Rava Ladoo…. delightfully moist and ‘coconutty’, this popular and irresistible Maharashtrian sweet treat is actually quite easy to make….
Today’s date holds a special significance for my family…. 75 years ago on this date, my parents got hitched! To mark this special milestone, I’m sharing my Mom’s much-loved Rava Ladoo recipe, along with some of my fun memories.
Everyone in our family loved Rava Ladoo, so my Mom made it quite often. As our whole home became infused with its unmistakable aroma, I would begin to salivate…. in anticipation… My Mom would chuckle and shoo me away, telling me to come back in a little while. Having to wait was no fun at all!
I’ve been making these Ladoos for decades now…. Over the years, though, that old and familiar sense of joy, as well as my body’s response to the aroma of freshly made Rava Ladoo, has not changed one whit!
As soon as I’m done rolling the last of the Ladoos, I wash my hands, grab a Ladoo and sink my teeth into it…. I close my eyes…. to block out the rest of the world! Mmmm!
Of course I know quite well that these Ladoos need time for the flavors and textures to meld… that they most definitely taste better the next day. So what? I still have to have one right away…. Then maybe I can find the patience to wait until the next day to have another go at it!
Rava…. Sooji, Farina, Semolina, Cream of Wheat
Maharashtrians call it Rava (Ruv-aa)…. Depending on where you are from, you might call it something else…. Sooji (Suji), Farina, Semolina, Cream of Wheat, etc….
What is Rava made from? Generally, these names refer to wheat that has been milled, not into fine-textured flour, but into a somewhat grainy texture. The grain size can vary from very coarse to rather fine (but still grainy, not quite as powdery as flour). And Yes…. The grain size matters! Different Rava dishes typically require specific grain sizes!
You can make so many interesting foods with Rava, both sweet and savory….. So…. It’s no surprise at all that you will likely find it in every ‘Indian’ kitchen…. inside or outside of India.
Savory dishes like Upma, Rava Dosa, Rava Utthappam, Rava Dhokla…..or the sweet Shira (Halva), etc. Many of these are common breakfast items in India…. But of course that doesn’t mean you can’t have them for lunch or dinner, if you like. I do that all the time!
As for Rava Ladoo…. breakfast… dessert… snack….. Oh… Any time of day is good!
Rava (Sooji)…. used all over the world
Given that wheat is a staple food in so many parts of the world, is it really surprising that folks everywhere have found countless ways to use it? And that some of these ideas overlap and intertwine in interesting ways?
What are some common themes? Grind the wheat into flour, of course… Then make all sorts of things – from simple everyday foods to special occasion foods that can best be described as sinfully decadent!
Over the years, I have discovered yet another common theme in the culinary traditions of almost all cultures that consume wheat: a range of dishes made from coarsely milled wheat…. i.e., Rava (Sooji)! Some of these dishes even have similar sounding names for similar dishes!
Soon after I came to the US as a grad student, I met fellow grad students from eastern Europe and the middle-East. As we learned about each other’s cultures and traditions, the word ‘Halva’ came up, in the context of favorite desserts! And we all recognized the word….instantly! It brought up mental images of a sweet, porridge-like dessert made from Rava, butter, milk and sugar (or honey). Despite the specifics of the dish varying with locale, it seems we all knew what Halva meant! Go figure!
Rava Ladoo…. the basic steps
So…. How does one go about making Yummy Rava Ladoo? The steps are pretty straightforward….
First, roast the Rava in a bit of Ghee (clarified butter) till it becomes aromatic and develops a golden-reddish hue. Turn the heat off, stir in almond flour (optional) and raisins and set the mixture aside.
Meanwhile, make the sugar syrup and simmer the shredded coconut in it for a few minutes. Pour the hot syrup over the roasted Rava mixture and stir with a sturdy spoon. The mixture initially looks rather “wet”, almost like a runny batter. It soon begins to dry out, though, as the Rava absorbs the syrup and swells.
Set it aside to cool till lukewarm, stirring periodically to prevent it from solidifying into a hard, crusty rock-like clump. Add ground cardamom and nutmeg (optional) and stir well. Using your hands, knead the slightly crusty mixture gently and break up any remaining crusty clumps. Now comes the messy part…. the final step in making Rava Ladoo.
Pick up a small fistful of the mixture and squeeze gently to pack it down…. it should hold together when you open your fist. If it doesn’t, squeeze it again, moving it around inside your fist until it does….. Gently roll/shape it into a small ball, about 1 1/2 inch (3/4 cm) diameter – your first Ladoo!
