Besan Rava Ladoo

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups Besan (chana flour available in Indian Stores)
• 4 tbsp Sooji / coarse Semolina for giving texture - not flour. (Optional. Instead replace with chickpea flour to make this recipe gluten free)
• 1/2 cup Ghee (clarified butter)
• 3/4th cup sugar
• 1 tsp Cardamom powder
• 4-5 tbsp almonds
• 1 tbsp raisins

Method

1. Method - 1 (For a little more experienced cooks Chop the almonds coarsely. Set aside.

2. First warm the ghee in low heat. If it is solidified, then it will melt. Don't overheat. Warming it is enough.

3. Note: Ghee is essential to this ladoo for 2 reasons - for adding flavor and as a binding agent. In a bowl, sift the chickpea flour.

4. Note: I find that mixing the flour later after sifting is much easier and also avoids lumps. Add the semolina and the ghee.

5. Mix well until well combined.

6. Take a pan (non stick works too). Drop the mixture and keep the heat in low-medium heat. Now comes the essential part. Roasting this mixture takes anywhere from 10-15 minutes depending on the heat.

7. Note: Purpose for doing this is to get rid of the rawness of the chickpea flour. You know it is ready when your whole house is filled with sweetish aroma of the roasting chickpea flour. There won't be any change in color hence keep your nostrils vigilant and stirring actions continuous. You don't want to overheat the mixture (if you increased the heat to avoid constant stirring ;)) - the mixture will become v dry.

8. Method - 2 (For beginners / those trying this for the first time ** UPDATED ** I thought I will update the post with this too after Priya's commentreminded me of what my mother used to do. My mother instead of heating the chickpea flour,semolina and ghee mixture, would first dry roast the chickpea flour first until aromatic. Only after it wafts up that incredible sweetish aroma would she add the Ghee to it. Rest of the process is all same. Only difference is roasting the chickpea flour before hand and then following up with adding rest of the ingredients. Note: You don't have to use Semolina in this method (my mother never did) but if you are going to, then toast the semolina separately too!
*************** Meanwhile in the same pan (where you melted/warmed ghee), toss the raisins. If there is no ghee, add a little to help the raisins plump up. Set aside.

9. In the same pan, add the almonds and toast them for 1-2 minutes. Set them aside.

10. Now Remove the Besan mixture from heat and set aside in a bowl to cool.

11. Note: When I say cool, I actually mean cool down to warm from hot. Now add the sugar,cardamom and half of almonds to this mixture.

12. Note: The chickpea flour should be warm and not cool. We require the mixture it to be warm since this warmness will help the sugar to melt a bit thereby binding the flour - enough to bind it into ladoos. Take a little of the mixture in your hands

13. Clump your hands with the mixture to tighten it.

14. Slowly using your inner palm, rotate it to make small balls.

15. Though the mixture will not look sticky enough - it will get together to form beautiful ladoos.

Depending on the shape of your ladoos - this mixture makes anywhere between 10-20 ladoos.