Navratri evenings in our house usually end the same way: a small steel bowl of something sweet after the farali plate. One year I reached for store-bought rajgira ladoo and they tasted chalky and dry. That was enough to send me back to the kadhai with a bag of puffed amaranth and a block of jaggery.
This batch is my reset: lightly toasted puffed rajgira, warm jaggery syrup, a spoon of ghee, and cardamom, rolled while the mix is still sticky enough to hold. Also called amaranth laddu or ramdana ladoo, they are gluten-free, sattvik, and ready in about 25 minutes. No thermometer heroics. Just one texture cue: when a pinch of the mix holds a pebbled ball and every seed looks glossy, you are done. Let’s make a small batch for fasting days, tea trays, or lunchbox energy bites.
What Is Rajgira?
Rajgira is amaranth: tiny seeds that cook into a soft, almost creamy grain, get milled into flour, or puff into light, popcorn-like beads used in fasting kitchens across India. You will also hear ramdana, and in English, amaranth. Because it is not a cereal grain in the wheat/rice sense, many families treat it as vrat-friendly during Navratri and other fasting days (always follow your own household rules).
This rajgira ladoo recipe uses puffed rajgira for that classic crunchy-chewy, seed-visible texture. Amaranth flour versions exist too (see Notes) when you want a softer, melt-in-the-mouth laddu. For more sabudana and millet fasting meals to round out the plate, see our Navratri vrat recipes.
Why You’ll Love This Rajgira Ladoo
- Fasting-friendly and naturally gluten-free
- One pan for the jaggery syrup, then mix and roll
- Pebbled puffed-amaranth texture you can see in every bite
- Easy to dial sweetness with jaggery
- Stores well in a dabba for several days
From my kitchen: The first batch crumbled because I let the syrup cool too long before mixing. Work while the jaggery is still warm and pourable. If the mix firms up mid-roll, return the pan to low heat for 20-30 seconds. Overcooked syrup turns hard and glassy; you want soft-sticky, not caramel candy.
Nutrition Highlights
Amaranth brings plant protein and minerals (notably iron and magnesium) that vegetarian fasting plates often miss when meals skew toward sabudana and potato. These ladoos are still a sweet treat, but they land as a more nourishing bite than maida-based festival laddus, especially with jaggery and a modest portion size.
How This Rajgira Ladoo Comes Together
- Lightly toast the puffed rajgira so it smells nutty (optional but worth it).
- Melt jaggery with a splash of water and ghee into a soft, sticky syrup.
- Fold in puffed amaranth, cardamom, nuts, and raisins until every seed is coated.
- Shape into ladoos while the mixture is warm.
- Cool fully before storing in an airtight container.
Full measurements and swaps are in the recipe card below. For another fasting plate idea, pair these with jowar sabudana khichdi. If you want a warmer Navratri dessert bowl instead, try easy rice kheer with millet swaps.
Tips for Soft, Binding Rajgira Ladoo
- Keep the heat medium-low when melting jaggery. High heat hardens the syrup fast.
- Grease your palms lightly with ghee before rolling. Dry hands make cracks and sticky fingers.
- If the mix feels dry or won’t hold, splash in 1/2-1 tsp warm ghee or a spoon of warm syrup.
- If it feels too sticky, rest 1-2 minutes or dust with 1 tbsp lightly crushed puffed rajgira.
- Chop nuts small so they nestle into the seeds instead of poking out of the ball.
Rajgira Ladoo (Amaranth Laddu): Easy Vrat Sweet
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed pan or kadhai
- Mixing spoon
- Plate for cooling and shaping
Ingredients
For the ladoos
- 2 cups puffed rajgira (puffed amaranth) about 40-50 g
- 3/4 cup grated jaggery or fine jaggery powder about 120-140 g; adjust to taste
- 2-3 tablespoons ghee plus more for greasing palms
- 1-2 tablespoons water for melting the jaggery
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 2 tablespoons chopped almonds or cashews
- 1 tablespoon raisins optional
- 1-2 tablespoons roasted rajgira flour (amaranth flour) optional, for extra binding
Instructions
Toast the puffed rajgira
- Place a heavy pan on medium-low heat. Add the puffed rajgira and toast 1-2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant. Do not brown. Transfer to a wide bowl.
Make the syrup and shape
- In the same pan, add jaggery, water, and ghee. Melt on medium-low, stirring, until the jaggery dissolves into a soft, sticky syrup (about 3-5 minutes). It should coat the spoon and feel tacky between greased fingers, not hard or stringy.
- Turn off the heat. Immediately add the toasted puffed rajgira, cardamom, nuts, raisins, and optional flour. Fold quickly until every seed looks glossy and coated.
- While still warm, grease your palms with a little ghee and roll into 12 even ladoos. Set on a plate to cool and firm up, about 20-30 minutes.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for the softest bite.
Notes
FAQs
Is rajgira ladoo allowed during Navratri / vrat?
In many households, yes. Rajgira (amaranth) is commonly used in fasting recipes. Rules vary by community and family, so follow what you observe at home.
Can I use sugar instead of jaggery?
Yes. Melt powdered sugar with ghee until just combined, then fold in the puffed rajgira the same way. Jaggery gives deeper color and a stickier coat.
Why are my ladoos falling apart?
Usually the syrup cooled too much or ran too dry. Rewarm briefly, add 1/2 tsp ghee, and shape while warm. Very old, stale puffed rajgira can also refuse to cling.
Rajgira flour or puffed rajgira?
Puffed rajgira gives the pebbled, seed-visible ladoo in this post. Flour makes a softer, denser laddu (see Notes). You can add 1-2 tbsp roasted flour to the puffed mix if you want firmer binding.
How do I store rajgira ladoo?
Airtight at room temperature for 4-5 days in cool weather. In warmer kitchens, refrigerate and take out 15-20 minutes before eating so they soften again.
Can I make these ahead for Navratri?
Yes. Make 1-2 days ahead and store airtight. For longer, refrigerate and refresh at room temperature before serving.
Closing
These rajgira ladoo have become my default fasting sweet when I want something homemade without hovering over a candy thermometer. Pebbled, cardamom-scented, and easy to tuck into a dabba next to the rest of the vrat plate. On non-fasting days, the same roll-and-dabba habit shows up in my classic besan ladoo.
If you try them, tell me: do you lean jaggery or sugar for fasting sweets? Drop a comment below.
Made this? Share a photo and tag @petitepaprika on Instagram. I love seeing your kitchen creations!
