Rava Laddu/Ladoo Recipe (Suji ka Laddu) | How to make Indian Rava Laddu/Ladoo

Rava Laddu/Ladoo (Suji Laddu)

We live in a busy world, with busy people doing busy things and always busy rushing from point A to B saying they have one tight and busy schedule. This busy world makes you choose things that are simple and are not time consuming and provides resources that will not make your lives busier. So we choose things that will work quickly and without fuss. With all things happening so quickly, we forget to stop and appreciate small, little things. Wondering where this blog post is going to?

Not much far, really! Just a random rant!!! I went through a phase of real busy days where I was running around with one thousands thing on my shoulder as well as zillions of things running in my mind. I found it difficult to sit quietly even for a minute and my ‘much’ better half said I was talking in my dreams and looked really busy even when I slept. I kept fidgeting my fingers and I was moving even when I was actually standing! Yes, the days were very busy and quite stressful but thank God it’s all over now!

While I was running around, I quite forgot to appreciate little things in life that makes me happy. Like spending some quality time with HD and Lil Dumpling, playing peek-a-boo with Lil Dumpling, having fun while giving him a bath and in turn getting half drenched with all the splish-spalshing in water, listening to our favourite music all snuggled up in couch, talking to family and friends for long hours, leafing through my favourite books, and cooking! I did cook even when I was busy but everything was hurried and not really appreciated or enjoyed! We ate lots of frozen food, deli foods, and of course greasy takeaway foods, foods that are prepared for quick fix meals and busy people. Although these foods were okay when it came to taste, it lacked that special touch and special taste that you get only in home-made meals. So I decided to cook up the storm, literally! It was a full Thali meal with two desserts on the occasion of Navrathri, an Indian festival for celebrating the victory of good over the bad! The satisfaction and happiness of cooking something wonderful for the loved ones is not easy to express in few words. It should rather be experienced and then treasured!

Rava Laddu/Ladoo (Suji Laddu)

Rava Laddu/Ladoo (Suji Laddu)

One of the desserts I made was this gorgeous, golden Rava Laddu/Ladoo or Suji ka Laddu, sweet Indian dessert made using semolina. I had never made these Rava Laddu/Ladoo till date, so it was again a quick call back home to my Amma for her recipe of Rava Laddu/Ladoo. Amma is known as “Rava Laddu/Ladoo Queen” in our family circle as every time her Laddus turn delicious, golden, fragrant, melt-in-mouth treats laced with saffron and cardamoms and studded with crispy cashews and juicy raisins. Every single bite into these plump Rava Laddu/Ladoo gives different flavours. At first it is heady perfume from Cardamoms and the very next it is the heavenly aroma and warmth from Saffron. Next time it is the crunchiness from Cashew Nuts and the every next time, it’s the sweet juicy taste of Raisins.

As a kid, I would wake up in the middle of the night and walk on tiptoes as not to wake the whole family, and gobble up few laddus. Come morning, I would pretend not to know anything about Laddu thief who stole few Laddus in the middle of the night. It was only after many years my Amma told me about the sorry tale of her knowing all about Laddu thief as the few crumbs from Rava Laddu/Ladoo was still stuck to my lips and chin :) Well, these Rava Laddu/Ladoo is that addictive! The aroma and promise of sweet delight of Rava Laddu/Ladoo can wake the dead from their grave just that they can eat one more of these fragrant and melt-in-mouth treats!

On other notes, please pardon the use of too many photos. I got carried away while taking the photos and just couldn't make up my mind as which one to choose from!

Fine Semolina for Rava Laddu/Ladoo (Suji Laddu)

Fresh Grated Coconut for Rava Laddu/Ladoo

Ghee Roasted Cashew Nuts and Raisins for Rava Laddu/Ladoo

Saffron Dissolved in Warm Water/Milk for Rava Laddu/Ladoo

Warm Semolina mixture ready for rolling into Rava Laddu/Ladoo

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Rava Laddu/Ladoo (Indian Mithai/Sweet made using roasted Semolina, Ghee, Coconut, Cashews and Raisins and laced with heady aromatic Cardamom and Saffron)

Prep Time: 5-10 mins
Cooking time: Under 15 mins
Resting Time: Around 5 mins
Makes: 18 large marble sized/small lime sized Laddus
Spice Level: N/A
Recipe Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Recipe Source: My Amma
Shelf Life: 4-5 days when kept at room temperature and up to a week when refrigerated
Serving Suggestion: As a dessert or in-between snacks & treats

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Ingredients:
1 cup very fine Semolina/Sajjige/Suji/Sooji
¼ packed cup grated coconut, fresh or frozen (Optional)
¾ cup granulated/powdered Sugar (adjust acc to taste)
¼ cup +1 tbsp Ghee/Clarified Butter
2 tbsp Cashew Nuts, halved
2 tbsp Raisins/Sultanas
6 Green Cardamoms, peeled and crushed to smooth powder
A large pinch of Saffron dissolved in 1 tbsp warm water or milk
Few tsp of Milk (Optional)

Rava Laddu/Ladoo (Suji Laddu)

Rava Laddu/Ladoo studded with crunchy Cashew Nuts and juicy Raisins

Rava Laddu/Ladoo (Suji Laddu)

Method:

1. Heat 1 tbsp of Ghee in a deep pan or kadai and add cashew nuts to it. Roast cashew nuts on low flame till they start to turn light golden in colour. Immediately add raisins or sultanas and fry them till they are plumped up, about 1 minute. Remove them with a slotted spoon and keep them aside.
2. Next add grated coconut to a pan and roast them till they turn light golden in colour on low flame, about 2-3 mins. Transfer them to clean bowl and keep it aside.
3. Now add semolina and dry roast them on low flame till they change colour to light golden and the aroma of roasted semolina fills the kitchen, about 3-5 mins. There should be noticeable change in colour and aroma compared to raw semolina. Make sure that the semolina is dry roasted on low flame. Transfer this roasted semolina to a bowl containing roasted coconut.
4. Add granulated or powdered sugar, cardamom powder, roasted cashews and raisins, saffron dissolved in warm milk and remaining ghee to the roasted semolina and coconut.
5. When the mixture is warm enough to handle take a small handful of them and squeeze between your fingers and palm to form small lemon sized balls. If the mixture is too dry and starts to crumble, add few teaspoons of milk, one at a time, and form the balls. Don’t worry if the Rava Laddu/Ladoo is too soft as they will harden after a while.
6. Once cooled, store them in an air tight container and keep them in a cool, dry place or store them in refrigerator.

Rava Laddu/Ladoo (Suji Laddu)

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Sia’s Notes:

• While roasting the rava/semolina, make sure that you roast them at low heat. Rava should turn slight golden brown and shouldn’t burn.
• If the rava/semolina you have is coarse one, you can simply pulse it few times in mixer-grinder after it is roasted and is at room temperature.
• If the mixture is too dry or powdery to form round balls, add few tsp of warm milk at time to hep to form Laddu. Don’t worry if you find the Rava Laddu/Ladoo to soft to touch as it will harden in few minutes.
• Addition of Saffron is optional. Usually Rava Laddu/Ladoo is white or cream in colour. But this how my Amma makes and I just love these golden beauties.
• Rava Laddu/Ladoo stays fresh for 4-5 days when kept at room temperature and up to a week when refrigerated in air tight container.
• Addition of Coconut and Milk reduces the shelf life of this Rava Laddu/Ladoo. If you omit using milk and coconut, these laddus can be stored up to 10 days.

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