By Simran Makkar
September 9, 2026
They say good things come in small packages, and motichur ladoo proves it every single time. Made from tiny gram flour pearls that are deep-fried and soaked in fragrant sugar syrup before being shaped into soft, crumbly balls, this festive favourite has a way of stealing the show at every celebration. It can be safely said that no festive table feels complete without a plateful of motichur laddu.
– 2 tablespoons ghee – 1 cup besan – ¼ cup rice flour – 1 cup water, plus more for batter consistency – A pinch of orange or yellow food colour – 1 cup sugar – ½ cup water, for syrup – ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder – A few strands of saffron – 1 tablespoon chopped nuts, for garnish – Oil or ghee, for deep frying – A perforated laddu jhara or a wide-holed strainer
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the besan, rice flour, and a pinch of food colour. Gradually add water and whisk until you get a smooth, lump-free batter of medium-thin, flowing consistency.
Meanwhile, prepare the sugar syrup by heating the sugar and water together until the sugar dissolves and the syrup reaches a one-string consistency. Stir in the saffron and cardamom powder, then keep it warm.
Heat oil or ghee in a wide pan for deep frying.
Hold the laddu jhara over the hot oil and pour a ladleful of batter over it, letting small droplets fall directly into the oil.
Fry the boondi lightly, just until set but not crisp or browned, then drain and add directly into the warm sugar syrup.
Repeat with the remaining batter, frying in batches and soaking each batch in the syrup.
Let the boondi soak in the syrup for 15-20 minutes, until softened and fully absorbed.
Add the ghee and chopped nuts, and mix gently.
While still warm, take small portions of the mixture and shape them firmly into round laddus using your palms.
Let the laddus cool and set at room temperature before serving or storing in an airtight container.