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Laddu or laddoo are sphere-shaped sweets originated in the Indian subcontinent.

Motichoor laddu is made from fine boondi (made from gram flour/chickpea flour/besan) where the balls are tiny and are cooked with ghee or oil, later immersed in thick sugar syrup and finally shaped into ladoo. Originally this laddu was a north Indian sweet, but it is now popular throughout the Indian subcontinent.

Motichoor Laddoo is a popular mithai/sweet served as a dessert during festivals and special occasions. It's offered to the Lord Ganesha on Diwali.

This melt in the mouth Indian delicacy gets its name from the hindi word “Moti” that means pearls and choor that means “crushed”. Together it means “Crushed Pearl balls”. Binding them together is a bit tricky task as they can crumble again, if more pressure is applied.

This is my husband's favourite sweets. We could not find it in any sweets shop so I tried at home, gave him a surprise on his birthday. He was so happy so was I. My efforts paid off fully by seeing him happily enjoying his favourite sweets.

While preparing the sugar syrup for the motichoor laddus add lemon juice or citric acid, this will prevent the sugar from crystallising.

Ingredients

Preparation

• Heat water in a large pan over medium flame. Add sugar and a pinch of saffron into it. Stir it until fully dissolved. Bring it to a boil.

• Boil until it has reached one string/thread consistency. And then switch off the flame. Keep the sugar syrup aside.

• Take besan in a bowl. Add a pinch of saffron into it. Add water to make a smooth flowing batter. The batter should not have lumps.

• Heat oil in a pan or kadai. The oil should be moderately hot. Take a perforated ladle. Position it above the oil.

• Take a large spoon of besan batter and pour it on perforated ladle.

• Slowly tap and make sure the drops of besan batter fall into the oil.

• Fry the boondis till they become golden. Take off the boondis and drain over the kitchen paper or absorbent paper. About 45 seconds to 1 minute is quite enough to get the correct texture of the boondis.

• In case the sugar syrup crystallises, reheat it. Now add lemon juice to it.

• Now add the cooked boondis. Mix well and make sure that all boondis get coated with the sugar syrup.

• Add sugar coated boondis in a blender/mixer and add 1 tbsp of hot water. Blend 3-4 pulses in mixi to form coarse powder.

• If the boondis are a bit crisp, add 1-2 tbsp of hot-water. Boondis will absorb the hot water and remain soft and moist.

• Now add melon seeds and mix well.

• Apply some oil on your palms. Take small amount of boondis and shape them into small balls or ladoos.

• You can also garnish the ladoos with dry fruits if you want.

• Serve them once they cool down.