Recipe for Urad Dal Laddoo

Today’s recipe is Urad Dal Laddoos. These laddoos are made with Urad Dal, i.e. Black lentils ( without skin), are high in protein, and taste great, too! When stored away from sunlight in a clean, dry, airtight jar, they stay good for 10-15 days.

What are Laddoos?

Laddoos are an Indian sweet made with Flour, Sugar, Nuts, Clarified Butter, and some flavourings. In many Indian households, a jar full of laddoos is consumed as a dessert after a meal. In different states, people make these laddoos with flour that is more easily and abundantly available.

Laddoos are mentioned in ancient Indian texts and mythological stories. It is believed that around 500 BC, physicians used them to give medicines to patients to make it easier for them to consume bitter pills. 

Laddoos are also one of the most common desserts made during festivals. Since many festivals celebrated in India are based on the season, the ingredients used in making these Laddoos depend on the season. These ingredients align with the local produce and follow the principle of eating according to the season to get the best health benefits. We also harmonise with our environment by aligning our consumption with the season’s crop. Ingredients are bought locally and are usually fresh. 

People who don’t have enough time to make it at home or want to buy in huge quantities prefer buying from shops. During festivals, shop counters keep getting filled with these desserts and sell out quickly.

Many make Laddoos at home, too. The ingredients are easy to find, the procedure is simple, and it doesn’t take much time. In addition, Laddoos are easy to store and taste delicious. By making them at home, we can adjust the sweetness and richness according to our taste. We can also make sure that we use the best ingredients. And what is better than food made with our hands for our loved ones?

Now, let us start with the recipe for Urad Dal Laddoos.

Ingredients for making Urad Dal Laddoos (for around 28 Lemon Sized Laddoos):

1. Urad Dal ( Black Lentils without skin): 2 Cups
2. Ghee ( Clarified Butter ): 3/4 Cup
3. Gud (Powdered Jaggery): 2 Cups
4. Elaichi (Cardamom seeds): about 10 
5. Mewa (Mixed nuts): 10-12 Cashews, 20 Almonds, 10-12 Pistachios

Method for making Urad Dal Ladoos:

1. Dry roast the lentils on medium heat for 10-12 minutes until they brown slightly and release a nice aroma. Once done, remove them. While they are still hot, grind them into a fine powder.
   
   
   
2. Take out the seeds from the cardamom pods and grind them into a powder along with the nuts.
   
   
   
3. Mix the hot lentil powder with the nuts and cardamom powder. Then add the jaggery and ghee and combine well. 
   
   
   
4. Before the mixture cools down completely, start binding it into small balls. Make lemon-sized balls. 
   
   

Urad Dal Laddoos are ready!

Some Notes about the recipe:

1. Urad Dal must be roasted on medium heat. If the heat is high, the lentils will burn from the outside, stay raw on the inside and taste burnt. Also, while roasting, constantly mix with a spatula. Turn off the heat only when you get a lovely aroma from the lentils.
2. After turning off the heat, transfer them onto a plate. If you let them stay in the pan, they may burn.
3. While grinding, ensure that you make a fine powder. If the powder is not fine, the laddos will be slightly crunchy instead of soft.
4. Bind the laddoos while the mixture is still hot. If the mixture cools, the binding will become difficult.

Here is the recipe in printable format:

Check out other recipes from my kitchen here.

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