Moong Dal Ladoo or Dal Ke Laddu is a wonderful classic Indian sweet, a treat for the eyes as much as it is to the taste buds. A mouthwatering moong or mung dal ladoo made from yellow split lentil flour, ghee and sugar. These are simply moreish and must for all Indian festivities and celebrations such as Holi, Diwali, Raksha Bandhan or Ganesh Chaturthi!!
WHAT IS LADOO OR LADU?
Ladoo or Ladu is a staple sweet dish of India and rules the roost when it comes to India’s preferences for sweets. Basically, the meaning of ladoo is small ball or truffle!
There are numerous variations of Laddos available in every region of India, but two things will be common you’ll find that they all are round, sweet and delightful.
When you see a person holding a box of ladoo, that means he/she about to give you a piece of good news.
Across India, the ladoo is invariably an integral part of the happy occasions.
Between families, boxes of ladoos get exchanged as soon as an engagement is announced, one or two various types of ladoos are always on the menu of the wedding.
Exchanging ladoo boxes is not only for engagements and weddings. People distribute also to express thier happiness too, birth of a baby boy, buying a house or car, a promotion at work.
You name any happy occasion ladoo immediately comes to your mind.
Mostly all ladoos are rich, loaded with calories and irresistible, they are prepared with various flours, sugar, jaggery and ghee, sometimes only prepared with dry fruits and nuts or seeds.
I am a big fan of ladoos, I make Coconut Ladoo quite often as they can be made with basic Ingredients.
Stuffed Magas Ladoo , reserved for festivals like Diwali, Holi or some special occasions.
MOONG DAL LADOO OR MUNG DAAL LADU
A sweet and nutty ladoo that crumbles effortlessly in your mouth! Just like these Besan Ladoo
When you think of the crumbliest and flakiest yet melt in your mouth sweet in the world, you’ll be somewhere close to the delicious and taste of Moong Dal Ladoo.
The crumbly texture is the result of using yellow split flour, blended with the just right amount of sugar, desi ghee, nuts and flavoured with cardamom powder, saffron and adorned with pistachio slivers and rose petals.
Moong dal ladoo, is one of the very popular sweets in the collection of Indian Mithai.
Although these laddos are easily found in other parts of India, but not much seen in the state of Gujarat. In Gujarat Churma Ladoo are quite popular and often made in Gujarati kitchens.
In fact, I have never seen in any Gujarati sweet shops, also I have not seen this particular variety of ladoos here in the UK, so I always make it at home.
HOW TO MAKE MOONG DAL LADOO FROM SCRATCH?
Moong dal ladoo can be prepared with already roasted yellow split lentils or raw lentils. In my part of the world, I don’t get roasted lentils, so here I have a recipe with raw lentils.
First, clean the lentils and wash in cold running water for a couple of times.
Soak lentils with clean water in a bowl for 2-3 hours.
Discard all the water, pat dry with clean kitchen tissue paper and let it dry on a clean kitchen towel on a flat surface for at least an hour.
The lentils should be not completely dry but should not be wet either.
Now on a low to medium heat dry roast the lentils, but do not let it burn. Roast until you see a little colour change or a lovely aroma of roasting starts.
Transfer the roasted lentils immediately in another plate and let it cool completely.
Meanwhile, dry roast the nuts in a pan, and leave it aside.
Once dal is completely cool, grind into a fine powder in a grinder.
If you are using normal sugar, then grind sugar into a fine powder too, then the nuts as well.
Now sift the lentil flour and sugar through the sieve and discard the big bits if any.
Place flour, sugar and nuts powder, saffron threads and cardamom powder in a wide plate and mix it.
Melt ghee, ( do not heat) and pour on the flour mixture. Do not add all the ghee at once, add little by little.
Keep mixing it with the spoon or spatula.
Combine everything well with your hands now and see that ladoo mixture has enough binding to roll the ladoo.
Divide the mixture into equal lemon size portions then roll into ladoos between your palms or you can use ladoo moulds.
SOME IMPORTANT TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND TO MAKE LADOO
To make this ladoo try to use fresh lentils as possible to avoid any rancid taste.
Thoroughly clean the lentils before you soak.
Soak the lentils in lukewarm water rather than too cold or too hot water.
To get the best results let the lentils soak for a good amount of time. If really pressed for time then 30-40 minutes would be good enough too.
Do not dry lentils in M/W or under the sun.
6 . Place drained lentils on a clean kitchen towel in one layer and pat dry the lentils.
Do not roast lentils till dark brown or it will taste bitter and you won’t be able roll the ladoo properly.
