Swetha's Fusion

Godhi Laddoo - Aata (wheat-flour) Laddoo

Thursday, July 02, 2009

When it came’s to laddoo,Godhi laddoo is my favorite. Especially the ones my mom makes. It always tastes better when mom makes it.

Godhi Laddoo brings memories of childhood. There is no place in the world anybody can hide these from me. No matter where you put it, I will find it. My mom learnt this early on and had given up hiding it. No use! ... instead she made them once the guest arrived or made plenty enough for a big party. Ha Ha Ha. Once, I even sniffed it out at our neighbor’s house.

Here is the story…

Which happened when we were in Bombay. I could smell the sweetness in the air even before we (me and my friend Jyothi - our front door neighbor’s daughter) reached our apartments. When we got there, both our moms opened the doors at the same time. Jyothi’s mom asked me to come and stay with Jyothi, since she had to go out and Jyothi will be alone in the house. I said I will only if I got some of those Godhi laddoo’s I could smell from her house. Jyothi’s mom called me over once she was ready to leave. She did leave two laddoo’s for each of us…. but I was not satisfied. I asked Jyothi if she could get me more. Jyothi told me that her mom was saving it for the guests, who were coming later that evening and, not trusting us, had hidden it. Jyothi told me she had already tried looking for it and could not find it. Hmmm. So I offered to help her … partners in crime;) We looked around for all possible places in the kitchen, and naturally did not find it… that would be too easy ...dining room, store room, living room, Pooja (god’s) room… nope! Did she take it with her!!!?? No, we saw she carried only the hand bag. Only room left now was the Master bed room. Ha ha Walla… found it. …under the bed, in a big suitcase filled with silk sarees, wrapped in a cloth, in a steel box…. Yummy yummy Godhi Laddoo. Rest is... you know what happens....

Thanks to Jyothi’s mom for this wonderful memory. At that time probably she got mad…but I know not so much ....because next day, she called me and gave me more laddoos. She knew my weakness for sweets.

I make Godhi laddoo during most of the festivals. I make plenty to share. It just melts in your mouth. It is easy and quick to make. Simple ingredients, most of them found in the kitchen all the time. Tastes good.. but not as tasty as the ones you can steal from neighbors! Jyothi, if you are with me, I am ready to steal them right from your mom’s kitchen anytime.

To make Godhi laddoo you need…

· Godhi Hittu- Atta – Wheat flour - 1 ½ cup
· Sugar (powdered) – 1 cup
· Ellachi powder– Cardamom –from 4 pods
· Dry grapes – raisins - a handful
· Ghee –Purified butter – 1 cup (or dalda)

Here is how to make Godhi laddoo…
· In a heavy bottom pan, dry fry the wheat flour on a medium flame. Continue stirring so that flour won’t burn or brown. It may take 10 to 15 minutes. You will know it is done when you get sweet pleasant aroma from it.
· Turn off the fire. Add raisins, sugar and cardamom powder. Mix it well.
· Stir-in melted ghee into the mixture. Mix all together with a wooden spatula until the raisins puff-up. (Mind, it is very hot).
· Now let the mixture stay until it has cooled down. This is the only ladoo I know of which you work with when cold.
· Take a handful of mixture and press it to form onto lemon size balls.
· Note: If laddoo is not able to hold it’s shape, add more melted ghee to the mixture.

Enjoy this traditional sweet from my mom’s kitchen. :)

...while I go and make some for myself.
- ~ o O o ~ -

Labels: Festive Food, Traditional Sweet