Ingredients:

1/2 kg bengal gram flour

Enough milk to make a thick batter(full cream milk)

1/4 tsp baking powder

4 cups water

1/2 kg sugar

1 1/2 tsps cardamom powder (made from green cardamoms)

10 strands saffron (optional but highly recommended)

3/4 cup finely chopped dried fruits – cashews, almonds, pistachios

6 tbsps milk

Ghee (recipe below) for deep frying (you could use vegetable/ canola/ sunflower oil but ghee gives tastier results)

Special equipment : A very fine metal sieve

Recipe to prepare Boondi Laddu :

.    Heat your oven for 10 minutes at 150 C/ 300 F/ Gas Mark 2 and then turn off.
.    Keep the oven shut to contain heat.
.    While the oven is heating, put the 4 cups of water and the sugar in a deep pan and boil.
.    As it boils scum will rise to the top.
.    Skim this off with a metal sieve.
.    The sugar syrup must be boiled till it reaches a one-thread consistency.
.    Once the syrup has reached the one-thread consistency, remove from the fire immediately,
.    Add the cardamom powder,
.    Stir and place the pan in the previously heated oven to keep the syrup warm.
.    Now put the bengal gram flour and baking powder in a large bowl and mix well.
.    Add a little milk at a time till you get a thick batter.
.    Whisk to ensure all lumps are removed and the batter is very smooth.
.    Now heat the ghee on a medium flame till hot.
.    Reduce flame a little.
.    Hold the sieve about 4 inches above the hot ghee and fill a ladle with the batter.
.    Pour the batter into the sieve.
.    Now use another spoon to gently press the batter through the sieve and into the ghee.
.    It will fall like tiny drops/ beads – Boondi – into the oil!
.    This is what gives the Laddoos their name!
.    Press through all the batter you had put into the sieve like this.
.    Now fry the Boondi till they are a very pale golden colour.
.    When done, drain, remove and put into a separate bowl.
.    The fried Boondi should be cooked but not crispy.
.    Repeat till all the batter is used up.
.    Once all your Boondi is ready, coarsely crush about 1/4 of it with a fork.
.    Add the finely chopped dried fruits,
.    Pour the warm syrup over all the Boondi and keep aside for 10 minutes.
.    The Boondi will soak up the sugar syrup and soften.
.    While this is happening warm the 6 tbsps of milk very slightly and then soak the saffron strands in it.
.    After the Boondi has sat in the syrup for 10 minutes,
.    Pour this saffron milk (remove strands before pouring) over it. Mix well.
.    Now grease your hands lightly with some ghee and start forming the syrup-soaked Boondi into walnut-sized (or slightly larger) balls (Laddoo in Hindi).
.    Press gently but firmly to bind the Laddoos together.
.    Arrange as you go, on a lightly greased platter .
.    Allow the Laddoos to cool to room temperature before serving.
.    Boondi Laddoos can be stored in a cool, dry place in an airtight container.

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