Free Churma Ladoo: A Festive Twist for Muharram Celebrations

Churma ladoos are a wholesome festive treat for Muharram which comes with the nutty and soul fulfilling ingredients that not only satisfy your sweet cravings but also give you a lasting sense of fullness in the gut. These ladoos combine the nourishment of whole grain flour with the crunch of nuts and satisfaction of ghee and jaggery. Churma ladoo is easy to make at home in a few simple steps and you can enjoy them for up to a week or more when you store it well in the fridge. More than just being a festive treat, churma ladoos are also a perfect breakfast dessert, a lunchbox treat, and also an evening sweet craving buster that you’d like to pair with your tea. These ladoos are a power packed treat that you can have anytime and anywhere when the cravings call.

This recipe for churma ladoos introduces an innovative twist to the traditional recipe by replacing whole wheat flour with gluten free flour mix. The gluten free flour mix used in this recipe is made by combining rice flour, almond flour, and besan in the ratio 2 : 1 : 1 respectively so that the churma ladoos become a guilt free indulgence for those who are trying to avoid gluten for health purposes. Follow the recipe below and make these delightful ladoos even more healthier.

Ingredients:

• Gluten-free flour mix – 1 cup
• (Use a mix of: ½ cup rice flour + ¼ cup almond flour + ¼ cup besan (gram flour) or roasted chana dal flour)
• Ghee – 4–5 tbsp
• Jaggery, grated or powdered – ¾ cup
• Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
• Chopped almonds, cashews, and pistachios – 3 tbsp
• Grated dry coconut – 2 tbsp
• Poppy seeds – 1 tbsp
• Warm milk or almond milk – 2–3 tbsp
• Raisins or chopped dates – 2 tbsp

Instructions:

Step 1: Roast Flour

Take a heavy bottomed pan and heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in it. Combine ½ cup rice flour, ¼ cup almond flour, and ¼ besan flour. Stir and roast the flour on low to medium heat for about 10 to 12 minutes until it turns golden brown. Stir continuously to prevent flour from sticking to the bottom and burning. Add grated coconut at this point and roast for about 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 2: Add Nuts and Flavor

Now, add chopped nuts, cardamom powder, raisins, and dates to this mixture. The dates should be pitted and chopped or ground to small pieces to mix well in churma ladoos. If you like the chunks of dates, you can chop them roughly. Mix everything well and once mixed, turn off the heat.

Step 3: Incorporate Jaggery

While the churma mixture is still warm, add in grated jaggery and mix well. Stir it until the jaggery melts and blends well in the heat of churma. Now, for binding, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of ghee to help the mixture come together if it is still dry and separated.

Step 4: Shape the Ladoos

Grease your hands with melted ghee and take small portions of the warm mixture in your hands and start shaping it into balls. The balls should be bite sized, not too big and not too small. If the mixture turns dry while you are making ladoos, you can moisten it with the addition of a little warm milk or some ghee to help it bind better.

Step 5: Finish & Serve

Roll the prepared churma ladoos in poppy seeds or crushed nuts to give the churma ladoos a crunchy texture and festive appeal. Let the ladoos cool down to help them gain a stable shape that doesn’t get destroyed as soon as you hold them up. Eat the ladoos right away or store it in an airtight container for up to a week.

Tips to make perfect churma ladoo every time:

1. Keep the heat low while you are roasting nuts to keep them from turning bitter. Also, when you are cooking the whole churma mixture, do it on medium to low heat to keep it from burning and changing flavor.
2. If you are a vegan and want to avoid dairy, you can use coconut oil or vegan ghee or almond and oat milk to help with the binding of ladoos. With the vegan addition, you can make the ladoos a guilt free delight for anytime any day.
3. These ladoos will stay fresh for about 5 days up to a week at room temperature. If you want to keep it fresh for longer, store them in an airtight container in the fridge. This way, you will be able to enjoy them for up to 2 weeks.