Besan/Bengal Gram Flour Laddoo

Yields: about 15 laddoos

Ingredients:

Bengal Gram flour/Besan – 2 cups after sieving
Sugar  – 1 cup (I prefer less sweet, so I use between 3/4 to 1 cup)
Cardamom Powder – 1 1/2 teaspoons
Ghee – 1/2 cup

Method:

1. Sieve the besan flour.
2. Finely powder the sugar and sieve.
3. Heat ghee in a pan, add flour and roast it on low flame until a nice, nutty aroma comes out. This could take about 20 minutes. The mixture might be a little clumpy initially and then melt down thinning the consistency. Do not worry if the mixture does not thin down. Sometimes if the flour is not fresh, it may not thin down, that is OK. Turn off the flame and let it cool down to warm to room temperature. If it is hot, sugar powder will melt.
4. Add cardamom powder and powdered sugar to the roasted flour and mix thoroughly. Mix for at least 10 minutes.The more you mix, the softer the laddoos will be.
5. Take lemon sized portion of this mixture, press it in your palm like you hold a fist. Press until the portion of the mixture holds tightly and forms a ball, then roll it between your palms to make it smoother on the outside. Place it in a box/tray. Repeat the same for the remaining mixture. As they cool down, the ghee and sugar solidify little bit making the laddoos firmer. The laddoos stay fresh for 4-5 days at least.