Pasi paruppu laddu needs just 3 main ingredients - moong dal, brown sugar (jaggery), and ghee (nei). We can add nuts and cardamom for flavoring. This moong dal ladoo is kind of a healthier dessert that we can enjoy guilt-free. Lately, I have been making quite a few ladoo recipes. And when I was deciding what else I can make to add to my list, I realized that I have quite a variety. If you are looking for more ladoo recipes, check these out Rava urundai / rava ladoo Tilgul ladoo / sesame seed laddu. Traditional Boondi ladoo Coconut ladoo Besan ladoo / Pinni Policha ladoo / ladoo made with leftover roti Ladoos are easy to make and perfect for distribution. Indian cuisine has tons of ladoo recipes that are unique to every state. This Payatham urundai is a traditional recipe from Tamil Nadu and a kind of forgotten recipe as well. I have vague memories of eating it back in our village when my patti made it. It’s been a very long time since I tasted this Nei Urundai (another name for this payatham urundai) and I was excited to make this. I made it first during Diwali and ever since then, I have made it thrice already. Pasi paruppu laddu is also protein rich and it is a wonderful choice as after school snack.
Ingredients and substitutes
Check the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact measurements and printable detailed recipes.
Moong dal / payatham paruppu - We will be using split yellow moong dal to make this ladoo.
Brown sugar or jaggery - I have used brown sugar to make my nei urundais as it is convenient. If you only have jaggery, grate it and use it in the recipe. We can also make it with powdered sugar, but the color and taste of the ladoo will be different.
Ghee or Nei - This is the component that binds the ladoo together. We will also be frying the nuts in the ghee.
Cashewnut - I have used broken and roasted cashews in my moong dal ladoo. It is optional but nuts add a crunch to the ladoo. We can also use almonds instead.
Cardamom powder - This is for the added flavor.
Step-by-step process
The first and foremost important step in making payatham urundai is to roast the moong dal / pasi paruppu. We have to fry it on medium flame stirring constantly to make sure the lentils don’t burn. Fry the moong dal until it is evenly golden brown (1 & 2). Let the moong dal cool down until just warm to the touch. Add it to the blender jar/mixie jar and grind it until it is finely powdered (3). A high-power blender will be helpful to grind the lentils to a smooth powder. Now add the brown sugar/jaggery to the same jar along with the moong dal powder and grind it once again to combine (4). Heat a small pan and add ghee. When the ghee is hot, add chopped cashews (or almonds) (5). I personally like to chop the nuts into very small pieces as it is easier when forming the ladoo shape. Pour the ground mixture into a wide plate or bowl (6). I love my tambalam that I brought from India this time. It is so convenient to make bakshanam. Add the cardamom powder to the mixture (7). Once the nuts have roasted well, add the ghee and nuts to the ground mixture (8). Do not add all the ghee at once. We may not need all the ghee. Scoop all the nuts out and save some ghee to add later if we have a hard time shaping the ladoo. Mix everything well using your hands (9). If the mixture appears dry, add a little more ghee. I like to make a few ladoos and then add ghee as the flour absorbs the ghee at that point. When the mixture is still warm, start forming tight balls from the mixture (10). Do it when the mixture is still slightly warm as it is easier to form the shape. Enjoy the ladoos.
Expert Tips
Always roast the moong dal on low to medium heat. We want to make sure to get an even roasting on the lentils without burning them. We can use white sugar or powdered sugar instead of jaggery/brown sugar. It is important to grind the jaggery/brown sugar with the moong dal as it helps combine it evenly and thoroughly. Also, the heat from the grinding will make the brown sugar melt lightly and it will help in forming the ladoos. If making a large batch of pasi paruppu ladoo, divide the flour mixture into 2 or 3 parts and add ghee to one part at a time, and form ladoos. This way the rest of the flour won’t absorb the ghee and dry out. Add hot ghee to the moong dal flour/jaggery mixture. This will help combine all the ingredients well and will be helpful in forming the shape.
Storage instructions
What I love about moong dal ladoo is it has a long shelf life. Since there is no milk or any ingredients that will spoil quickly, this payatham urundai can be stored in an airtight container for 2 to 3 weeks. If planning to store it for a longer period, add a little more ghee than mentioned and it will stay moist and not become dry. This is a great choice of Indian sweets to mail. I also love to make a batch of it during our road trips. Back when amma used to send rava urundai, she would make a mixture of powdered rava and sugar and pack it in zip lock bags and send it with me. All I had to do was melt ghee and add to the mixture and make urundai. We can do the same for this nei urundai as well.
Frequently asked questions
More traditional sweets
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