Sweets made from Besan (gram flour or chickpea flour) are highly popular during festivals, especially Diwali. And such sweets are our family favorite, mainly Besan Ladoo and Besan Burfi!
About Besan Ladoo
Besan Ladoo, also known as Magaj or Magas in Gujarat, is an authentic Gujarati sweet. This sweet is highly popular during the Diwali festival. And it is often made in the wintertime as it is known to energize the body. Also, in many temples, they give Besan Ladoo as Prasad. I have grown up having Besan Ladoo and Besan Burfi for every festival we celebrate in India. But, mostly have it for celebrating Diwali and Gujarati New Year. Besan Ladoo and Besan Burfi require the same core ingredients, but the method of making and shaping them differs. To make Besan Burfi, we need to make sugar syrup, but for Besan Ladoo, powdered or ground sugar is directly mixed with roasted gram flour. This recipe gives melt-in-the-mouth Ladoo every time I make it. The recipe is easy but requires some muscle work. We need to stir the mixture continuously while cooking chickpea flour with ghee.
Ingredients
This recipe requires Besan (Chickpea flour or gram flour), ghee, and sugar. Further, it involves cardamom and nuts for the flavors and crunch. I like to add finely chopped pistachios for flavor and a light crunch. However, adding nuts is optional, and you can skip it.
Step-by-Step Directions
Roasting The Besan (Gram Flour)
Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.
Once the ghee starts melting, add sifted Besan and mix well. Roast the gram flour on low-medium heat and stir continuously. Once the flour is mixed with ghee, it will absorb all the ghee and will clump at first.
Continue stirring the mixture, and after about 10-12 minutes, the Besan will start to loosen up. Also, it will become lighter and fluffy at this point. Keep stirring to prevent the mixture from burning and sticking to the pan.
Roast the Besan until it changes color to a golden brown, smells nutty, and becomes like a smooth paste. The whole process will take about 25-30 minutes. It is essential to roast the Besan properly, and it should not taste raw. At the same time, you should not overdo the roasting; otherwise, the flour will burn.
When the mixture is roasted well and becomes like a smooth paste, turn off the heat and remove the pan. Continue stirring for about a minute as the pan is still hot and the mixture may burn. Let the mixture sit aside until cool enough to touch.
Making Besan Ladoo
Once the mixture is cooled down, it will become thicker. Now, add sugar, cardamom powder, and chopped nuts. Mix until everything is well combined. Then taste the Ladoo mixture, and add more sugar if need to.
Spoon a small portion of the mixture, and roll it into a small ball between your palms. If you have difficulty rolling Ladoo, let the mixture set for a few more minutes and try again. Similarly, make all the Ladoos.
Storing and Serving Suggestions
Store the Ladoos in an airtight container for up to two weeks. If you want to make them in advance or have leftovers, refrigerate them to increase their shelf life. While serving refrigerated Ladoos, warm them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds for a soft and freshly made taste.
Helpful Tips
Measurements: I measured all the ingredients using a kitchen scale. And I will highly recommend using the same method for the best results. However, I have provided measurements both in cups and grams. Besan (Gram Flour): It is essential to roast the flour properly, so Ladoo does not taste raw and unpleasant. Roast the Besan until it smells nutty and turns golden brown. However, it should not be burned, so always roast it on low-medium heat and stir it continuously. I will also recommend sifting the flour (if using fine Besan) before adding it to the ghee. Ghee: Do not skimp on ghee because using less ghee will make the mixture crumbly, making it hard to roll it into balls. Sugar: I have added 265g of sugar for the perfect sweetness to my family’s preferences. But you can add up to 300g of sugar if you want. Mixing Sugar To Roasted Besan: Add sugar to the Besan mixture only after it is cool down to very slightly warm or cool enough to touch.
Why My Besan Ladoo or Magaj Tastes Raw?
While making this sweet, it is essential to have patience and enough time. We must roast the gram flour on low-medium heat for about 20-25 minutes, stirring continuously. So there are specific ways to figure out that your gram flour is well-roasted and not raw. When it is roasted well enough, the color of the Besan mixture will change to a golden brown. Also, it will become highly aromatic and nutty. The mixture will become light, airy, and fluffy, making it easier to stir. But my favorite way is to taste the Besan mixture. Take a little mixture, let it cool down, and taste. If it tastes raw, continue roasting the mixture.
Which Besan Can I Use, Fine or Coarse?
I prefer to use fine Besan, and this recipe is made using regular gram flour with a fine consistency. But Magaj or Magas can be made with either type of flour. In fact, you can find coarse Besan specially marked as Ladoo flour in grocery stores. Coarse flour will give you a coarse texture, and if you like the smooth Ladoo, use fine gram flour. If using coarse flour, do not sift it; instead, stir it with a whisk and then use it for the recipe.
What Kind of Sugar Should I Use?
Well, basically, you can use any sugar! However, the traditional method is called to use Bura, and Bura is nothing but homemade ground sugar. So you can use raw sugar, cane sugar, regular white sugar, or granulated sugar to make Bura. Add the sugar to a grinder and pulse until you get a coarse texture. However, I have used granulated sugar without grinding it. Because granulated sugar gives a nice texture while biting into Ladoo. But if You can use powdered or icing sugar if you want, but I will not recommend it. It will not give the same texture and taste as Bura or granulated sugar.
Why Can’t I Roll the Mixture into Ladoo?
After roasting the Besan, let the mixture cool down until it is very slightly warm or cool enough to touch. Then add sugar, cardamom powder, and nuts, and mix well. After mixing the sugar, you can not roll the balls; let the mixture cool down further for a few more minutes. Then try again to make balls. If you still cannot roll into balls because it crumbles, maybe you have added less ghee. In this case, you can add a little bit of ghee to the mixture, mix and roll it into balls.
Why is Besan Ladoo Sticking To My Mouth While Eating?
There could be a few reasons, or it could be any of these: a) Besan is not roasted well, and it is raw. b) A type of Besan you have used to make Ladoo. c) You have used fine Besan and icing sugar; hence Ladoo has no texture. So use the fresh gram flour and roast it well to avoid this problem. Then, either you use coarse Besan or slightly coarse sugar to give some texture to the Ladoo. And then you will not have this problem. For example, I have used fine Besan and granulated sugar, so my Ladoo has a nice texture while biting into it.
