: The sweet spherical laddus are quintessentially Indian. They have become our country’s favourite desserts, whether as an offering during festivals to celebratory feasts on happy occasions. What makes laddus even more popular is their versatility—almost every region has its own variant of this humble dessert.
In keeping with this laddu talk, we bring to you a list of the 10 best laddus that should be on every food lover’s bucket list.
1. Besan ke Laddu
Besan ke laddu is one of the simplest desserts you can make at home. It is prepared by roasting besan or gram flour in ghee, flavoured with cardamom powder and sweetened with sugar or jaggery; and shaped into bite-sized balls. This mouth-watering dessert is often garnished with almonds and raisins on top.
2. Motichoor Laddu
Over the years, the motichoor laddu, which hails from northern India, has become a festive favourite across the country. ‘Motichoor’ literally translates to crushed pearls. The laddu is made with fine, pearl-like balls of gram flour that are fried in desi ghee and then soaked in sugar syrup until soft. Once the excess syrup is drained, the motichoor is rolled into laddus.
3. Boondi Laddu
Boondi laddu or bundiar laddu is a traditional dessert from Rajasthan. The ingredients and process of making boondi ke laddu are similar to that of the motichoor laddu. The only difference is, the gram flour pearls are comparatively bigger. Apart from the basic ingredients—besan, sugar, cardamom powder, and, of course, ghee—many people also add ghee-roasted cashews, almonds, and raisins.
4. ChurmaA Laddu
A popular dessert in Haryana, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, the churma laddu is made with coarsely ground wheat cooked with ghee and sugar. While most like to keep it simple and stick to the primary ingredients, others prefer adding cardamom powder to the laddu mixture for some additional flavour. The mixture used in making these laddus is one of the important elements of Rajasthan’s famous dish – dal baati churma.
5. Til (Sesame) Laddu
According to Dietician Amreen Sheikh, til laddus, made using sesame seeds and jaggery, are a good source of iron and calcium. Not just that, sesame also helps retain the moisture of the skin. Unlike most laddu types on this list, the til laddus are mostly eaten during the winters since they help keep our body warm from within.
6. Gondh Laddu
Gondh is a Hindi word for gum. Edible gum, desi ghee, sugar, raisins, dry fruits, cardamom powder, dry ginger powder, and nutmeg – these are the basic ingredients used to make a gondh laddu. Just like the til laddu, this too is a winter staple to keep our bodies warm. Apart from this, gondh laddus are a must-have for new mothers while they are breastfeeding. These high-calorie laddus help them with the extra calories they require during this time.
7. Sunnundalu
Also known as sunni laddu, this laddu comes from the state of Andhra Pradesh. It is made using dry roasted and ground urad dal, which is mixed in ghee and sugar. The sunni laddu is similar to besan laddu in its flavour profile but has a grainy texture.
To make this simple laddu, all you need to do is dry roast some raw rice and black gram, in separate pans. Once the roasted items cool down, blend them into a fine powder. Now, blend sugar into a fine powder and mix all the ingredients together on a wide plate. An important thing to keep in mind: don’t add all the melted ghee at once. Slowly add it to the mixture and keep mixing it all together with hand. Lastly, make round, bite-sized balls and store them in an airtight container.
8. Rawa Laddu
Another simple yet delicious laddu preparation, the rawa laddu is made using a mixture of roasted semolina, sugar, and ghee. To give the laddu more gravitas and make it richer, almond powder, cardamom powder, and khoya are added to the preparation.
9. Coconut Laddu
Perfect as a last-minute dessert, coconut laddu can be ready to serve in less than 15 minutes. All you need is some ghee, desiccated coconut or grated coconut, milk, sugar, and green cardamom powder. Cook it over low heat so that all the ingredients come together and keep aside. Before the mix cools off completely, mould the mix into laddus.
10. Badam Laddu
One of the healthiest laddus on this list, the badam laddu is made using coarsely grounded roasted almonds, raisins, cardamom powder, and jaggery. It can be prepared in under 20 minutes and makes for a healthy snack for, both, kids and adults alike.
So how many of these delicious laddus have you tried so far?