Maharashtrian Style Rava Ladoo
Rava Ladoo or Pakatle Rava Ladoo is a yummy traditional Maharashtrian sweet, prepared during the festive season of Diwali or Ganpati. Made with very few ingredients like Rava (semolina/sooji), sugar, and ghee and flavored with cardamom powder it is one of the most sought-after sweets in the Maharashtrian household.
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Saute pan/ Kadhai
- Spatula
- Candy thermometer (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 and ½ cups Rava Coarse
- 1 and ¼ cups Sugar
- ½ Cup Shredded Coconut
- 6 tablespoon ghee
- ¼ teaspoon Cardmom powder
- ½ cup Water
Instructions
- Take a pan and set it on medium heat. Add 6 tablespoons of ghee to it and let it melt.
- Now add 1 and ½ cup of coarse rava to the pan and roast it. Roast it on medium low flame.
- Roast the rava till it becomes light and aromatic, to the same pan add ½ cup of shredded coconut and roast it for another 4 to 5 minutes or till the mixture turns lightly golden and the coconut has lost all its moisture.
- Take it off the heat and transfer it to a glass bowl. Add ¼ teaspoon of cardamom powder and mix it together.
- Now take a sauce pan and add ½ Cup of water and 1 and ¼ cup of sugar. Bring it to boil, stir it in between if required.
- Cook the sugar till it reaches one-thread consistency. Check for consistency by taking a small drop on your thumb and stretch it between your thumb and index finger.
- Shut the heat off as soon as one-thread consistency is reached.
- Pour the sugar syrup over the roasted rava and stir everything together using a spatula. Sugar syrup is too hot so do not use your hand at this stage.
- The mixture will be smooth and runny. Cover it with a lid and let it rest for about 10 minutes or till the rava absorbs all the sugar and cools down a little.
- When the mixture is still warm or more on hot side, Scoop up some mixture using a spoon and start binding it into balls.
- You will need to firstly press the mixture tight in your palm or fist for it to hold shape before giving it the shape of the balls. You can also add chopped nuts or raisins while rolling the ladoos.
- Let the ladoos cool off and then store them in an air tight container in a cool dry place. They will stay good for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Always use coarse Rava/sooji for this recipe.
- Both Rava and the sugar syrup need to be hot when it is mixed together.
- The sugar needs to be cooked properly to make good Ladoos.
- Use good quality ghee.
- You can use dry fruit powder to add flavor to the Ladoos.
- Roast the Rava on low medium flame and only till it turns light golden.
- Using coconut is optional.
- The Ladoo made without coconut will last longer at room temperature.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!