First Bite of Rava Ladoo… To Wait… or Not…. ?!
Resist the urge to pop a Ladoo into your mouth the minute you roll one…. Why? Because it most certainly WILL taste better if you wait a little….
So… Once you start rolling the Ladoos, don’t stop after you’ve made just the one… Keep going, keep rolling…. Until you’ve scraped the last little bits from the bowl and rolled up a whole plateful of Rava Ladoo….
You can see them and smell them, of course…. but you can almost hear them too, can’t you? They’re calling out to you! Hmmmm! Maybe you can try to resist it though…. and wait for a little longer still…. overnight perhaps?
But Hey… Who am I to talk? I’m usually in way too much of a hurry to heed my own advice…. I just have to have one right away! So….. Perhaps I should simply suggest that you follow your instincts…. Go on….. to have that one teeny-tiny bite…. close your eyes and savor…. Then maybe you might find the patience to wait until the next day for more!
More Mahaashtrian Ladoo Recipes… and Halva too!
Do you have a sweet tooth and like all kinds of Ladoos…. like me? Then here are a few more popular Maharashtrian Ladoos for you to try…
- Daanyaachey Ladoo – with roasted peanuts and jaggery (Gul/Gud – Indian style unrefined sugar)
- Dinkaachey Ladoo – with crunchy, fried Gum Arabic and nuts
- Alivaachey Ladoo – with garden cress seeds and coconut
And maybe you’d also like to try making this delicious Maharashtrian-style Halva…
- Sweet Shira – from roasted Rava (Sooji)…… My Dad’s all-time favorite breakfast food!
Do post reviews and star ratings…. Thanks!
Special Diets
This Rava Ladoo recipe is vegetarian and soy-free. To make it vegan and or/nut-free, see Recipe Notes for details. It is obviously not gluten-free, since its main ingredient, Rava, is made from wheat.
That said, I am trying to create a good recipe for a similar Ladoo made with a gluten-free grain/pseudo-grain… Stay tuned, friends!
Hope you make these easy and delicious sweet treat soon…. So…. when you start feeling a bit peckish and maybe craving something sweet? Go grab a Rava Ladoo… It will hit the spot… Instantly!
Your craving satisfied, you can walk away….. go back to whatever you were doing before, relishing the lingering sense of ‘YUM!’ in your mouth.
As for me, though….. I always have to fight so very hard to resist the urge to go back for more… and many a time, I do indeed lose the fight!
Do give a review and star rating…. much appreciated!
Enjoy!
Rava Ladoo: Make A Moist and Easy Sweet Treat
Equipment
- Heavy bottom medium (10 inch/25 cm) stainless steel frying pan/skillet a cast iron skillet is OK too; Note: Please do NOT use a non stick pan for roasting Rava – it will damage the non-stick coating
- Heavy bottom saucepan for making syrup stainless steel or non-stick-coated
- Sturdy spoon / spatula /turner – preferably made of wood/bamboo for roasting the Rava and also for stirring the thick Ladoo mixture as it cools
- Coconut grater tool if using fresh, in-shell coconut; don't need if using pre-grated coconut
Ingredients
- 1 cup Rava – medium coarse (do not use Fine-textured Rava!) also called Sooji, Suji, Semolina, Cream of Wheat, Farina, etc.; Note: do not use Fine Rava in this recipe: the proportions of listed ingredients will not work correctly
- 2 tbsp Ghee (clarified butter) or Unsalted Butter to make it vegan, check Recipe Notes.
- 2 tbsp Almond flour / Almond meal (optional) To make it nut-free, check Recipe Notes
- 2 tbsp Raisins
- 1/2 tsp Green Cardamom – freshly peeled and ground preferred
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg – freshly ground preferred
For Making Syrup
- 2/3 cup Sugar
- 3/4 cup Water divided: 1/4 cup + 1/2 cup
- 1/4 cup Fresh Coconut: grated (not shredded) previously frozen and thawed OK; if fresh coconut is not available, use 1/4 cup dried coconut powder – it's finely grated and its not the same as coconut flour!); to make a nut-free version, check Recipe Notes
Instructions
Roast the Rava (Sooji)
- Place 1 cup Rava and 1 tbsp unsalted butter (or Ghee) in a heavy bottom frying pan/skillet. Roast on medium-high heat, stirring with a sturdy wooden spoon/spatula, until it starts to brown a bit and becomes aromatic.
