Maladu or roasted gram ladoo recipe with step by step photos. Maladu also known as ‘Maa ladoo’ is a popular South Indian ladoo variety made with just 3 main ingredients – roasted gram flour, ghee and sugar.
Maladu are made from roasted gram or roasted chana dal. These roasted gram ladoos are made during festive occasions in Tamil Nadu.
These are quick to prepare ladoo variety that can be made easily. Ideal to make during Diwali festival or any celebrative occasion or when you want to make a sweet snack quickly.
These maa ladoos do taste different from Besan ladoos, but are nonetheless good. For binding them, I have used ghee. Vegan can make these maa ladoo with coconut oil but the taste of coconut oil will be there in the ladoos.
Give these quick maa ladoos a try at this Diwali festival. They are ready in under 15 minutes. They are not only delicious but very nutritious and healthy also. They make for a delicious sweet snack.
Step by step roasted gram ladoo or maladu recipe:
1: Take the roasted gram or chana dal in a dry grinder or coffee grinder. You can also slightly roast the chana dal before grinding.
2: Grind to a fine powder and sieve the chana dal flour in a wide bowl or wide pan.
3: Powder the sugar & cardamom seeds in a dry grinder and sieve it too in the same pan. Also add grated nutmeg to this mixture.
4: Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a small pan. Add 10 to 12 chopped cashews and fry them till golden. Remove and add them to the ladoo mixture.
5: In the same ghee, add 1 tablespoon raisins and fry them till they swell.
6: Add the fried cashews and the raisins along with the ghee to the sieved chana dal and sugar mixture.
7: Melt the remaining ghee in the same pan.
8: Pour this melted ghee into the ladoo mixture.
9: Mix with a spatula.
10: Keep this pan on a low flame and roast the mixture for 2-3 minutes stirring continuously.
11: When the mixture is warm or cooled enough for you to handle the ladoo mixture, then make small or medium sized ladoos.
Serve the maladu or roasted gram ladoos or store them in an airtight box.
If you are checking for more Diwali sweets recipes then do check:
Please be sure to rate this recipe in the recipe card below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter.
Maladu Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup roasted bengal gram (roasted chana dal or pottukadalai)
- ½ cup sugar or add as required
- 3 green cardamoms
- 1 pinch nutmeg powder (ground nutmeg)
- 10 to 12 cashews - chopped
- 1 tablespoon golden raisins
- ¼ cup Ghee - remove 1 tablespoon from this ghee to fry the dry fruits
Instructions
- First powder the chana dal in a dry grinder or coffee grinder to a fine powder consistency.
- Seive the ground chana dal.
- Powder the sugar with cardamom seeds
- Sieve the powdered sugar also in the same pan.
- Add the grated nutmeg too.
- Mix the sifted chana dal flour and powdered sugar.
- Fry cashews in 1 tbsp ghee.
- Remove and add them to the chana dal flour
- Now in the same ghee fry the raisins till plump
- Add the raisins along with ghee
- In the same pan heat up the remaining ghee and add it to the ladoo mixture.
- Keep the ladoo mixture pan on low flame and saute for 2-3 minutes.
- When the mixture has become warm or cooled enough for you to handle the ladoo mixture, then make small or medium sized ladoos.
- Serve maladu or keep them stored in an air tight container. They will stay good for 7 to 10 days.
Notes
- Ghee: Use good quality or preferably homemade ghee to make maladu.
- Chana dal: Roasted chana dal gets rancid or softens quickly. Check that the roasted chana dal is fresh and not smelling or tasting rancid. It should have a lovely nutty taste. If the dal has softened, then roast for a couple of minutes in a pan or skillet, before you grind them.
- Binding: Depending on the quality of ghee, the ladoo can bind easily or not. If the maladu do not bind and look dry or floury, then add a few tablespoons of warm ghee. Mix and form ladoo. If the ladoo fall apart or do not hold its shape, then keep the ladoo mixture in the fridge for 20 minutes. Remove from the fridge later and then you will be able to shape them.
- Nuts: If you do not have cashews or raisins, make maladu with almonds or pistachios. You can also omit adding the nuts and raisins entirely.
- Scaling: The recipe can be doubled or tripled easily to make a large batch.
- Vegan option: Use vegan butter or coconut oil. With coconut oil, the taste and flavor of the oil will be felt in the ladoo.
Hello Dassana…Is sattu ladoo.n maa.ladoo same?
shubha, it depends upon the sattu flour. some sattu flour have barley flour and wheat flour added to it. if only the sattu flour has roasted chana flour, then the laddu made from such a flour and maladu is same if sugar is used. in sattu laddu jaggery is added which gives a different taste. hope this helps.
Thank u so much …:-)
welcome shubha.
I tried this & was really good, also tried rava kesari,atta ladoo,badam ladoo,poha ladoo & basundi,all came out well.Now its a daily routine to check ur website & try something new,thanks a lot
thank neena for sharing your positive views on all the recipes you have tried. glad to know. happy cooking.
You have a great way of explaining recipes! Tried many of your recipes and have become a fan. Your blog has become my go to place now, i check here first before I even search google!! Thank you for all your efforts and keep up the good work.
One suggestion on maladu, almond milk is a better alternate than coconut oil for vegans. In step 7, instead of melting the ghee just warm the milk (do not boil) and then follow the rest of the steps as it is.
thanks a ton anu. also thanks for the suggestions and alternatives. will help the readers.