Why I Keep Coming Back to These Besan Ladoos Every Festival
Besan Ladoo: Look, I’m not a pro baker or anything. I’m just someone who grew up smelling ghee roasting in the kitchen every October–November. My nani used to make mountains of besan ladoo for the whole joint family, and motichoor was always the fancy one dad bought from the sweet shop because “too much work.” But a few years back, I decided to stop being lazy and learn them myself. Why? Because nothing beats handing someone a homemade ladoo and watching their face light up. Besan ladoo is the cozy, no-fuss one—grainy, nutty, holds together like a hug. Motichoor is the show-off: those teeny-tiny boondi pearls make it look delicate, but it’s actually forgiving if you get the syrup right. Both use basically the same stuff (besan, ghee, sugar, elaichi), but the method changes everything. I’ve ruined probably 8-10 batches total before getting consistent ones. Burnt besan tastes like regret. Over-soaked motichoor turns into halwa mush. But once you crack it, they’re addictive. These days I make them for Diwali thalis, Rakhi return gifts, or just when I miss home. They’re gluten-free by nature, loaded with good fats from ghee, and feel special without being fussy. Let’s get into how I do them now—no shortcuts that actually ruin the taste. Credit by: AI Generated Img Besan Ladoo – My Everyday Go-To (The One I Make When I’m Short on Time) This is the simpler one. No deep-frying, no thermometer drama. Just roast, mix, roll. But the roast is everything—if you rush it, you get that weird raw flour aftertaste. Stuff I use (makes 14–16 medium balls, depending how big you roll): Credit by: AI Generated Img What I actually do step by step: Things I’ve learned the hard way: I once made these for my niece’s birthday return gifts. She said they tasted “exactly like nani’s.” That was the win. Credit by: AI Generated Img Motichoor Ladoo – The One That Feels Like a Project (But Worth It) This one’s more involved because of frying tiny boondi. But the payoff is those melt-in-mouth pearls soaked just right. My first attempt was comedy—boondi the size of marbles, syrup too thick, everything fell apart. Now it’s reliable. What goes in (makes 18–22 small ladoos): Batter: Sugar syrup: Credit by: AI Generated Img Frying & finish: How I make it these days:(Besan Ladoo) Fixes for my past disasters: Credit by: AI Generated Img Read More Recipes: Rasgulla – The One Sweet That Always Saves the Day Little Extras & Variations I’ve Played With These sweets aren’t just food; they’re memories. The smell takes me straight back to childhood Diwalis with firecrackers outside and family arguing over who gets the biggest ladoo. If you try them, mess up a bit first—that’s how you learn. Which one do you end up making more? Grainy besan or juicy motichoor? Tell me your stories or disasters in the comments—I read every one. Happy rolling, and may your ghee never burn! 🪔🍬








