342. Gur na ladwa (churma laddoo)

Diwali is incomplete without this

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BM #81 Week 4 Day 2

   Gur na ladwa is a common sweet made during diwali by most Patel homes. I remember when Nunu was living here in Mombasa, diwali lunch for all our relatives would be at our house and the menu would be gur na ladwa, tuvar dal, rice, a green vegetable, chana nu shaak and some sort of farsan. I use to help Nunu make the ladwas but after she started spending Diwali in Vrindavan, I didn't have the courage to make them on my own. 2 years back, when I called my mum on Diwali, she asked me whether I had made ladwas. When I told her that I haven't and joked with her that she never taught me how to make them, she scolded me and stated that during Diwali I should make them if not for ourselves but at least to offer them to God. 2 days after Diwali she passed on. Last year I tried out Nunu's recipe for the first time and realised that its really not a big deal to make gur na ladwas. This year, in spite of not having too much time to prepare for Diwali (we had just got back from Canada), I made ladwas and was hoping that where ever my mum is, she would be smiling that her daughter does know how to make gur na ladwa. Diwali is long gone, but this was one recipe that I had to blog. As the saying goes 'better late than never.'

Updated: 25 /10/2017
In a few days time it will be 6 years since my mum passed on. I miss her so much. My last conversation with her was when she scolded me for not making ladwa for Diwali. Since then I make them every year without fail. This Diwali was a terrible time for me as the maid disappeared just before Diwali week began. Many people living in the western world think we are spoilt having help at home. However, take it from me its different in Kenya and India.  Here because of the dust (we get this black powder like crinkle) we need to dust, sweep and mop every single day. When I'm at my son's home in Montreal or at my dad's home in London, we don't need to do that every day. Washing machines and dryers are added help in the western world. I have a washing machine for clothes but not for my dishes. Also unlike in the west, most homes in India and Kenya have to prepare at least 2 hot meals if not 3. 

Anyway to top that I came down with a terrible flu accompanied by fever. However, still managed to make the ladwa. I know if I didn't then the thought of what my mum said would haunt me till next Diwali.

GUR NA LADWA (CHURMA LADDOO)
Makes 18 small ones or 10 to 12 big ones

For the dough:

¾ cup sooji (semolina)
½ cup wheat flour (atta)
3 tbsp hot ghee (clarified butter)
½ cup warm milk
oil for deep frying

Other ingredients:

¼ cup sesame seeds
½ cup desiccated coconut
½ cup coarse almond powder
¼ cup coarse pistachio powder
2 tbsps khus khus (poppy seeds)
1 tsp nutmeg powder (jaiphal)
1½ tsp cardamom powder (elachi)
¼ tsp saffron powder
1 to 1¼ cup soft or grated gur (jaggery)
4 to 6 tbsp solid ghee
extra khus khus for decoration (optional)

1. To prepare the dough, mix the semolina and wheat flour.
2. Rub the 3 tbsps of hot ghee into the flour.
3. Add milk and form a dough. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
4. While the dough is resting roast the pista powder, almond powder, coconut, khus khus and sesame seeds separately over low heat in a wok or pan.
5. Let the roasted ingredients cool down.
6. Divide the dough into 6 parts. Roll each part into a ball. Press the ball in your fist to make a elongated shape.
7. Heat oil over medium heat. Drop a tiny piece into the oil. It should come up immediately if the oil is ready. Drop the dough pieces into the hot oil. Lower the heat and fry the dough till they are golden brown. Make sure you turn them constantly so that they brown evenly. These are called muthias.
8. Let the muthias become cold. Process them in a chopper or grinder. The ground muthias should resemble breadcrumbs.
9. Grind the roasted sesame seeds coarsely.
10. Add pista powder, almond powder, cardamom powder, nutmeg powder, saffron powder, sesame seed powder, khus khus and desiccated coconut to the ground muthia mixture. Mix it well.
11. Take a wide pan or wok or karai and add the gur and ghee into it.
12. Heat the gur and ghee mixture over low heat, stirring it constantly. The gur will melt and when it begins to bubble at the sides take the pan off the fire.
13. Add the muthia mixture to the melted gur and mix well.
14. Start making ladoos as soon as the mixture is cool enough to handle. 
15. Take about 2 heaped tablespoonfuls of the mixture and make it into a ball using your hand. Place the ball on the palm of one hand and with the other make it into a dome shape.
16. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
17. Sprinkle khus khus over the laddoos or roll them in it. Or can leave them plain.
18. Serve when they are cold and set completely.

Tips:

• Don't let the gur caramelise too much otherwise the ladoos will be hard.
• Work fast in making the ladoos as when the mixture becomes cold, it is difficult to form them into a ball. If you cannot make the dome shape, leave them round. If need be ask someone to help you.
• If you don't get khus khus, you can omit it.
• I use one cup of grated or soft gur, but if you like the ladoos to be sweeter, add ¼ cup more.
• Use the more whiter variety of gur as opposed to the dark one. If you use the dark one, the laddoos will turn out very dark.
• After frying the muthias, break them into smaller pieces so that they cool down faster.
• Adjust the spices according to your taste.
• If you find it difficult to shape the ladoos, add more ghee.

You may want to check out the following:

shiro (semolina halwa)

googras

doodh pak

Sending this recipe for the following events:

http://nivedhanams.blogspot.in/2013/10/only-diwali-treats-with-giveaway.html

http://priyas-virundhu.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/cws-event-cooking-with-seeds-wheat.html