Moong Daal Ladoo can be made instantly with easily available ingredients in the kitchen . These gluten-free Moong Daal Ladoo are part of many festive celebrations in India.
WHAT IS MOONG DAL LADOO?
Thses ball shaped indian sweets are made with yellow lentils called Moong dal which is roasted in ghee and sugar and dry fruits are added to make it .
The festival of Lights or Diwali is the mostly awaited festival after Durgapuja in our house. During Diwali, every corner of our house is illuminated with Diyas or lamps, the sweet smell of the incense sticks, the sound of fire cracker symbolizes joy and togetherness.
Growing up in a family where festivals means celebration of food, be it Holi, Raja, Durgapuja, Diwali, food has always been a binding factor for all of us. My mother used to make the most delicious Ladoos in Diwali , from coconut ladoo, besan ladoo, mawa ladoo, to puffed rice ladoos, I love what she makes for me and our family, all I remember is helping her with binding these ladoos with ghee on my palms and packing it as gift for family and neighbors .
As Diwali is fast approaching, I thought of preparing something which is simple yet delicious and healthy too. This time it was the humble Moong Daal as the main ingredient. Moong Daal and Jaggery are both rich in proteins, iron and fiber making this Ladoo nutritious as well. This is a very traditional dish made with jaggery and moong daal and without much effort. All you need is to roast, grind, mix and make ladoos.
2 cup Moong dal (yellow lentil)
1 1/4 cup Ghee or clarified butter
1 Tsp cardamom powder
Handful mixed nuts like almond, cashew, and pista chopped finely
1 Cup sugar powdered/jaggery
Method:
to prepare roasted moong dal flour:
- Dry roast moong dal over medium flame until you get nice aroma and well roasted ,it takes around 4-5 mins and let it cool and then powder it to a smooth powder. Sieve it once if required to get the soft flour of moong dal.
- Mix together sugar powder and roasted moong dal flour without any lumps and it is mixed properly.Check for the sweetness now if you want more sweet add 1-2 tbsp extra sugar powder and mix well again.
- Heat ghee in a wide kadai and add chopped almonds and cashew nuts and fry them until it turns slightly brown.
- Add moong dal flour and sugar mixture to it and switch off the flame.Add cardamom powder and mix it properly until the ghee is coated properly.
- Let the mixture becomes luke warm and can be handled with hands.Make lemon sized round balls out of it and arrange them in a plate.
- Once it is cooled completely store it in an air tight container.These can be stored for over a month.
Enjoy it as a dessert or snack.