Ragi Ladoo (Nachni Laddu)
Soft ragi ladoo made with roasted finger millet flour, jaggery, ghee, peanuts, and sesame. A nourishing nachni laddu for kids, chai time, and festive boxes.
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed pan
- Mixer jar or food processor
- Mixing bowl
- Airtight jar
Ingredients
For the ladoo
- 1 cup ragi flour about 120 g; finger millet / nachni flour
- 2-3 tablespoons ghee divided; plus more only if needed to bind
- 1/4 cup peanuts
- 2-3 tablespoons sesame seeds or 1/4 cup almonds, lightly crushed
- 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut optional
- 1/2-3/4 cup grated jaggery about 80 to 100 g, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder or 3 to 4 green cardamom pods, crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon dry ginger powder optional
- salt optional pinch
Instructions
Roast the ragi flour
- Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons ghee in a heavy pan on low heat. Add the ragi flour and roast for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly, until aromatic and a shade deeper with no raw taste. Tip onto a plate to cool until just warm.
Roast and powder the nuts
- Dry-roast the peanuts until aromatic; cool and remove skins if desired. Lightly roast the sesame seeds and coconut. Cool completely.
- Powder the peanuts, sesame, coconut, and cardamom in a mixer jar to a coarse-fine mix.
Bind and shape
- Add the warm ragi flour and grated jaggery to the jar. Grind until the mix looks moist and clumps when pressed. Transfer to a bowl.
- While warm, roll into ladoo. If crumbly, add 1 teaspoon warm ghee (or a soft date), mix, and reshape.
- Rest 15 to 20 minutes to firm. Store airtight.
Notes
Roast cue: raw ragi tastes dusty and can upset the stomach. Roast until fully cooked.
Binding: shape while warm; rescue crumbly mix with a little warm ghee.
Sprouted ragi flour works the same way as plain flour.
Storage: airtight jar 5 to 7 days at cool room temperature, or refrigerate up to 2 weeks.
Dairy-free: use coconut oil in place of ghee.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!