Monday, May 30, 2016

Motichoor laddoo - Version 1


This is an updated version of motichoor laddoo. I found this laddoo to be absolutely close to the store ones. No one would believe they were made at home. So what is different about this recipe.

1. It is actually motichoor laddoo and not crushed boondi laddoo.
2. This has a homemade motichoor jhara. I have been looking for the traditional motichoor jhara and haven't been able to find one. I have even asked a few friends to check in the northern part of India without luck. So I had to make my own which is pretty simple.
3. The results are dramatically lovely and it is so much more easier and straightforward.

So let us get to the recipe and I will show you my homemade jhara.

It is pretty easy to make this jhara. Take a fresh aluminum foil pack. The ones that they use in restaurants for home delivery, with a foil cover. Take a push pin like the one shown here http://www.psdgraphics.com/file/yellow-pushpin-icon.jpg and make holes in the base of the aluminum foil pack. As simple as that. I have not tried using this foil pack for the coarser besan batter. I think the holes might have to be slightly bigger for that. Nevertheless this is a make do and a great one at that.

The good news is that I have finally managed to trace where I can find the jhara in Chennai and I am determined to come back from my vacation with the traditional motichoor jhara. Do let me know if someone is interested to know where to find this jhara.

Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 15 minutes
Makes 10 laddoos

Ingredients

For the boondis

Besan - 1 cup ( I used the fine variety. Ideal to use the coarser variety)
Chiroti Rava - 1.5 tbsp
Water - 200 - 220 ml approximately ( a little more if needed to make a flowing batter)
Kesar food color / orange food color - 2 drops
Ghee - 1/4 tsp
Oil / ghee for frying

For the syrup

Sugar - 3/4 cup or 150 gm
Water - 1/4 cup or 75 ml
Orange color / kesar powder - a few drops / a pinch
Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp
Rose water - 1 tbsp

Charmagaz /melon seeds

Procedure



1. Take the besan and chiroti rava in a bowl.
2. Add the food color and ghee.
3. Add water little at a time to make a paste first, when there are no more lumps, add remaining water and make a nice batter to the consistency a little thinner than dosa batter. I will add a pic soon.
4. Heat the ghee / oil for frying. (best flavour if ghee is used)
5. When the oil is hot, add a ladle of batter to the motichoor jhara and tap it up and down to enable the batter to drop into the oil.
6. Since the boondis are very small they will cook almost instantly. As soon as you finish dispensing all the batter in the oil, immediately take them out with a small strainer and drain it on a tissue. The boondis should be crisp.
7. Repeat this for the remaining batter making sure the oil doesn't smoke and make the boondis brown.
8. Fry all the boondis and set them aside for a couple of minutes to cool down.
9. Meanwhile take the sugar and water in a vessel.
10. Once the sugar is fully wet turn on the flame.
11. As soon as the sugar dissolves, add the lemon juice, rose water and orange color and let it boil for 1.5 minutes.
12. Add the fried boondis to the sugar syrup, mix well and place on the lowest flame possible and cook till almost all water has disappeared from the bottom of the vessel. Turn off the flame.
13. Keep the vessel covered for 10-15 minutes. This will help the boondis to absorb the sugar syrup well.
14. After that, add the roasted charmagaz to the motis and mix well again.
15. Spread the mixture on a tray and allow to cool. Start forming the laddoos. He laddoos must be nice and dense so while forming the laddoos apply ample pressure. You could use a tbsp of hot water so that the laddoos are soft inside.
16. Delicious laddoos are ready. They taste best when they are let to absorb the flavours for a couple of hours.



3 comments:

Unknown said...

How did u make this jhara?? Please explain

Prathima said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Prathima said...

Hi Lakshmi Priya, I have updated my post with the details on how to make this jhara. Go ahead, make your own jhara, try this recipe and leave your comments...