- Add the remaining 1 tbsp unsalted butter (or Ghee).
- Stir and continue to roast on medium heat until it begins to takes on a distinct reddish-brown hue.
- Decrease the heat to low and stir continuously till it is evenly roasted to the reddish-golden brown color. Do not let it burn!
Make the Syrup with dried or fresh coconut: see the pics below for both methods
- Place 2/3 cup sugar in a medium ( 2 qt / L), heavy-bottom saucepan.
- Add 1/4 cup water.
- Add 1/4 cup coconut: follow one of the methods described below.
- If using dried coconut powder: Add 1/4 cup of dried coconut powder, which is actually finely grated dried coconut.Note: It's NOT the same as coconut flour!
- If using fresh grated coconut: If using previously frozen grated coconut, allow it to thaw to room temperature before adding to syrup. You can do this quite quickly by microwaving it for 30-40 seconds in a microwave-safe glass/ceramic bowl.
- Add 1/4 cup grated fresh coconut to syrup
- Simmer to allow coconut to absorb syrup and become 'candied' – the pic here shows dried coconut simmered with syrup.
- The pic here shows fresh coconut simmered with syrup.
Making the Ladoo Mixture
- Add 2 tbsp almond flour (optional) and 2 tbsp raisins to the roasted Rava. If raisins are clumped together, gently separate them. Stir to mix.Note: If not using almond flour, see note regarding syrup in the next step
- Add 1/2 cup boiling hot water to the (candied coconut) syrup; bring the diluted syrup back to a boil, then simmer for 1 minute on low-medium heat, and quickly pour over the roasted Rava mixture. Note:If you're NOT using almond flour, you will need to decrease the amount of water used to dilute the syrup: instead of 1/2 cup boiling water, use only 6 tbsp boiling hot waterOtherwise, your mixture will become too 'wet' and you will not be able to shape it into Ladoos.
- Mix the syrup with a sturdy wooden spoon/spatula. At first it looks like a wet batter, but it quickly begins to thicken and swell as the Rava starts to absorb the syrup. Keep stirring for about 1-2 min – almost all the liquid will be absorbed by then.
- Cover partially and allow to slowly cool till lukewarm – it will take about 1 hour. Note:Stir the mixture thoroughly a few times while it is cooling, otherwise the sugar from the syrup starts to crystallize on the surface of the mixture, and the whole thing turns into a hard, crusty solid. This is difficult to work with when trying to make the Ladoos. Stirring the mixture with a sturdy spatula while it cools prevents it from getting crusty, and keeps it soft and pliable.
- Pic shows the cooled Ladoo mixture – it looks pretty dry, but it's still soft and pliable. Add the cardamom and nutmeg powders and stir to mix evenly.
Making the Ladoos
- Knead the mixture gently with your hands to get a feel for it, then pick up a small portion of the mixture into your hand – about 2 1/2-3 tbsp portion
- Close your fist and squeeze gently.
- Release your fist to see if the mixture holds together. If not, try squeezing again. the gentle pressure you apply helps the mixture bind to itself and be released from your hands when you open your fist.
- Turn the rough ball in your palm, while continuing to squeeze gently, till it becomes smooth and round. Use a spatula (or the blunt end of a butter knife) to gently scrape off any sticky material stuck to your palms and fingers.
- Repeat until the Ladoo holds together well from all sides, especially near the raisins- if it looks like it might fall apart, press it together againPlace on a serving plate and repeat with the rest of the mixture: you should get 12-14 Ladoos, – about 1 – 1/1/4 inches (2 1/2 – 3 1/4 cm) in diameter.
- Cover and set aside the Ladoos overnight, to allow the flavors ad textures to blend and soften. Serve as a teatime snack or as dessert. Enjoy!
Notes
Don’t have Almond flour / Almond meal?
No worries… You can simply pulse-grind about 2 tbsp almonds in a coffee grinder to a slightly coarse powder:- Pulse-grinding – 2-3 seconds at a time – prevents it from becoming a sticky, greasy glob!
- Blanched and skinless almonds will yield a whitish powder
- Almonds with skin will yield a speckled brownish powder (Almond meal): its color resembles the roasted Rava
Want to make nut-free Ladoos?
- Swap out the almond flour with pulse-ground hemp seeds or shelled melon seeds / Magaz seeds
- If you cannot have coconut, substitute with one of the following options
- 1/4 cup Khoa / Khavaa / Mawa (milk that has been evaporated till it becomes ‘solid’)
- crumble it before measuring (1/4 cup)
- add to the already roasted Rava and continue to roast for another 2-3 minutes, then set aside to cool.
