It is prepared for the celebration of Diwali, Holi, Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, and others. One can find a variety of ladoos in Indian cuisine, each equipped with different base ingredients such as semolina/ sooji, chickpea flour/ besan, wheat flour/ atta, rice flour, lentils flour, and include other flavorful ingredients like dry fruits, nuts, etc. Therefore, Motichur Ladoo collectively means ‘balls of crumbled pearls.’ While making the ladoos, the tiny pearls are gathered up to be rolled into small balls. In the process, the delicate pearls/ boondi get crushed, and from there, they pick the name ‘Motichur’! Motichoor Ladoos are prepared from tiny gram-flour pearls, sugar syrup, and flavorings. These pearls are fried in hot oil and then soaked in warm sugar syrup infused with saffron, cardamom powder, and rose water. These are then rolled into spherical-shaped ladoos.
Motichur boondi is prepared with a jhara (skimmer) specially made for this purpose. It is a perforated ladle with the smallest holes ( number 0 or 1). The tiny motichur boondi/ pearls are made with a “0” number ladle. Since I did not have the correct equipment, I converted my number 2 boondi jhara to a “0” number skimmer. For that, I wrapped the base of my jhara tightly with aluminum foil and secured all its edges. Then, using a push-pin, I created tiny holes through the jhara. This effectively served the purpose and helped me make my best Motichur Ladoos!
The first contrasting feature is the size of the boondi in both the ladoos. Motichoor has smaller sized boondi than the normal Boondi Ladoos. Boondi ladoos have larger flour balls as compared to the Motichur Ladoos. The sugar consistencies for both varieties of ladoos also differ. Boondi ladoos are prepared with the sugar syrup with 2-string consistency (2- taar chashni), whereas the Motichur Ladoos are prepared with 1-string consistency syrup (1- taar chashni). The textures of granules also differ for both varieties. Motichur Ladoos granules have a melt in the mouth and velvety texture, whereas the Boondi ladoos have a slightly more complex texture.
Are super soft, velvety, and purely indulgent. Are addictively sweet and perfectly balanced in taste. Have the oh-so-divine, melt-in-the-mouth texture. Are made with readily available ingredients. Can be made in advance and stored for serving later. Are worth every effort to put it together!
Chickpea flour — Also known as besan, it is the key ingredient that makes the delicious motichoor ladoos. For these ladoos, we need to use thin besan to achieve better consistency. Food color — The beautiful orange color makes the motichoor ladoos look so tempting and completely irresistible. Ghee — Needed for frying the motichoor (chickpea pearls). You may use homemade ghee for this recipe and reach for a divine flavor! Alternatively, you can also use any neutral flavored refined oil. Sugar — Added for sweetening our gorgeous ladoos. Cardamom powder — Lends a refreshing floral aroma along with a pleasant flavor to the sugar syrup. Lemon juice — When added to the sugar syrup, it prevents the sugar from crystallizing. Saffron strands — Helps to add a beautiful subtle flavor and enticing color to the motichoor ladoos. Water — Water is used to prepare the batter and sprinkle over the motichoor if it feels hard to be rolled. Dry nuts — Such as melon seeds and slivered pistachios are used for garnishing and added nutrition. Prepare sugar syrup — Combine sugar and water into a wide pan. Bring it to a boil and add lemon juice to prevent crystallization. Add saffron strands and cardamom powder to the cooking sugar syrup. Allow the sugar syrup to simmer over medium heat until it reaches one-string consistency. It will take 7-10 minutes to get one string consistency. Once the syrup forms a thick string between your fingers without breaking – sugar syrup is ready to use. Cover and set it aside.
Make motichoor ladoo batter — Combine besan, food color, and a teaspoon of ghee in a mixing bowl. Add a little water at first and make a lump-free thick batter. Slowly and gradually add water to make a smooth, lump-free, and pourable batter. While frying the boondi, create a higher platform so that the jhara is 3-4 inches above the oil. I used a container lined with a thick cloth and then placed the jhara on top to support it. Once the ghee/oil is hot, pour the batter through this jhara. Shake it vigorously (up and down) over the oil so that the whole batter drops through those holes as tiny droplets. Fry them for a minute, then remove them immediately before they start to change color. Use a fat skimmer to collect the fried boondis. You can also use a tea strainer, but it has a small handle. A fat skimmer with a long handle works the best. Always drain fried boondi onto a paper-lined plate to ensure that extra oil is drained from the boondis. Perfectly shaped motichoor boondis are ready for the sugar syrup.
Cook the boondi for 1-2 minutes at the lowest setting, stirring continuously. This way, the boondi will become soft and soak in the sugar syrup. Take the pan off the heat and add slivered pistachios and melon seeds. Cover the pan and let it rest for an additional 1-2 minutes.
Motichoor ladoos also have a long shelf life and can be made in advance for any celebration or event.
Use fine besan — Always use fine besan for preparing the motichoor ladoos as it forms a smooth batter that makes perfect motichoor (pearls). Also, remember to sieve the besan to ensure it doesn’t form lumps when water is added to it. Consistency of the batter is important — Ensure that the batter is free-flowing and without any lumps. The thin batter makes the beautiful boondi (tiny pearls) that we need for this recipe. Do not over fry motichoor boondi — Fry the motichoor boondi (pearls) just for about a minute. If you fry them for longer, they will become crispy and will not soak up the sugar syrup, and will turn hard. Sugar syrup consistency is the key — The consistency of the sugar syrup must be maintained. We make 1- string or single-thread (Ek-taar) consistency sugar syrup for this recipe. It will not be possible to roll ladoos if the consistency is more than one string or less than one string. So, make sure it is just right.
Roll ladoos when warm — It’s best to roll the ladoos when the mixture is still warm as it is easier to roll them and also hold a better shape. Oil/ghee temperature — Before frying, check the temperature of the oil/ghee . Please make sure the oil/ ghee is hot enough for pouring the batter into it. Maintain the temperature at low-medium as the boondi requires this temperature to retain its shape and also fry perfectly to crispy pearls. This also facilitates absorbing the sugar syrup later. Substitute — You may fry the boondi in ghee instead of oil. The option is entirely yours. However, ghee ladoos taste purely heavenly! Large boondi pearls — If you ended up with larger pearls/ regular boondi, do not bother. Just take a few seconds to pulse the boondi to get a more delicate texture. However, make sure not to pulse any longer than a few seconds, else you will be left with the powdered boondi.
Ghee as a binding aide — Add a teaspoon of ghee to the mixture and see how it helps in binding the ladoos perfectly. Sugar syrup — As soon as the pearls/ boondi is ready, plunge it straight into the warm sugar syrup. Don’t wait for the boondi to cool down. If the boondi is allowed to cool, it will not absorb the sugar syrup well. Boondi soaks best in warm sugar syrup. Tip for rolling the ladoos — When rolling the motichoor ladoos, make sure the temperature of the boondi-sugar mix is moderately hot. If the mixture is allowed to cool, it will crystallize and become a hassle to bind and shape up. For troubleshooting, slightly warm the mixture and try to bind them again. For a runny batter — If you feel that the batter is watery, add a tablespoon of besan/ chickpea flour and whisk again. This is the only way to bring the batter to the right consistency. The trick to the perfectly round pearls/ boondi — Hold the strainer just above the kadhai/ pan for the perfect round balls of boondi. It should not be too high; else, the boondi will become flat. And with this simple recipe, you can make your perfect ladoos, even if it’s the very first time. So, let’s begin with the recipe and gorge on these gratifying saffron balls of goodness! Should you make this Motichur ladoo recipe, 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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