Jai Shree Krishna!
Today I’m sharing a very special recipe—Motichoor-style Besan Laddu, made without the effort of preparing boondi. Yes, you heard it right! These laddus turn out soft, grainy, and melt-in-the-mouth—just like the authentic temple-style or halwai-style laddus—but with a very simple method and minimal ghee.
Instead of roasting gram flour (besan), we use soaked chana dal which gives the laddus a beautiful grainy motichoor-like texture. This method is beginner-friendly, needs very little ghee, and is perfect for festivals, prasad, or gifting.
Let’s make them!
Ingredients
- Chana dal / Spilt Bengal gram – 1 cup
- Ghee – 3 tbsp
- Cardamom powder -1/4 tsp
- Mix nuts – cashews, almonds, pistachios, raisin, melon seeds
- Sugar – 1 cup
- Water – ½ cup
- Black cardamom – 1/8 tsp
- Yellow food color – few drops
Method
Step 1: Wash & Soak Chana Dal
- Take 1 cup chana dal, rinse 1–2 times until clean.
- Add enough water and soak the dal for 3–4 hours.
- After soaking, drain the excess water completely.
Step 2: Grind the Dal
- Add the soaked dal to a mixer jar.
- Grind it into a coarse paste (do NOT make it smooth; coarse gives motichoor-like texture).
Step 3: Fry the Dry Fruits
- Heat 3 tbsp ghee in a pan.
- Add chopped cashews, almonds, pistachios, raisins, and melon seeds.
- Fry lightly until golden and aromatic. Remove and keep them aside.
Step 4: Roast the Ground Dal
- In the same pan (with leftover ghee), add the coarsely ground chana dal.
- Keep the flame on medium-low.
- Roast while stirring continuously to remove raw flavor.
- It will start looking like tiny grainy boondi as it cooks.
- Roast for about 20 minutes until fragrant.
- Now turn off the flame.
Step 5: Lightly Blend (Optional but Recommended)
- Let the roasted dal cool slightly.
- Add to mixer and pulse for 2–3 seconds. Don’t grind fully — just a quick blend enhances the boondi-like texture.
- Add ¼ tsp cardamom powder and mix.
Step 6: Prepare Sugar Syrup
- In a pan, add 1 cup sugar and ½ cup water.
- Heat until the sugar melts completely.
- Cook the syrup for 5 minutes (no need for string consistency).
- Add 1/8 tsp black cardamom powder, A few drops yellow food color and mix well.
Step 7: Combine Everything
- Add the roasted dal mixture to the hot syrup.
- Add the fried dry fruits.
- Mix gently—don’t overmix. We want the syrup to be absorbed well but not mashed.
- Turn off the heat. Let the mixture rest for 20–25 minutes to cool and firm up slightly.
Step 8: Shape the Laddus
- Once warm (not hot), take small portions and shape into soft, round laddus.
- They should hold easily and look like tiny boondi laddus. our melt-in-the-mouth Motichoor-style Besan Laddus are ready!
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 5–6 days. In the refrigerator, they stay fresh for 10–12 days.
Tips and tricks
- Don’t grind dal too fine — coarse texture = perfect motichoor feel.
- Roast on medium-low heat to avoid raw smell and to get even cooking.
- No need to make syrup sticky — a light sugar syrup works best.
- Let mixture rest before shaping — this helps the syrup absorb properly.
- Use fresh ghee for the best aroma and taste.
