This authentic Gujarati churma ladoo is one of the most beloved traditional sweet recipes in India. I have detailed a step-by-step process to guide you in creating the proper traditional Gujarati churma ladoo. This ladoo is a festival sweet, especially popular during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, which celebrates Lord Ganesha.
Churma, a traditional sweet from Rajasthan, Gujarat’s neighboring state, is made from jaggery, ghee (clarified butter), and coarsely ground whole wheat flour. The culinary traditions of Gujarat and Rajasthan share many similarities, which is evident in their churma and churma ladoo recipes.
“Ladoo” or “Laddu” means round ball in Hindi. There is a saying that Lord Ganesha loves ladoos, whether they are made from whole wheat, rice flour, or other ingredients. In my family, we always prepare this ladoo for Lord Ganesha’s birthday, Ganesh Chaturthi. I usually don’t find this ladoo in shops known for their authentic Indian desserts.
However, those who have tasted my ladoo always say it’s the real traditional version. The main ingredients for this recipe are whole wheat flour, ghee, and jaggery, making it a simple three-ingredient recipe. I’ve also created two more recipes using these same ingredients: Whole Wheat Halwa and Sukhdi.
When I say “authentic,” I mean it—this is my great-grandmother’s recipe. So, this secret recipe will no longer be a secret. To achieve perfection, follow the procedure and proportions carefully. I know this recipe is time-consuming, but the effort is worth it once you taste the final product.
For making churma ladoo, you need coarse whole wheat flour, not all-purpose flour (maida). As shown in the figure below, you must use coarse flour. (I understand we often look for substitutes, and you can find that information in the section “Avoid Mistakes At First Attempt of Making.”)
Next, add oil for shortening (moien) into the flour and mix it using your fingertips until it has a breadcrumb-like texture. Then, add warm water as required. Don’t knead the dough; just bind the flour together and make dumplings. You can shape them as you like, but ensure they are thick.
Prepare all the flour dumplings by adding water as needed, and then fry them in oil.
Fry them on low heat until they turn golden brown, which may take around 5-7 minutes. Finally, fry them on high heat for 1 minute for the best results. Let the dumplings cool completely, then crumble them by hand into small pieces and grind them into a smooth mixture called “churma.”
Add jaggery according to the proportion and mix it well with the churma using your hands.
Ensure the jaggery is thoroughly mixed with the churma. Now we will go to a slightly more complex part of the procedure. Heat the ghee in a pan over medium flame. It should be hot enough that when poured into the mixture, a grid of bubbles forms on the surface, as shown in the figure.
If you don’t see the bubbles, heat the ghee further and try again. Let the mixture cool for a while after adding the hot ghee.
Next, add 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar (optional, but it enhances the taste).
Then, add nutmeg powder and cardamom powder and mix well. At this stage, you can also add dry fruits like almonds, raisins, and cashews. Make sure to add cardamom powder only after adding the ghee to preserve its aroma. Shape the mixture into ladoos. You can use molds, but I always prefer the traditional round shape.
On a plate, spread poppy seeds. Roll each ladoo in the poppy seeds immediately after shaping, so they stick to the hot ghee. You can also press them gently with your fingers. Using coarse wheat flour (dardara atta) is essential. If you don’t have coarse wheat flour, you can mix 1/3 part semolina (rawa, sooji) with regular flour to achieve the desired texture.
Use warm water to make the dough, adding water as needed to bind the flour and form dumplings. If the water cools down, reheat it to the appropriate temperature. Use just enough water to bind the flour. Shape the dumplings into flattened shapes for frying to ensure they cook thoroughly inside.
Patience is key when frying. Fry the dumplings on low flame for 5-7 minutes until golden brown, then fry for an additional half minute on high flame. Let the dumplings cool completely before proceeding.
- Prep time: 10 mins
- Cook time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Total time: 1 hour 40 mins
This authentic gujarati churma ladoo is my most lovable authentic sweet recipes in India.
While exploring different dessert options, I also came across a delightful Banana Bread Mug Cake that is quick and easy to prepare.
I have presented step by step process which gives you original way to create proper traditional Gujarati Churma Ladoo recipe.
Ingredients
- 3 cup coarse whole wheat flour
- 1 cup jaggery
- 1 cup ghee
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp cardamom powder
- ½ tsp nutmeg powder
- 3 tbsp oil for shortening (moien)
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Take coarse whole wheat flour and add oil for shortening. Mix with your fingertips until it has a breadcrumb-like texture.
- Boil water and add the warm water to the flour mixture to form a dough. No need to knead the dough—just add enough water to bind the flour and shape it. The shape can vary, but it should not be too thick; a patty-like shape works well.
- Form the dough into churma dumplings one by one.
- Fry the dumplings on very low flame for at least 5-7 minutes, then fry them on high flame for an additional half minute.
- Let the fried dumplings cool completely.
- Break the cooled dumplings into small pieces using your hands or a pestle, then grind them finely in a mixture jar. Re-grind any remaining chunks.
- Mix the jaggery thoroughly into the churma mixture. Meanwhile, heat the ghee in a small pan.
- Pour the hot ghee into the churma mixture. The ghee should be hot enough to create bubbles and a honeycomb-like texture. If no bubbles form, reheat the ghee and try again.
- Once the ghee is added, mix in the powdered sugar, cardamom, and nutmeg powder using a spatula.
- You can use a mold to shape the ladoos, or shape them into round balls with your hands.
- Immediately roll the shaped ladoos in poppy seeds so they stick to the hot ghee. Poppy seeds will not stick if the ladoos have cooled or hardened.
- Serve the churma ladoos with any complete meal, or enjoy one on its own.
Notes
- You can store these churma ladoos in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 15 days. No need to refrigerate them.
- Potato curry, roti (Indian flatbread), dal (lentil curry), and rice make a perfect complement to this dessert.
There are different variations of this dish. Some people make roti from whole wheat and then add jaggery and ghee to it.
Others fry the churma dumplings in ghee, boil the jaggery in ghee, combine them, and then shape them into ladoos. Try whichever method you are comfortable with, but in the end, you will have a masterpiece.