Boondi ladoo
Boondi ladoo is a well known Indian sweet often prepared for festivals and also to celebrate important events. Ladoo’s are given as a prasad after puja and distributed as a sweet in weddings and other occasions. Boond means “drop” in Hindi and Boondi looks like a drop. These drops (Boondi) are made from gram flour (Besan). Gram flour batter is slowly poured into hot oil through a perforated spoon. This batter will then drop into the pan in the form of small circular droplets, after frying them they are soaked in sugar syrup. Once they are soaked ladoo’s are made or they are eaten as sweet boondi. It seems difficult to make boondi ladoo but they are fairly simple to prepare.
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Ingredients for Boondi:
1 Cup besan (gram flour) ¾ Cup of water Ingredients to be added to the Boondi: 2 Tablespoons thin sliced almonds (10 almonds) 1 Tablespoon pistachio nuts thin sliced (10 Pistachio nuts) Ingredients for syrup: 1¼ Cup of Sugar 1 Cup of water ½ Teaspoon crushed cardamom seeds 10 String of saffron Few drops of yellow coloring Utensils needed: Boondi jhara or choose one of these.... Perforated spoon / Strainer with the holes Cooking measurement conversion Measurement converter |
Besan (Gram flour)
Boondi jhara
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Perforated spoon
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Strainer with holes
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Direction for making the syrup:
1. In a sauce pan add sugar and water and boil on medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until water evaporate to half and syrup become thick to one thread consistency or syrup temperature reach to 220 degree. You can check single string, by swiping little syrup on your index finger, rub it on thumb and slowly stretch, when you get single string consistency switch the flame on to very low so that syrup does not become thick.
2. Add crushed cardamom seeds, saffron and few drops of yellow color and mix, keep it aside.
1. In a sauce pan add sugar and water and boil on medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until water evaporate to half and syrup become thick to one thread consistency or syrup temperature reach to 220 degree. You can check single string, by swiping little syrup on your index finger, rub it on thumb and slowly stretch, when you get single string consistency switch the flame on to very low so that syrup does not become thick.
2. Add crushed cardamom seeds, saffron and few drops of yellow color and mix, keep it aside.
Add water in the sugar
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Add crushed cardamom, saffron & yellow color
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Direction for making the Boondis:
1. In a bowl add besan (gram flour) and add little water at a time and mix to make a smooth pancake like batter or slightly thicker than dosa batter.
2. Heat oil in a wide pan, so that the frequency of making boondis will become less and make more boondi's in every single batch. For first 5 minutes turn the heat high, once oil heats up turn the heat down to medium.
3. When oil start smoking that means it is hot enough, to test drop a small drop of batter in the hot oil, if it start sizzling and comes up it means it is the right heat but if it become too dark quickly it means oil is too hot, turn the heat down.
1. In a bowl add besan (gram flour) and add little water at a time and mix to make a smooth pancake like batter or slightly thicker than dosa batter.
2. Heat oil in a wide pan, so that the frequency of making boondis will become less and make more boondi's in every single batch. For first 5 minutes turn the heat high, once oil heats up turn the heat down to medium.
3. When oil start smoking that means it is hot enough, to test drop a small drop of batter in the hot oil, if it start sizzling and comes up it means it is the right heat but if it become too dark quickly it means oil is too hot, turn the heat down.
Besan batter
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Heat the oil
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4.
Before you start making boondi check the
consistency of batter by pouring a little batter over spatula and see if the boondi’s
are easily falling out or not. If the batter does not drop right away through
the holes it means it is too thick then add some water in the batter, if you
have more water than boondi will go flat and form like a lump then add some
besan. Batter should be like dosa consistency.
5. Now take a perforated spoon and hold in your left hand about 1½ “above the hot oil, with the right hand fill a ladle with the besan mixture and pour over the perforated spoon without spilling over the edge of the spoon, shake or tap the edge of the spoon or with the back of the ladle spread the batter all around like you make dosa, batter will start falling in very fine drops into the oil and sets into boondi. If you do not tab or shake the batter will fall on one place into the pan. Drop enough boondi into the oil so they just cover the surface of the oil in frying pan in a single layer. Do not over crowd the oil.