- Add ground hemp/melon seeds and raisins and stir.
- Reduce the amount of water used to make sugar syrup
- Heat 2/3 cup sugar with 1/4 cup water, stir till it dissolves, simmer for 2-3 min, then add 1/4 cup of boiling hot water.
- Bring syrup to a boil again, simmer for about 1 min and pour on the roasted Rava-Khoa mixture.
- Continue as directed in the recipe.
- 1/4 cup Khoa / Khavaa / Mawa (milk that has been evaporated till it becomes ‘solid’)
Want to make vegan Ladoos?
- Swap out the 2 tbsp Butter/Ghee and use 2 tbsp high quality virgin coconut oil instead (or use almond oil)
- Add extra flavoring to compensate for the lack of Butter/Ghee flavor
- green cardamom powder: use 1 tsp instead of 1/2 tsp.
- a few strands of saffron – crumble it between your fingers before adding to the roasted Rava mixture.
How to store Rava Ladoo
Transfer to a a lidded container. Because of the fresh coconut and moisture content in these Ladoos, they can spoil relatively easily. Store at room temp:- Consume within 3-4 days
- If the weather is hot and humid, plan to use within 2-3 days, or store in the refrigerator a few hours after making.
- Inspect carefully before eating from the 3rd day onwards: Discard if you see signs of mold growth.
- Good for 10-12 days, possibly longer, up to 15 -20 days
- Good for up to 3 months, possibly longer
so yummy and my favorite ladoos. I will try this method of adding coconut to the syrup👍
Thanks, Padmaja. I’ve been adding coconut to the syrup for many years now, I really like how the coconut tastes when I do this.
Thanks for sharing such a precious family recipe on your parent’s 75 th anniversary. So yummy.. can’t wait to try again 🩷
Thanks Anita! I hope you enjoy them!
Thanks for sharing such a precious family recipe on your parent’s 75 th anniversary. So yummy. Great idea to add almond meal. . can’t wait to try again 🩷
Thanks, Anita… It’s actually pretty funny how I started adding almond meal to this Ladoo (this is my modification to my Mom’s recipe)….
Both my kids hated having chopped/sliced almonds in the Ladoo. They loved the raisins, but didn’t like the almonds… So I played a sneaky trick on them – in typical Mom style – I added almond meal, which kind of looks like Rava and just blends in – they didn’t even know it was there! They happily ate it up, thinking there were no almonds in there! Ever since, I’ve been doing this… I add it to Besan Ladoos too… ( I will be posting that recipe soon )
Absolutely great idea especially for vegetarians. Young kids sometimes do not like the texture so this is a great way to add protein. We all know the health benefits of Almonds.
Consuming the skin of almonds helps to produce bacteria within the intestines to prevent several serious intestinal diseases by increasing both lactobacillus spp. And bifidobacterium spp
Additionally, it contains good type of fat, mostly monounsaturated which can help to lower the risk of heart disease. Adding almonds w skin ( 40 to 50 gm/ day ) to a high carbs diet, found to be beneficial in lowering risk of developing heart disease by up to thirty percent.
I wonder if you can increase almond flour ( homemade ) and decrease sooji to create even healthier version of Rava Ladoos since you are expert in modifying and creating recipes keeping health benefits in Mind🩷
Reading the recipe reminded me of my childhood days when my mom used to make rava laddoos. She once made it by roasting dry rava without any shortening (no ghee or oil) or addition of khoya or nuts for a family member who was craving for rava laddoos but was on a restricted diet. Even that version tasted good. Will try this version also as this seems to be very authentic.
Thanks for the review, Shashi. This is basically my Mom’s recipe, although I have modified it slightly. She used to roast the coconut during the last 2-3 min of roasting the Rava – this made the Laddoos last a bit longer at room temperature, otherwise they would get moldy in 2-3 days.
However, I always felt that the moistness of the coconut was lost by the roasting, so I experimented a bit and discovered that simmering the fresh coconut in syrup not only helped prevent spoilage, it also kept the coconut moist. So…. I have been doing that for many years. She also never added almond flour/meal. She would add sliced almonds. My kids loved the laddoo, but didn’t like the almond pieces. So I decided to add ground up almonds instead, and guess what? they ate them happily- they didn’t even know there were almonds in there!
Hope you make these and like them – they are my all-time favorite Laddoos!