Date-Sweetened Dry Fruit Ladoo

Name: Date-Sweetened Dry Fruit Ladoo
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 180 g soft unsweetened dates, weighed after pitting; 50 g unsalted almonds; 35 g unsalted shelled pistachios; 1 tbsp white sesame seeds; 1 tbsp flaxseeds; ¼ tsp ground cardamom

मेवे के लड्डू

By Geeta S · 20 min · serves 12

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Dry fruit ladoos studded with chopped nuts and seeds, with bowls of almonds, pistachios and dates behind the plate — Dates give the ladoos their chew, while the nuts stay in small, crunchy pieces.

Close-up of a pile of dry fruit ladoos with visible chopped nuts and seeds on a leaf-patterned plate — Dates give the ladoos their chew, while the nuts stay in small, crunchy pieces.

Soft dates hold these dry fruit ladoos together and give them a chewy centre. Toasted almonds, pistachios, sesame and flax keep each bite crunchy. There’s no sugar syrup to make: the sweetness comes from the dates, which naturally contain sugar. This dish was contributed by Geeta S.; Zaika drafted the method for her review.

Ingredients

180 g soft unsweetened dates, weighed after pitting6⅓ oz soft unsweetened dates, weighed after pitting
50 g unsalted almonds1¾ oz unsalted almonds
35 g unsalted shelled pistachios1¼ oz unsalted shelled pistachios
1 tbsp white sesame seeds1 tbsp white sesame seeds
1 tbsp flaxseeds1 tbsp flaxseeds
¼ tsp ground cardamom¼ tsp ground cardamom

Method

1Toast the almonds and pistachios in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until fragrant. Tip them onto a plate. Toast the sesame and flax in the same pan for about a minute, then let everything cool.
2Chop the toasted nuts finely, leaving a few larger bits for crunch. Pulse the pitted dates in a food processor until they form a sticky paste. If they are firm, warm the chopped dates briefly over low heat to soften them before processing.
3Knead the date paste with the nuts, seeds and cardamom until evenly mixed. Squeeze a small handful to check the bind. If it crumbles, work in another soft date a little at a time.
4Divide the mixture into 12 portions. Squeeze each portion firmly in your palm, then roll it into a ball. Let the ladoos sit for a few minutes before serving so they firm up enough to handle.

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If it goes wrong

Why date and nut ladoos sometimes crumble

The dates need to form a paste that reaches all the chopped nuts. If the dates are dry or the nut pieces are very large, the mixture can break when you roll it. Chop the nuts a little finer and use soft dates for the binder.

Nutrition

Estimated, per serving.

Calories: 95
Protein: 2 g
Carbs: 14 g
Fat: 4 g

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