Maaladu is a popular homemade South Indian laddu recipe, made with split roasted gram flour and only 5 ingredients! This is a super easy Indian sweet recipe for Diwali just like Instant Kesar Peda and Instant Milk Powder Barfi.
Maladu has always been one of my favorite sweets along with Carrot Halwa made with condensed milk, a staple in our home every Diwali thanks to my grandmom and mom. Also known as "Maladoo," it's one of the easiest Indian sweets to prepare, perfect for the festive season.
I've been making this traditional mithai for over 20 years, and it never gets old. My son absolutely loves it, so I always keep a batch in my pantry. With a long shelf life—up to 6 months at room temperature—it's a great sweet to have on hand.
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Why do I love this recipe?
- It’s simple and uses just 5 ingredients.
- Maladu, or Maladoo, has been a favorite homemade treat since my childhood. It’s a classic South Indian sweet that you won’t find in sweet shops, making it extra special to prepare at home.
- It’s ready in just 15 minutes! The entire process is quick and easy, and if you’re making a smaller batch, you can make it in less than 10 minutes too.
- It’s technically a no-cook recipe—especially if you use pre-roasted cashews. But I like to dry roast the fried gram myself for that added depth of flavor.
Ingredients
- Roasted Split Gram / Roasted Chana Dal - also known as Pottukadalai in Tamil, Daria Dal in Hindi. This ingredient is easy to find in Asian grocery stores.
- Sugar - I use granulated sugar for the recipe and it is then powdered fine.
- Cashew nuts - Use unsalted cashew nuts for this sweet recipe. Break them into half and roast them in ghee until golden brown. You can also use Raisins in the recipe if you like.
- Ghee- For best flavors, I highly recommend make ghee at home and use it for making maladoo. The flavors are magical.
- Cardamom - Just a pinch of ground cardamom for flavor.
Tips to make Maladu
- Do not add all the warm ghee in one go. Add 1 ladleful at a time and mix into the flour-sugar mixture.
- If the ladoo is crumbly, add a little more ghee to the mixture. Adding all the ghee may cause the ladoo to be too soft and will not stiffen. So it is essential to check as you make.
- The ladoos will stiffen/ harden after a while. So be patient!
- If you are making large portions of ladoo for festive occasions, divide the mixture into small portions and add warm ghee in batches.
- Dry roasting the fried gram / roasted split gram is an optional step. But it makes all the difference in taste!
- Do not use a plastic bowl to make this ladoo, as the warm ghee can damage the plastic.
- Ue a spatula /spoon to mix the flour, sugar, and ghee in the initial stages. This is because the warm ghee can burn your hand.
How to make Maladu with Step-by-Step Instructions
Preparation Stage - Place the sugar in the blender jar and process till it's fine like powdered sugar. Pass it through the sieve to make sure there are no lumps.
Add the roasted split gram ( pottukadalai or daria dal ) to a pan and dry roast on low flame until it's fragrant. We are not looking to brown the roasted gram. Transfer it to a plate, and allow it to cool down. Once completely cooled, transfer to a blender and powder fine. Pass the powdered roasted gram flour through the sieve and set it aside.
Making of the Ladoo - Now in a large bowl, add the sieved gram flour, powdered sugar, and cardamom powder. Stir to combine.
In the meanwhile, heat ghee in a pan, and add cashew nuts. Roast in low flame until golden. Add it to the flour/ sugar mixture.
Heat the remaining ghee and add it to the mixture with a large ladle. As the ghee is hot, use a spoon to mix well. Now take small portions of the mixture and press gently between your palm. Then roll into a round shape like ladoo.
Repeat this process for the remaining ladoo.
Storing Maladoos
Maladu keep well for up to 6 months in an air-tight container at room temperature.
Recipe FAQ's
Maladu is made with roasted gram dal (pottukadalai), sugar, ghee, and cardamom. Optional add-ins include cashews and raisins.
Traditionally, no, as it contains ghee. However, you can swap ghee with coconut oil or vegan ghee for a vegan version, though it may add a coconut flavor.
Yes, you can replace sugar with powdered jaggery for a richer, more earthy sweetness.
No, Maladu and Besan Laddu are not the same. Maladu is made with roasted gram dal, while Besan Laddu is made with gram flour (besan). They differ in texture and preparation method as well. Maladu is typically lighter and less sticky, while Besan Laddu is more dense and gummy.
Easy Diwali Sweets recipes
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Roasted Split gram Daria Dal / Pottukadalai/ Fried gram
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 1 Cup Ghee
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cardamom
- 10 Cashewnuts
Instructions
- Dry roast the roasted split gram ( pottukadalai) until fragrant and set it aside. Allow it cool down and then transfer it to a blender/ mixer and powder it to a fine powder.
- Grind the Sugar and Cardamom to a powdered consistency.
- Pass the ground split gram flour, sugar and cardamom through a sieve, to ensure there are no lumps.
- Heat 2 tablespoon of ghee and add the cashews. Fry in low flame until golden brown and add it to the bowl with ground roasted gram flour. Mix with spoon.
- Heat the remaining ghee in low flame and add 1 large ladle of ghee at a time to the mixture. Do not be tempted to add all together in one go as the ladoo's will not turn out stiff.
- Take small portions of the mixture and press gently between your palm. Then roll into a round shape like ladoo. If the mixture is too crumbly, add more ghee.
- Repeat the process for ladoo with the remaining mixture.
Notes
- Add warm ghee gradually—1 ladle at a time—into the flour-sugar mixture. This helps you control the consistency.
- If the mixture is too crumbly, add a bit more ghee. Adding all the ghee at once may make the ladoos too soft to set properly.
- Ladoos will firm up as they cool, so give them time to stiffen.
- For larger batches, divide the mixture and add ghee in smaller portions.
- Dry roasting the roasted gram is optional, but it enhances the flavor significantly.
- Avoid plastic bowls, as warm ghee can warp them. Use a spatula to mix initially, as hot ghee can burn your hands.
Valarmathi says
Wow... i love this, looks so yummy.