Growing up, I remember my Amma making a 100 or so laddus to fill the festive sweet platters. I could never stop at one!!! I also remember my mother making these delectable morsels for a school fete one year. These are popular and although take a bit of time (1 and a half hours from start to finish), they are extremely worth the effort.
Traditionally made with fine sooji or semolina, my mother told me that her mother (my Ammamma) would make it with bulgur that has been roasted well and put through the Tiragali (stone grinder).
Ingredients (Makes 50 laddus)
500g semolina or sooji (fine)
450g castor sugar or superfine granulated sugar
85g desiccated coconut (fine)
130g ghee divided (melted)
2 teaspoons cardamom seeds (powdered or crushed in a mortar and pestle)
100g sultanas
100g cashew pieces
100ml water
75ml warm milk
Method
In a large fry pan, heat 3 tablespoons of ghee. Separately fry until golden the cashew pieces and the sultanas. Set aside.
On a low heat fry / roast the semolina, adding a spoonful of ghee intermittently until all the ghee is used up. This process should take roughly 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and onto a large plate.
In the same pan, dry roast the desiccated coconut on a low heat until coconut flavour emanates. Set aside.
Measure out the sugar and water into the pan. On a low heat, stirring often bring the sugar syrup to a softball consistency. (Softball is when the temperature is between 113 to 118 degrees Celsius. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can drop a blob of sugar into a bowl of cold water. If sugar forms a soft ball, then you know it is ready).
Once the sugar syrup has reached the right consistency, remove from stove. Add the cardamom powder and mix well. Then add the desiccated coconut, the cashew pieces, and sultanas and mix again. Now add the semolina. Mix well. Take a small portion of the laddu mixture into a bowl (cover the rest in the pan) and start shaping into a ball while warm. You may have to apply pressure to make the balls. If it is too crumbly, add a little of the warm milk. It should take about half an hour or so to prepare the 50 Laddus with all the mixture in the pan. (Keeps in your pantry for a week).