These irresistibly delectable ladoos, with the melt-in-the-mouth texture, are traditionally prepared during festival celebrations in Indian households and are also offered to deities such as the Prasad.
These are popular Indian desserts with different tastes and textures and are prepared with different kinds of lentils or various base ingredients such as semolina, chickpea flour, wheat flour, rice flour, etc., and a variety of nuts and seeds. It’s a kid’s-friendly snack, and the pickiest eaters will love every bite of it and come back for more. These ladoos are gluten-free and are entirely safe for those sensitive to gluten. This recipe is inspired by the classic Moong dal halwa, a decadent and super delicious classic Indian dessert with rich and deep flavors and a lovely golden hue. ‘Moong’ in Hindi means yellow lentils, and ‘ladoo’ means ball-shaped Indian sweet. Together they mean ball-shaped dessert made with yellow lentils/ dals. These are traditionally made by roasting the moong dal and then pulsing them. It is then roasted in ghee, and nuts are added for flavor, health, and texture. Powdered sugar brings in the intended sweetness, and cardamom, along with the saffron, lends its subtle flavors.
Made with ease using basic pantry staples Super delicious and velvety-smooth textured Perfect for potlucks and house parties Makes a beautiful festive gift for family and friends Perfectly sweet and healthy (protein-rich) Gluten-free and vegetarian
One can witness the royal grandeur of massive palaces and ancient forts with their captivating beauty and timeless charm, besides relishing the delicious cuisine it offers its visitors. As I am from Rajasthan, it was a beautiful opportunity to relish one of the best traditional recipes of this magnificent state. And I can assure you, Moong dal halwa is by far THE best! This heavenly delicious dessert is a special treat, and it completes a Rajasthani wedding feast or other special occasions by being on the menu!
Sugar — Powdered sugar is used for making the ladoos as it blends well with the ladoo mixture. Saffron Strands — Lends a mesmerizing hue and a lovely flavor to the ladoos. Cardamom — Cardamom Powder is added to the ladoo mixture for its pleasant flavor and enchanting floral aroma. Ghee — Clarified butter/ Ghee is used for roasting the lentils for the ladoos. Homemade ghee is the best option for preparing this delicious recipe. Nuts — Slivered nuts are used for garnishing our preparation to make it look more irresistible. Clean the dal thoroughly — The lentils may contain dirt or pebbles that can spoil the recipe. So, before starting with the recipe, ensure the lentils are free from them. Using powdered sugar — Powdered sugar blends nicely into the dal mixture while maintaining its melt-in-the-mouth texture. So, use powdered sugar for this recipe. Easy drying lentils — You can easily dry your lentils by spreading them over a kitchen towel in a single layer and then patting them dry. Please do not use a microwave to dry the lentils or expose them to the sun to get rid of moisture. Perfect roasting — Roasting is the key to the rightly textured and evenly hued ladoos made of any dal. So, roast the dal/lentils patiently and with care. Low and medium flame is best for roasting the lentils and lightly browning them for the perfect color and flavor. The entire roasting process may take 10- 15 minutes, so keep consistent with your efforts. Do not roast on the high flame — Roasting removes the raw smell of the lentils /dal. But it should be roasted on a medium-low flame. High flame may burn the lentils and taste bitter, therefore spoiling the recipe. Use a thick-bottomed pan — I prefer using a thick-bottomed pan/ kadhai for roasting the dal so that the dal roasts evenly and doesn’t get burnt easily. Unevenly cooked dal will not result in the most flavorsome ladoos.
For the finely textured moong dal ladoos — After pulsing the dal, pass the blended mixture through a sieve to attain the finest textured moong dal ladoos. The right way of adding ghee — I suggest you add the ghee slowly so that you get the right textured ladoos depending on the consistency of the ground moong dal. You may need to adjust the quantity of ghee for these ladoos by adding more or less of it than what is mentioned in this recipe. Substitute for sugar — Sugar may be substituted by jaggery for this recipe. However, the color may be a little darker in the jaggery version. You may even use Boora or tagar for this recipe, as boora blends nicely into the dal mixture. When using boora, replace the powdered sugar and follow the recipe directions for preparing these delicious ladoos. Shaping the ladoos — Shape the ladoos when the mixture is still warm as the process gets more manageable that way. On cooling, the mixture doesn’t take shape properly. Adding other flavors — This recipe uses saffron and cardamoms for flavoring, which is quite enough. However, you can add a few drops of rose water to enhance the flavor of the pulsed lentil mix. Fixing the dry mixture — Dry mixture may be tough to shape; therefore, you may add a teaspoon of milk to the mix and combine well. This lends the lentil mixture its required moistness and helps better shape ladoos. Greasing the hands — When shaping the ladoos, make sure to grease your hands so that the mixture doesn’t stick to your palms.
Follow the Step-by-Step Instructions to make the best Moong Dal Ladoo
So, do not let yourself crave these heavenly treats when you can follow the recipe below and prepare the most delicious Moong Dal Ladoos ever! Should you make this Mung Dal Ladoo, please let me know your thoughts by sharing your comment below. And don’t forget to share it with your family and friends.
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