Indian Treats; BESAN LADUS

I know I've had Besan Ladus (sometimes spelled ladoo, laddoo or laddu) before, and I don't remember why they didn't impress me all that much but my friend Froggy just made me some VEGAN ones and they were just INSANELY, addictively good!

Oh my GOSH!

I seriously had to restrain myself or I would have eaten W-A-Y too many. I'm not one to worry about calories over much (yes, maybe I should - don't go there) but these things are VERY rich, calorie dense and wicked-good.

Besan Ladus are an Indian treat made from besan flour (garbanzo/chick pea flour) sometimes sesame seeds and traditionally, ghee (butter), but Froggy modified the "traditional" recipe somewhat using coconut oil instead. The results? DEEEEEEEEEEEE-lish!

Besan Ladus:

1 cup besan flour

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup coconut oil or as much as it needs

1/4 tsp. cardamom powder

tiniest pinch of salt

2 Tbsp. coconut milk

2 Tbsp. sesame seeds (optional, but add a toasty crunch)

1. Heat about 1/4 cup coconut oil, add sesame seeds and besan flour. Stir over med heat for a few minutes to toast (or roast) slightly, until you get a good toasty aroma started. Watch it CAREFULLY and do not brown or burn, it should be golden.

2. Keep stirring and add sugar and salt; taste it, add more sugar if you like.

3. When sugar is thoroughly mixed in, add cardamom, stir again and add as much coconut milk, by tbsps, to form a stiff, but stirrable, dough.

Do not add too much milk as laddus will be be sticky when making round balls. Use your judgement.

4. Remove from heat, cool slightly in fridge. When cooled but still pliable, take a Tablespoon-size lump, (or smaller) squish it to form a basic ball shape and then roll in your palms to make a ball like you did with playdough when you were a kid.

Place on a plate, store in fridge if you can stand it...

That's all there is to it! EASY!