Laddoo by Madhu and her mother

Here, two warrior generations of empowered women, Madhu and her mother, use their hands to make Flaxseed and Wheat Flour Laddoo, a South Asian specialty loaded with nutrition and power. My mom is making Laddoo for me, and I am giving her a hand in the making process. I wanted to include her because we have been talking about intergenerational knowledge and how traditions are passed down, in our workshops. Flax seeds are packed with nutrients. With taste and nutrients combined together, Alsi Laddoo is a winter delicacy in our motherland, India. Flaxseeds have been used in Indian cuisine for centuries. You can eat these delicious Laddoos in the morning with a cup of Chai or coffee, and you can also enjoy them as a dessert. This recipe has been passed down from mothers to daughters for many generations in my family, hence it came down to me from my mom. I am continuing to make it, and I will pass this recipe on to my daughter. To me, this traditional recipe is full of love, emotion, sentiments and provides immense comfort and energy. I feel very lucky and blessed that I am making this recipe with my mother at this time, and it is such a joy to be able to share this recipe with you all. Here we go. Let’s learn how to make Laddoo. ~Madhu

• 2 cups of wholewheat flour

• ¾ cup of flaxseeds

• 1 cup of almonds, 1 cup of walnuts, 1 cup of lotus seeds

• 1 cup of lotus seeds

• 2 tbsp of dry ginger powder, ½ tbsp of cardamom powder

• 1 cup of pitted dates, ½ cup of raisins

• ½ cup of sesame seeds, ½ cup of dried coconut, ½ cup of pumpkin seeds, ½ cup of sunflower seeds

• ½ cup of edible gum

• 2 cups of jaggery

• ¾ cup of Desi Ghee (clarified butter)

• Roast flax seeds on low flame for about 5 mins, or until you hear a crackling sound

• Let them cool, then grind into a coarse powder and keep it aside

• Dry roast the wholewheat flour on low flame for 10 mins or more until it turns golden brown and emits a nutty aroma. Set aside.

• Once cooked, keep it aside to cool.

Notes: It takes time to cook wholewheat flour.

Notes: There are no hard and fast rules in this recipe. You may skip certain ingredients, change the quantity of the nuts and/or add any other ingredient depending upon your dietary restrictions or requirements. Preferably, use heavy iron pan to cook these ingredients.

• Dry roast almonds, walnuts, pistachio separately on slow flame or roast them in ghee or in the oven (keep them aside to cool)

• Fry the edible gum, little by little, in 2 tbsp of ghee

• Stir continuously until the gum puffs up

• Roast lotus seeds on low flame until they are crisp and break easily

• Chop the pitted dates into small pieces

• Now, roast sesame seeds, dry coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds on low flame

• Mix the wheat flour, seeds and nuts mixture thoroughly with your hands

• Heat ghee on low flame in a pan, and add jaggery

• Allow the jaggery to dissolve completely or until it attains a syrupy consistency

• Turn off the flame and add cardamom and dry ginger powder

• Mix the jaggery syrup into the flour, seeds and nuts mixture and quickly mold the Laddoos in your hands in the shape of golf sized balls

• Grind flax seeds and roast them again, adding a little desi ghee if you wish to

• You may rub some desi ghee on your palms while shaping the Laddoos

• Add the flax seeds to the cooked wheat flour

• Coarse grind all the nuts and add them to the mix as well

• Store the rest in an air-tight container

Notes: If needed, heat the mixture on a low flame or add some melted jaggery to retain consistency. Serve some right away

The test to know when your batter is ready, is to stick your wooden spoon into the centre and push it up and down. If the spoon stands still, that means your batter is ready. This is the test our grandmothers and mothers taught us.