Churma Ladoo without frying

 

Churma Ladoo are an Indian sweet dish usually shaped into round balls called ladoos. They are very popular in all Hindu households as they are commonly made on special occasions and as an offering to Lord Ganesh on the Festival of Ganesh Chaturthi.

What is Ganesh Chaturthi?

Ganesh Chaturthi is also known as Vinayaka Chavithi. It is an auspicious Hindu festival which is celebrated for 10 days every year. The festival is celebrated in the Bhadra month as per the Hindu calendar which generally falls in mid-August to September. It marks the birthday of the elephant-headed Lord Ganesha.

How is it Celebrated?

There are four main rituals which are performed during the 10-day long festival.  

Pranapratishhtha- Devotees install Lord Ganesh Idols in decorated pandals in their homes or temples and decorate them with flowers, garlands and lights. A priest then chants prayers to invoke life in the deity.

Shhodashopachara- During the 10 days 16 different types of prayers are offered to the lord Ganesh by singing chanting dancing and drum beating and lighting divas (oil candles)

Uttarpuja-On the 10th day a farewell ritual is then performed  to Lord Ganesha  

Ganpati Visarjan – This is the final ceremony where the Lord Ganesh Idol is immersed in the sea or flowing water. During this ceremony prayers are offer to the Lord to return again the following year.   

Many delicious dishes are served during this time, however Churma ladoo, Modak and Boondi ladoos are commonly offered to Lord Ganesh as these are classed as his favorite sweet dishes.

I am sharing the Churma Ladoos here as these are my families favorite.

Before I share the recipe let me answer some questions about these ladoos.

What flour is used?

You can use any type of wheat flour, however the whole wheat coarse flour achieves best results.

Are there different ways to make the muthias (dough balls)?

You can bake the muthias as I have done to make them a little healthier, the authentic way is to deep fry them on a low heat until crispy. You can also roll out round chapatis and cook them on a griddle until crispy if you prefer

Can I use another sweetening agent?

Yes you can, you can add sugar instead of jaggery , however you do not need to make a syrup you just add powdered sugar and melted ghee to the churma and form ladoos.

Can I add dry fruits to the ladoos?

Adding finally copped dry fruits like almonds, pistachios and cashew nuts can be added if desired. 

I don't have a ladoo mould how can I form the ladoos?

You can just make lime sized balls of the mixture and roll the ladoos in poppy seeds if you don't have a ladoo mould or use a mini icecream scoop

How to store the ladoos?

The ladoos will last up to a week in an air tight container, if you wish to store them longer keep them in the refrigerator and take them out and eat at room temperature.

Tips

Do not skimp on the ghee quantity or oil as it is necessary to use this quantity for achieving the texture.

Do not over cook the jaggery, only cook it enough to melt it, otherwise the ladoos will turn hard.

You can also check out my video showing how to make these Churma Ladoos below:

 

 

Churma Ladoohttps://youtu.be/PuMQ_4kyZ-kChurma Ladoos are a very special ladoo made in many households all over hindu households. They are made as an offering to the Elephant God Ganesh and served as an offering. This prasad is a firm favorite of Lordhttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigPReQKEYRQJi1BAzxi5Wgb5NJokRjBi4P9YOOAF9RDUdVaVWvjppOaptau7n2wiLuKbxZ4gDoOUbwXTNrHoK5PzsdyQSWWFGNDLGgCm6LvFaf2E9gXJyER3g9FwgKzsHDFbV_lL1h-QE6/s1280/Churma+Ladoo+without+Frying.png

Yield: 24 mini bite sized ladoos

Author: Nayna Kanabar

Churma Ladoo without frying

Churma Ladoo is an Indian sweet dish that is traditionally made to offer as a prasad to Lord Ganesh for the celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi.

Prep time: 45 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 1 H & 15 M

Ingredients

• 200g Coarse Whole Wheat Flour 
• 30g Chickpea Flour 
• 30g Coarse Semolina 
• 4 Tbsps Sunflower Oil
• 100 ml Warm Water
• 100g Ghee/ Clarified Butter 
• 100g Jaggery 
• 1 Tsp Cardamom Powder 
• 1 Tsp Nutmeg Powder 
• 1 Tbsp Poppy Seeds

Instructions

1. In a bowl add the whole wheat flour, semolina and chickpea flour
2. Add the oil and mix into the flour to form a crumb mixture.
3. Add approx 100 ml water little by little to form a very firm/tight dough
4. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/360F 
5. Pinch lime sized balls of the dough and pinch them in your fist making indentations in the dough ball with the tips of your fingers.
6. Repeat for all the dough.
7. Place the dough balls (traditionally calle muthis) on a baking tray and bake for 30 mins until firm, crisp and slightly browned. Remember t turn them over after 15 minutes.
8. After 30 minutes remove the baked muthias from the oven and transfer to a plate to cool down.
9. After muthias have cooled down fully, grind them in a food processor to a fine powder. Transfer the powder to a bowl. and add 1 Tsp Cardamom powder and 1 Tsp Nutmeg powder. Mix and keep aside. This is called Churma
10. Ina heavy duty pan add the ghee and heat on medium heat until it melts. 
11. Add the jaggery and cook the mixture until jaggery fully melts. Remove from the heat and pour the melted jaggery mixture to the prepared churma and mix it well.
12. Grease a  ladoo mould with a little ghee  and add some poppy seeds in the bottom of the mould.
13. Tightly pack the mould with the churma mixture and smooth the surface.
14. Turn the mould spoon over and tap it in the palm of your hand 2-3 times to de mould the ladoo.
15. Repeat the process for remaining churma.

Notes:

The churma dough balls can be deep fried on a very low heat, this is the traditional way for making the muthia.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

97.34

Fat (grams)

5.17

Sat. Fat (grams)

3.00

Carbs (grams)

11.92

Fiber (grams)

1.19

Net carbs

10.73

Sugar (grams)

4.23

Protein (grams)

1.64

Sodium (milligrams)

2.37

Cholesterol (grams)

12.03

The nutritional information provided is an approximation calculated by an online calculator. Please consult a professional dietitian for nutritional advice.

Did you make this recipe?

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There are many sweets that are made during this festive period such as Boondi, Bombay Halwa, Semolina Halwa, Pistachio Barfi. Do try them they are equally delicious.

How do you celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi, I would love to know about the way its celebrated in different households. Please do share in the comments below.