile, lightly fry the cashew nuts & raisins & keep aside to be used later.
In a grinder/mixer, run the roasted rava for about a minute or till it turns into a coarse powder & transfer into a sufficiently large bowl.
To this add sugar pwd., dry fruits, green cardamom pwd. & mix well.
Now add the melted ghee to the rava mixture & mix with your fingertips to combine well.
Finally, to help bind the rava ladoos add warm milk to small portions of the rava mixture with a teaspoon, a little at a time.
Use your hands to bind into tight balls/ladoos as per desired size.
While binding insert almonds or dry fruits of your choice for garnishing each ladoo.
Bind into firm smooth round balls; place on a plate/tray to set & harden for about an hour or more.
Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.
Tips & Variations :
- You may use dessicated coconut to add extra flavor & richness to your ladoo.
- If you want the ladoos to stay fresh longer then it is better to avoid coconut & milk in the ladoo.
