Laddu

பூந்தி லட்டு



Ingredients: ( for around 50 -60 laddus)
  1. Besan flour - 4 cups
  2. Sugar - 6 cups
  3. Ghee (or) Cooking Oil -3 cups
  4. Rice flour - 2 teaspoon
  5. Baking soda -  a pinch
  6. Saffron strands- a pinch
  7. Cloves - 10
  8. Elaichi - 6-8
  9. Borneal Flakes (Pachai Karpooram) - a pinch
  10. Nutmeg ( Jathikai) - 1/2
  11. Cashew nuts (broken) - 1/2 cup
  12. Roasted almonds - 1/4 cup
  13. Raisins ( optional) - 1/4 cup
  14. Diamond Kalkandu ( sugar crystals) - 1/2 cup
Pre-preparation:

  1. Mix besan flour,rice flour, a pinch of baking soda using a cup of water. Please be cautious not to use too much of water. The batter should be semi solid ( dosa flour) consistency. Keep aside.
Sugar syrup ( pagu)
  1. In a thick bottomed vessel add 2 cups of water. Add the sugar. 
  2. Once it starts boiling take 1/2 teaspoon of the syrup and test the consistency between your thumb and index finger. It should be sticky and if you pull your fingers apart a small thread should appear between your fingers. This is the right consistency.
  3. Remove from heat and start the boondhi preparation.
  4. Roast the cashew pieces using a tablespoon of ghee and pour it into the syrup.
  5. Add the saffron strands.
The consistency can be mastered only through experience. Do not despair if you do not get this right in your maiden attempt.

Making of Boondhi (பூந்தி) and the Laddus
  1. In a kadai, heat the cooking oil.
  2. Hold a boondhi ladle ( 'jarini' ) above the oil and pour the besan flour mix using a ladle.
  3. Apply pressure and squeeze the batter in the boondhi ladle. The batter should be dropping like rain drops into the oil.
  4. Deep fry till they are golden brown and crisp.Remove and drop these into the sugar syrup.
  5. Repeat them with the rest of the batter.
  6. Add the nutmeg powder, Borneal Flakes (Pachai Karpooram), elaichi powder, cloves,almond pieces(optional) and (optionally the raisins).
  7. Mix the boondhi with the sugar syrup thoroughly until every piece of boondhi is covered by the sugar syrup.
  8. Make sure the mix has cooled down and is tolerably warm to the feel of your hands.
  9. Take a handful of the syrup coated boondhis and roll it into spherical balls slightly applying pressure.
  10. Roll the remaining boondhi mix into laddus maintaining size consistency.


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