Do not add all the melted ghee at once, add little by little till you are able to form a ladoo.
HOW TO STORE MOONG DAL LADOO?
Once you have prepared the ladoos, make sure they are completely cooled down before you store them.
Take butter or greaseproof paper, lay it in an airtight container then store the ladoos in one layer, try not to stack as it might squash together.
Keep it at room temperature if for some reason if you do keep it in the refrigerator which (I don’t recommend) then before consuming bring it to room temperature.
These ladoos will stay fresh for one week at room temperature.
HOW TO SERVE MOONG DAL LADOO?
Although you can have these scrumptious ladoos at any time of the day, you are more than welcome to consume with or after having spicy Indian meal or at tea time with savoury snacks.
CAN I MAKE VEGAN MOONG DAL LADOO?
Of course, you can! simply replace ghee with the vegetable ghee or use melted coconut oil. Being a moong dal gluten-free these ladoos are suitable for people who are following a gluten-free diet too.
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Moong Dal Ladoo (Dal Ke Laddu)
Equipment
- 1 frying pan/kadai
- 1 Blender or coffee grinder
Ingredients
- 2 cup moong dal (yellow) Moong ki dhuli dal or Mag ni Mogar dal
- 1 cup ghee maybe you won’t need all of it
- 1 cup powdered sugar + 2 TBSP
- ¼ cup nuts almonds, cashews and pistachios
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 8 strands saffron
Garnish
- Pistachio slivers optional
- Dried rose petals optional
- Edible silver foil optional
Instructions
- Clean, wash and soak lentils (dal) in lukewarm water for 2-3 hours.
- Drain the water from the lentils, pat dry with kitchen tissue paper then lay flat on the kitchen towel for about an hour or more.
- Dry roast the lentils on low heat until the lentils change its colour slightly pink but not let it go dark brown.
- Let the lentils cool completely in another plate.
- Meanwhile, dry roast the nuts in the same pan, and let it cool.
- Once lentils cooled completely, grind into fine powder in a coffee grinder.
- Then grind sugar and nuts and leave aside.
- Sieve the flour and sugar and discard the big pieces of lentils if any left.
- Place both in a big plate, add powdered nuts, cardamom powder and saffron if using.
- Now melt the ghee, and add little by little into the flour mixture.
- Combine everything and make ladoo by rolling a small portion of the lentil mixture.
- Let the ladoo completely cool.
- Enjoy!
Notes
You can use caster sugar or boora for this recipe.
If you pressed for time, dry roast the dal instead of soaking then grind into fine powder.
Omit nuts totally if you are not fond of it.
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Moong Dal Ladoo (Dal Ke Laddu)
Equipment
- 1 frying pan/kadai
- 1 Blender or coffee grinder
Ingredients
- 2 cup moong dal (yellow) Moong ki dhuli dal or Mag ni Mogar dal
- 1 cup ghee maybe you won’t need all of it
- 1 cup powdered sugar + 2 TBSP
- ¼ cup nuts almonds, cashews and pistachios
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 8 strands saffron
Garnish
- Pistachio slivers optional
- Dried rose petals optional
- Edible silver foil optional
Instructions
- Clean, wash and soak lentils (dal) in lukewarm water for 2-3 hours.
- Drain the water from the lentils, pat dry with kitchen tissue paper then lay flat on the kitchen towel for about an hour or more.
- Dry roast the lentils on low heat until the lentils change its colour slightly pink but not let it go dark brown.
- Let the lentils cool completely in another plate.
- Meanwhile, dry roast the nuts in the same pan, and let it cool.
- Once lentils cooled completely, grind into fine powder in a coffee grinder.
- Then grind sugar and nuts and leave aside.
- Sieve the flour and sugar and discard the big pieces of lentils if any left.
- Place both in a big plate, add powdered nuts, cardamom powder and saffron if using.
- Now melt the ghee, and add little by little into the flour mixture.
- Combine everything and make ladoo by rolling a small portion of the lentil mixture.
- Let the ladoo completely cool.
- Enjoy!
Notes
You can use caster sugar or boora for this recipe.
If you pressed for time, dry roast the dal instead of soaking then grind into fine powder.
Omit nuts totally if you are not fond of it.
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Start to feel a little peckish around mid-morning? Have these easy elevenses Cucumber and Cream Cheese Sandwiches with your tea or coffee. This decadent sandwich is super easy to prepare, and can be made ONLY with 3 ingredients such as white bread, plain cream cheese and English cucumber.
Perfect for afternoon tea or children’s tea party.
