Besan Ladoo

No Diwali sweet box feels complete without besan ladoo. Gram flour is roasted slowly in ghee until the whole kitchen smells nutty and warm, then rolled with cardamom into golden little rounds. It takes a bit of patience at the stove, but the result is worth every stir. Makes 14 to 16 ladoo in about 40 minutes.

Ingredients:-

• 2 cups (200 g) besan (gram flour)
• ½ cup (110 g) desi ghee
• ¾ cup jaggery, blitzed fine in a blender (or ¾ cup coconut blossom sugar, also blitzed)
• 6 cardamom pods, seeds ground
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, chopped, to garnish

Directions:-

1. Melt the ghee in a heavy pan on low heat.
2. Add the besan and roast, stirring all the time, for 15-20 minutes until golden and nutty.
3. Take it off the heat and let it cool until just warm.
4. Mix in the blitzed jaggery and ground cardamom.
5. Shape into 14-16 balls and press a few pumpkin seeds on top of each.