Sesame Date Ladoo
Til ladoo turns up in Indian kitchens at midwinter, sesame and jaggery pressed into balls to mark the turn of the sun. This version keeps the toasted sesame, which is the entire flavor, and swaps the jaggery for Medjool dates. The dates bring their own caramel and enough stickiness to bind, so nothing else is needed to hold the ball together. Toast the sesame carefully and stop the moment it smells nutty.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Sesame seeds
- 10 Medjool dates, pitted
- 1/2 tsp Green cardamom, ground
- 2 tbsp Ground flaxseed
Method
- Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until they turn gold and start to pop and smell nutty, about 3 minutes. Watch them closely: sesame goes from toasted to burnt in seconds. Set aside 2 tablespoons of whole seeds for rolling.
- If the dates are stiff, warm them in a bowl over the hot pan for a minute so they turn soft and pliable. Soft dates blend; dry ones stay gritty.
- Grind the remaining toasted sesame in a spice grinder or mortar until coarse and oily, not powder. Add the dates, cardamom, and ground flaxseed and grind or pound until it clumps into a sticky mass. The oil the sesame releases is what binds the ball.
- Pinch off tablespoon-size pieces and press each firmly between your palms, then roll into a ball. If it will not hold, work in one more soft date.
- Roll each ball in the reserved whole sesame. Rest them 10 minutes to firm up. They keep in a tin for two weeks and travel without a crumb.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 90 calories, 2 g protein, 2 g fiber, 5 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