5. Now take a perforated spoon and hold in your left hand about 1½ “above the hot oil, with the right hand fill a ladle with the besan mixture and pour over the perforated spoon without spilling over the edge of the spoon, shake or tap the edge of the spoon or with the back of the ladle spread the batter all around like you make dosa, batter will start falling in very fine drops into the oil and sets into boondi. If you do not tab or shake the batter will fall on one place into the pan. Drop enough boondi into the oil so they just cover the surface of the oil in frying pan in a single layer. Do not over crowd the oil.
Pour Besan mixture over spoon
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Shake or tap the spoon
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Or spread the batter with the back of the ladle
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Boondis start bubbling
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6. As soon you
drop boondi in the oil, it will vigorously bubble, with another spatula stir
the boondis and when the bubbles stops, remove them immediately or until
boondis are light gold in color. It takes about a minute to fry the boondis.
They should fry but not crispy this will make them soak better in syrup. Take
the boondi out of the oil and place them over paper towel so that extra oil
observed by paper towel.
Boondies are fried
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Fried boondis
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7.
Turn down the heat to low. Before you fry another
batch each time wash the spoon and wipe clean with a kitchen towel nicely so
that holes do not become clogged otherwise boondi will not fall. Drop the
boondis and raise the heat to low medium. Repeat
the process of making boondi with rest of the batter.
8. Add the fried boondi and sliced almonds and pistachios in the warm syrup and mix and leave it for an hour. To keep the syrup warm keep the pan on the stove on very low heat.
8. Add the fried boondi and sliced almonds and pistachios in the warm syrup and mix and leave it for an hour. To keep the syrup warm keep the pan on the stove on very low heat.
Place the fried boondies in warm syrup
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Add thin slice almonds and pistachios
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9. Once boondis are soaked and they are still warm take some boondi in your palm and make a tight fist so that the boondis hold together then by squeezing them make a round ball. You can make boondi ladoo larger or smaller as your preference. Then place them in a plate.
10. Allow the ladoos to cool to room temperature before serving.
11. Boondi ladoos can be made ahead of time and stored in a cool, dry place in
an airtight container for about a week.
10. Allow the ladoos to cool to room temperature before serving.
11. Boondi ladoos can be made ahead of time and stored in a cool, dry place in
an airtight container for about a week.
Take some boondi in the palm
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Ladoo is made
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Ladoo's
Tips:
1. If you are not able to make ladoos then eat sweet boondis they taste as good as
ladoos.
2. Perforated boondi maker spoon is not easily available, use regular spatula with
holes for dropping the boondis in the oil.
3. If the syrup is not of the right temperature, you will not be able to form the
ladoos.
4. If the boondis cool down to room temperature before being shaped into balls,
the sugar will crystallize. Then add little water and heat on low for few minutes.
5. If the boondi become dry then sprinkle little water and microwave it for a
minute boondi will become soft and will be easier to make ladoos.
6. To make perfect Boondi you need Boondi jhara but it is not easily available.
You can use regular spatula with holes for dropping the boondis in the oil.
7. All the boondi may not come in same size or they come with tails. Do not
discard them just break the big pieces and if the tail is big break it.
8. The oil temperature is the most important aspect to make perfect boondis. If the
temperature of the oil reduces the boondis will stick together. The boondis
should cook and come up separately.
1. If you are not able to make ladoos then eat sweet boondis they taste as good as
ladoos.
2. Perforated boondi maker spoon is not easily available, use regular spatula with
holes for dropping the boondis in the oil.
3. If the syrup is not of the right temperature, you will not be able to form the
ladoos.
4. If the boondis cool down to room temperature before being shaped into balls,
the sugar will crystallize. Then add little water and heat on low for few minutes.
5. If the boondi become dry then sprinkle little water and microwave it for a
minute boondi will become soft and will be easier to make ladoos.
6. To make perfect Boondi you need Boondi jhara but it is not easily available.
You can use regular spatula with holes for dropping the boondis in the oil.
7. All the boondi may not come in same size or they come with tails. Do not
discard them just break the big pieces and if the tail is big break it.
8. The oil temperature is the most important aspect to make perfect boondis. If the
temperature of the oil reduces the boondis will stick together. The boondis
should cook and come up separately.
Please take the time to let me know what you think about my recipe. Your comments would be helpful to me to improve the recipe.
Thank you
Geeta Seth
Thank you
Geeta Seth