For Brits, sandwiches are enjoyed for elevenses, lunch or afternoon tea. I may have already had thousands of sandwiches by now, whether its a Cheese Ploughman’s or a simple cheese and tomato.
One of my favourites in the summertime is this Yogurt and Herb Sandwich .
What are Elevenses?
Well, it is almost a British teatime tradition, but actually isn’t that old.
According to historian Bruce Richardson who specialised in British tea, this concept may have popped up in the 20th century because there’s no reference to the term in 1800s literature . Nonetheless, elevenses is strongly ingrained in today’s British culture.
Around 11am, it is the most popular short meal break taken known as elevenses, which comes after proper breakfast and before proper lunch.
Usually, one or two types of delicious snacks such as biscuits, cookies or a slice of cake and a cup of tea or coffee are taken.
Although elevenses menu consists of biscuits, cakes and muffins, I don’t mind something savoury for breaks like elevenses. Then why not Cream Cheese and Cucumber Sandwich!
These quintessentially English sandwiches are considered as high society food, and it is simple to make but ridiculously tasty. They are great for luncheons, elevenses, afternoon tea or picnic.
These sandwiches composed of delicious spread that is combined of two ingredients, cream cheese and herb and topped with refreshing paper-thin cucumbers a refreshing bite between crustless white bread.
These finger sandwiches makes the perfect appetizer, snack or excellent British garden party, and liked by old and young as they are light and refreshing.
If preparing for an afternoon tea, you can serve them alongside these Lavender Scones and Masala Chai .
Cucumber and Cream Cheese Sandwich Ingredients
Includes variations. Full measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
The three main ingredients include bread, spread and cucumber. While the herbs are optional, they are totally worth adding!
Bread – First and most important ingredient of these sandwiches is bread.
Traditionally white bread is used, but whole grain is absolutely fine too. The bread must be extremely soft, softness is most important for a delicious sandwich. You can also use gluten-free bread .
Dairy – Plain full fat soft cream cheese and butter plays a big role for yummy and tasty sandwiches. Cucumber – English cucumber is best for this recipe as the seeds are small and delicate. In the traditional recipe, the cucumber is peeled and thinly sliced (almost paper thin). However, if you keep the peel on, it won’t harm but only adds fibre in your diet. Herbs – traditionally fresh dill is used for this recipe, but chives would be a great choice too. Chop the herbs finely. If you cannot find fresh, use dried herbs. You can try other dried herb mixes if you wish.
Seasoning – Freshly ground salt and black pepper.
How to make Cucumber and Cream Cheese Sandwiches
These are so simple and easy to make, you may want to include your young cook if you want.
First I would start with preparing the spread.
Take cream cheese, dill and/or chives in a bowl, dried or fresh or skip totally. However fresh tastes so much better. You may add salt and black pepper at this stage or sprinkle later.
Combine everything in a bowl and leave it aside.
Once spread is done, make thin slices of the cucumber. In the traditional recipe cucumber is peeled but once again if you prefer to leave it on, there is no harm in doing that.
Now you are ready to assemble the sandwiches.
Evenly spread butter on both slices of crustless white bread.
Spread the cream cheese on one slice.
Place cucumber slices on top.
Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper and top with the other slice of bread. If you already haven’t added in the first step.
Cut it into the desired shape – either triangles or rectangles (finger sandwiches).
How to store
Although I would love to make sandwiches just before eating, sometimes I make them in advance.
These sandwiches can be made up to 24 hours in advance.
You want to make sure that each bread slice is fully covered with the butter and cream cheese spread. Spreading any fat like butter, margarine or cream cheese on the bread slice, works as a barrier for the wet ingredients such as tomato and cucumber.
It also helps to pat dry the cucumber to get rid of excess moisture.
Once prepared, cut into slices and store it in an airtight container.
Can I make these sandwiches vegan and gluten-free?
Definitely, you can. Use vegan cream cheese and butter and gluten free bread for this recipe.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
- YouTube
Cucumber Cream Cheese Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 8 slices bread White bread. You can use wholemeal or gluten-free bread. Cut off the crusts if you wish.
- 1 tbsp butter
- 80 gram cream cheese
- 1 tbsp mixed fresh herbs dill and chives
- Salt and pepper pinch to taste
- ¼ cucumber finely sliced
Instructions
- Mix 80 gram cream cheese with 1 tbsp mixed fresh herbs and set aside
- Spread 1 tbsp butter on 8 slices bread
- Spread the cream cheese mixture on one side of the 4 slices of bread
- Top with 1/4 cucumber and Salt and pepper .
- Cover each sandwich with the remaining slices of bread
- Press it gently with your hands.
- Cut into desired shape and serve.
Video
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
