Melt-in-Your-Mouth Chickpea flour Confection
BESAN LADOO
-Recipe from Yamuna mataji
This is the most popular flour-based confection in North India, where
several versions are sold in sweet shops. You could use any type of
solid or liquid sweetener, bearing in mind that each varies in
sweetening power and that adjustments in cooking time will be
necessary. This version, served at the home of the late Prime Minister,
Indira Gandhi, is one of my favorites.
Cooking and preparation time (after assembling ingredients): about 20 minutes
Makes: 2 dozen balls
¾ cup (180 ml) ghee or unsalted butter
2 cups (205 g) sifted chickpea flour
(Sifted before measuring)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) grated dried coconut
2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped pecans or walnuts
¼ teaspoon (1 ml) freshly ground nutmeg
¾ cup (110 g) brown sugar or maple sugar, packed
1.
Melt the ghee or butter in a heavy-bottomed frying pan over
moderately low heat. Add the chickpea flour, coconut, nuts and nutmeg
and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for about 5 minutes.
Add the sweetener and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes or until the
mixture is thick and deep golden brown.
2. Scrape
it onto a marble surface or countertop, and, while hot, spread it into
an even slab with a buttered spatula. When cool enough to handle, roll
into 24 balls, or cool until set and cut into squares.