Nei Urundai is a tasty and melt in mouth Indian sweet made using moong dal, sugar, ghee, nuts and flavored with cardamom powder. Nei Urundai is also known as Paasi Paruppu Ladoo. It is one of the traditional South Indian sweets which is made often during special festival time like Diwali, Navratri etc. The taste is rich and full of ghee flavor, and it just melts when you take one bite.
I make Nei Urundai whenever I want something simple but still special. It needs only few basic ingredients from pantry and takes very less time to make. The aroma of roasted dal mixed with hot ghee fills the kitchen and feels so festive. It is one of those sweets which tastes rich but still very light to eat.
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About Nei Urundai
Nei Urundai is a traditional sweet from South India made mainly with roasted moong dal and ghee. "Nei" means ghee in Tamil, and "Urundai" means round ball, so the name perfectly fits this soft and melt in mouth sweet. It is prepared during special functions or even when guests visit home.
The main flavor comes from roasted moong dal which gives a nice nutty aroma and unique taste. When it is powdered and mixed with sugar, ghee and cardamom, the mixture turns soft and smooth that can be shaped easily into ladoos. These ladoos are light in color, delicate in taste and filled with aroma of pure ghee.
There are few variations for Nei Urundai in each home. Some add a small pinch of edible camphor for extra flavor, and few people replaces sugar with jaggery for a more rustic taste and make it more healthy. Either way, the base stays same - roasted moong dal powder mixed with warm ghee. This recipe is very forgiving, even beginners can do it easily without much effort.
I usually makes Nei Urundai during festivals. The smell of roasting moong dal fills the whole house and brings that festive feel. Once you start eating, really it is hard to stop with just one. My family loves this sweet and it disappears so fast every single time.
It is one of the easy ladoo recipes even beginners can try. My mother loves this nei urundai so when ever I make it she feels very happy. It is one of the nutritious and healthy ladoo recipes that you can try.
Nei Urundai Ingredients
- Yellow moong dal - I have used yellow split moong dal, it gives nutty taste and soft texture after roasting. You can use whole moong dal also but the color will be little darker.
- Sugar - I used regular white sugar powdered finely. This adds sweetness and mixes well in to the dish. You can also use jaggery if you wish to.
- Ghee - I used homemade ghee. It gives nice richness and makes the ladoos so soft and melt in mouth. Just add in warm ghee slowly so mixture binds well.
- Cashews broken - I fried cashews in little ghee till golden and added for light crunch. You can also add almonds or skip it..
- Cardamom powder - This gives mild flavor. Use freshly ground powder makes ladoos smell so good.
Why This Recipe Works
- This recipe uses simple ingredients, no fancy items.
- The roasted moong dal gives nutty taste to the ladoos.
- It's rich in ghee but still not heavy, melts instantly in the mouth.
- You can make it easily and quickly, perfect for festive days.
- It stays fresh for long time, good to store and share with friends.
Similar Recipes
How to make Nei Urundai Recipe Step by Step
1.Dry roast moong dal in low medium flame till it turns golden brown, Set aside to cool. In a dry mixer grind it a fine powder.
2.Grind sugar to a fine powder. Now sieve both powdered sugar and moong dal powder once at least to discard the grainy particles. Transfer to a mixing bowl and set aside.
3.In a pan add a teaspoon of ghee and fry the cashews till golden brown. Now heat up ghee just for 2 seconds. In a mixing bowl containing powdered items add ghee fried cashews, cardamom powder and finally add ghee little by little.
4.Mix well with a ladle and add ghee again. Now mix well and let it rest until its warm enough for you to handle with your hands. Then shape them into ladoos.
Store in an airtight container and enjoy your ladoos.
Expert Tips
- Roasting the dal - Roast moong dal slowly on low flame, keep stirring always. It should turn nice golden color and smell nutty, not burnt.
- Powdering - I always sieve both powdered dal and sugar, this helps to remove grainy bits and gives smooth texture.
