Diwali, "the festival of lights," is one of the most important Hindu holidays. Every year it falls on a different date sometime between October and November because the date is calculated based on the Hindu calendar. Diwali is a celebratory time when people light candles and firecrackers, clean and decorate their homes, buy and wear new clothing, buy and give presents, and enjoy feasts of food. Of course, as with all holidays, eating sweets is a big part of celebrating Diwali! This year I decided to take a traditional Indian sweet and put a spin on it with American fall flavors.
Laddoo is a traditional spherical-shaped Indian sweet. Laddoos are generally made of some combination of flour, ghee (butter), and sugar. Often other ingredients are also added to the mixture, such as spices, raisins, and nuts.
One of my favorite types of laddoo is a Besan Laddoo. Besan is flour made from chickpeas (bonus! these laddoos are gluten-free!) which is easily found in any Indian store or most grocery stores. I have very vivid memories of being a little girl and eating besan laddoos made fresh by my mother and grandmother in the dining room of our house; I have always loved the nutty taste and smooth texture of a besan laddoo. In lieu of traditional Indian spices, however, I decided to update the besan laddoo with a beloved American flavor combination--cinnamon and brown sugar!
One of my favorite types of laddoo is a Besan Laddoo. Besan is flour made from chickpeas (bonus! these laddoos are gluten-free!) which is easily found in any Indian store or most grocery stores. I have very vivid memories of being a little girl and eating besan laddoos made fresh by my mother and grandmother in the dining room of our house; I have always loved the nutty taste and smooth texture of a besan laddoo. In lieu of traditional Indian spices, however, I decided to update the besan laddoo with a beloved American flavor combination--cinnamon and brown sugar!
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