Gond Makhane ke Laddoo is a nutritious and delicious laddoo prepared using edible gum, fox nuts, various other nuts and seeds, whole wheat flour, sugar and ghee. Gond, which is an edible gum, is mostly used in northern parts of India and certain parts of south India too. This is a north-Indian styled laddoo recipe prepared using heaps of fox nuts which are also the powerhouse of nutrition.
WHAT IS GOND?
Gond is a Hindi name for edible gum. This gum is known as Antu in Kannada, Thumma Jiguru in Telugu, Dink in Marathi.
There are two types of edible gum: Acacia Gum (Gond) and Tragacanth Gum (Gond Katira). While Acacia gum warms up the body, Tragacanth gum cools down the body.
To make laddoos, Acacia gum is used. This edible gum is the hardened sap of Babool or Babul or Kikar tree which belongs to the family of Acacia trees. Â These trees are known to have a lot of Ayurvedic medicinal benefits. This gum is known to boost immunity, stamina and health. Laddoos prepared using edible gum are usually consumed in winter to provide additional calories for the body. They are also served to pregnant and lactating women for optimum nutrition.
Acacia Gum is available in most of the stores in the form of crystals or dried sap pieces. To make laddoos, these crystals must be roasted in hot ghee until they puff up and turn crunchy. Over-roasted or under-roasted gums could cause issues in your stomach.
Acacia Gum 
Roasted Acacia Gum
WHAT IS MAKHANA?
Makhana is popularly known as phool makhana, fox nuts or lotus seeds. These tiny white balls come from a plant known as Euryale Fox which grow in wet and marshy lands in Eastern Asia.
Low in cholesterol, fat and sodium, these fox nuts have innumerable health benefits. They are high in protein, carbohydrate and are gluten-free.
As such, these nuts have a neutral taste and acquire the taste based on the ingredients used. They are usually roasted with some ghee. They can be used to make yummy snacks, kheer, gravies etc.
WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT THESE LADDOOS?
This laddoo recipe includes all the ingredients that are highly nutritive by nature.
- Ghee – Pure fat with no carbs, ghee is supposed to improve memory, promote healthy digestion and improve flexibility.
- Gond (Edible Gum) – Boost immunity, stamina and health.
- Makhana – Powerhouse of nutrients – these are known to be packed with the goodness of protein, carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, iron and zinc. They are also loaded with anti-oxidants.
- Cashew Nuts – Rich in protein, fiber and healthy fats.
- Almonds – Rich in unsaturated fat and Vitamin E. Known to manage bone health and blood sugar.
- Poppy Seeds – Rich in B-complex vitamins and anti-oxidants, they are known to be healthy for your heart. However, they need to be consumed in moderation as they are known to induce sleep.
- Chironji – Known for their cooling effect on the body, they also promote skin health.
- Coconut – Ideal source of healthy fat and fiber, they are known to promote healthy thyroid and immune system.
Notes:
- It is very important to roast the edible gum until they have puffed up well and are crunchy. If they are not well roasted, they may stick to your mouth.
- If you add too less ghee while roasting the gum, they may not roast well.
- The quantity of ghee used above was optimum while I made the laddoos. The quantity may differ slightly depending on the quality of the ingredients. Do not skimp on the quantity of ghee as your laddoos might fall flat without enough binding.
- Makhanas absorb a lot of ghee while roasting. Fry them well until they are crisp.
- If you do not have desiccated coconut, dry roast freshly grated coconut until they turn slightly brown.
- It is important to roast the wheat flour well, until it turns slightly brown. If not the laddoos will stick to your mouth.
- You can try replacing sugar with powdered jaggery, I have not tried this.
Other Laddoo Recipes that you may like:
Ingredients
Ghee - 1 cup + 1 tablespoon
Edible Gum (Acacia Gum) - 100 grams
Makhana (Fox Nuts) - 150 grams
Cashew Nuts - 50 grams
Almonds - 50 grams
Poppy Seeds - 2 tablespoons
Chironji - 2 tablespoons
Desiccated Coconut - 50 grams
Whole Wheat Flour - 100 grams
Cardamom Powder - 2 teaspoons
Dry Ginger Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Sugar, powdered - 200 grams
Instructions
- Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a pan.
- When the ghee is medium hot, roast the edible gum. Keep stirring with a spatula and allow them to puff up. When they puff up, they enlarge in size, turn a little whitish and crunchy. Ensure that all the pieces of gum are roasted and puffed up well. Take the roasted gum out of the pan and keep aside.
- Now add another tablespoon of ghee. Heat it up and roast the makhana until they turn slightly brown. Take it out from the pan, transfer to a plate. Set it aside.
- Add 1 teaspoon ghee to the pan. Roast cashew nuts and almonds in until they are slightly brown. Take the nuts out and keep them aside in another plate.
- Now heat another teaspoon of ghee and roast poppy seeds and chironji until they are slightly browned. Take them out into another plate.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee and roast whole wheat flour on medium flame, mixing continuously, until turns light brown. Keep aside.
- Dry roast desiccated coconut on medium flame until it turns light brown and then transfer it to a plate.
- In a blender, separately powder roasted gum and makhana into coarse powder and transfer into a mixing bowl.
- Now powder roasted cashew nuts, almonds, poppy seeds, chironji and desiccated coconut in a blender into coarse powder. Add this to the bowl containing powdered makhana and gum.
- To this bowl, add roasted wheat flour, dry ginger powder, cardamom powder and powdered sugar. Mix until well combined.
- Melt all the remaining ghee and pour it to the laddoo mixture and mix well until it binds well.
- While the mixture is still warm, take small portions of the mixture, press them in your fist to bind tightly and then gently roll in your palm to make a round laddoo.
