Go Mithas

If you were to imagine Indian sweets, then somewhere in the vast lineup of sweets, you will picture a podium of ‘Laddus’, all unique in ingredients and cooking styles. But what exactly is a laddu? Well, at its simplest, these delicious sweets are golf ball-shaped delicacies usually made of flour, a rich fat (ghee), and a lot of sugar. But what sets Laddus apart is their range and diversity. Right from the famous ‘Motichoor ka Laddu’, to ones made with sesame seeds or those incorporating dates and other dry fruits, laddus are definitely everywhere.

A simple online search for ‘Most Famous Indian Sweets’ points towards laddus, but before the advent of technology of any sort (think 2000 years ago), laddus were consumed as medicine. Yes, these ball-shaped sweets were originally used for better health and have been around since the 4th century BC.

Laddus were first used by renowned Indian doctor Sushruta as part of a treatment for his patients. This early version of laddus doubled as an antiseptic and were packed with nutrition owing to the use of ingredients like sesame seeds, jaggery, and peanuts. Today we know these as ‘Til ke Laddu’ and the ingredients that go into this recipe are known for their health benefits, so much so that they are still given to sick individuals and pregnant mothers for their immunity-boosting powers. 

Since then, laddus continued to evolve within the medicine space due to their ease of consumption. One such evolution was a laddu made with fenugreek seeds (methi) and this was predominantly given to adolescent girls to help balance their hormones. Fenugreek seeds are still mixed in with different foods and are famous for their pain-reducing powers during menstrual cramps. In fact, laddus have also been mentioned in multiple stories and myths. Undoubtedly, at this point, the mention of Lord Ganesha’s love for the ‘modhak’ comes forth. ‘Modhak’ is just another term for a laddu and to date, it is believed that the one who offers Lord Ganesha modhaks will become his favorite devotee.

Jumping to a modern current day view, laddus are quite easy among the most omnipresent Indian sweet. They hold immense significance in Indian culture and are served during many occasions and festivals. Right from weddings to poojas, laddus form an integral part of the celebratory palate of the subcontinent. Laddus are also offered to Gods and then served as ‘prasadam’ while some people like to hand out laddus as goodwill since they are considered a token of good luck.

What truly qualifies laddu as an Indian delicacy is its versatility. Each region of India makes its own version of this sweet with readily available ingredients and studying the many regional laddus gives a lot of insight into the food culture of these regions. This has led to multiple variations of the sweet and as such, there is no standard recipe to make laddus.

The coconut laddu, for example, also known as ‘Nariyal Nakru’ is said to have originated during the Chola Empire. Legend says that these were packed for soldiers on their long trails of war. Today, Kerala is famous for making coconut laddus due to the abundance of coconut trees. When India was invaded by the Persians, several dry fruits were introduced in the Indian diet, which found their way into the laddus as well.

There are a ton of varieties of Laddues and a few of them include:

●       Motichoor Ke Laddu:

 

Also known as ‘Boondi Laddu’, the flavor of this rich dessert will remind one of the festive ambiances of Jaipur during festivals like Diwali. A favorite among the Marwari community, women in every household of Rajasthan get busy making Motichoor Laddus during the weeks leading up to Diwali. With the migration of businessmen from the Marwari communities, this recipe has now been absorbed into the culinary cultures of different regions of India.

 

●       Besan Ke Laddu:

 

Besan is chickpea flour and is used in various Indian desserts and snacks. These laddus are typically easier to make than Motichoor Ke Laddu, however, it’s easy only by comparison and not by itself. Although these sweets are available round the year, they are specially made during the Ganesh Puja Festival.

 

●       Rava Laddu:

 

Motichoor ke Laddu is famous in Rajasthan and Besan ke Laddu is a culinary representation for the festivals of North India, but Rava Laddu finds its origin in South India. This recipe is features semolina, sugar, milk, ghee, and sometimes nuts, and is traditionally associated with the celebration of Krishna Jayanti in South India.

There are no limits to the various types and kinds of this delicious Indian dessert and what they represent is so much more than what this article could ever impart. A laddu symbolizes so many things and they mean a lot to the varied Indian cultures. Just eating one will undoubtedly leave you with is a sense of satisfaction and wholesomeness, regardless of its variety. This is what makes them famous and a centerpiece of the Indian halwai preparations. So go on and try some unique varieties of laddus to experience a form of true love and happiness!