- Adding ghee - Add warm ghee little by little, mix with spoon and then shape when warm. Adding all at once can make mixture oily.
- Sweetness - If you like sweeter ladoos, you can use equal ratio of dal and sugar. The sweetness in this measure is mild and balanced.
- Storage - Store in airtight box, it keeps good for more than two weeks. The flavor stays same if you keep it in cool place.
Serving and Storage
Serve this as festival sweet or after meal dessert. It goes very well with a cup of filter coffee also. You can make it ahead and store for gifting during special days. Store in clean airtight jar, no need to refrigerate. It stays fresh for around two weeks easily.
FAQS
1.Can I use jaggery?
Yes, you can use jaggery instead for slightly different taste. But use good quality ones.
2.Why my ladoos not holding shape?
Maybe less ghee added or mixture too dry. Add few spoons of warm ghee again and mix, it will come together.
3.Can I roast dal in advance?
Yes, you can roast and store moong dal powder in airtight jar for few days. Just warm slightly before mixing with sugar and ghee.
4.Is Nei Urundai healthy?
It is made from moong dal which is protein rich, and ghee gives good fat. It is healthy when eaten in small quantity.
5.Can I use blender for powdering?
Yes, you can use mixie jar or dry grinder. Just make sure dal is completely cool before grinding or it will turn lumpy.
If you have any more questions about this Nei Urundai Recipe do mail me at sharmispassions@gmail.com. In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube and Twitter .
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📖 Recipe Card
Nei Urundai Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow moong dal
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon melted ghee
- 2 tablespoon cashews broken
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
Instructions
- Dry roast moong dal in low medium flame till it turns golden brown, Set aside to cool. In a dry mixer grind it a fine powder.
- Grind sugar to a fine powder. Now sieve both powdered sugar and moong dal powder once at least to discard the grainy particles. Transfer to a mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a pan add a teaspoon of ghee and fry the cashews till golden brown. Now heat up ghee just for 2 seconds. In a mixing bowl containing powdered items add ghee fried cashews, cardamom powder and finally add ghee little by little.
Notes
- Roasting the dal - Roast moong dal slowly on low flame, keep stirring always. It should turn nice golden color and smell nutty, not burnt.
- Powdering - I always sieve both powdered dal and sugar, this helps to remove grainy bits and gives smooth texture.
- Adding ghee - Add warm ghee little by little, mix with spoon and then shape when warm. Adding all at once can make mixture oily.
- Sweetness - If you like sweeter ladoos, you can use equal ratio of dal and sugar. The sweetness in this measure is mild and balanced.
- Storage - Store in airtight box, it keeps good for more than two weeks. The flavor stays same if you keep it in cool place.
Veena Theagarajan
looks so yummy.. perfect balls
Nivedhanams Sowmya
very festive and delicious!!!
Indu Prakash
Awesome laddus !!
Pavithra
Thanks Sharmi. Made this for Diwali. It came out well but the ladoos weren't soft and smooth like my mom's. Why do you think it is? Thanks a lot.
SHARMILEE J
You should mix well and break the lumps formed before you shape them...this way you will get smooth ladoos....
Pavithra
Thanks for the reply Sharmi. I followed your recipe word for word. Few differences might be I ran the powders in mixie (few pulses) after adding ghee .
Mamatha BR
This is one of my favorite sweets. Which Taste's awesome. Thanks of the tips. One can add dry grated coconut also.
Sakthi
Hi Sharmi, I tried this ladoo and my 5 yr old son liked alot.
Thank you!
Archana
Hi Sharmi,
I want to use store bought moong flour. Do I need to fry the flour before making ladoos? Thanks in advance
SHARMILEE J
Yes roast it for few mins without changing the color....Its its roasted already you don't need to...
Unknown
Can you use icing sugar instead of sugar.
SHARMILEE J
Yes you can try