Election times in India are also Laddoo Times.
Politics and laddoos have always gone together. And laddoos really come into their own post chunavs.
Hundreds and hundreds of kilos -- 'quintals' -- of laddoos are purchased in preparation for an electoral win by the triumphant party (mostly the BJP these days) and distributed among supporters to celebrate the joy of the moment.
Pedhas figure too in these dance-in-the street victory parades and election results watch parties. Sometimes jalebis. Or barfi. Maybe even cake -- massive motichoor cakes came out when the BJP won the Lok Sabha elections in 2019; So did pink-and-green, lotus-shaped pista-badam sweets.
Regional sweets are often chosen too. Like in Maharashtra, modaks are batao-ed. Party symbol-embossed sondesh is the preferred nirbachoni or poll misthi in Bengal. In the South, Mysore pak is a celebratory sweet.
Salty items can also be passed around -- samosas, vada pav etc.
But these are all less common and mostly tonnes of laddoos rule the roost -- usually Motichoor Laddoos, also called Boondi Laddoos.
Let's take this opportunity to make laddoos! Presenting 7 recipes...
1. Motichoor Ladoos
At any Indian festivities these beloved orange sugary delights unfailingly appear in Indian homes. Made from ghee, besan, chasni, nuts, cardamom, saffron, Jofy Abraham shares a recipe.
Please find the recipe here: Motichoor Ladoos
2. Malai Laddoos
Taruna Deepak's creamy laddoos are wonderfully soft, with a silky finish -- they simply melt in the mouth. Taruna says the recipe, which calls for cream, paneer, condensed milk, needs barely 10 minutes to prepare and can easily be made the day before you plan to serve them.
Please find the recipe here: Malai Laddoos
3. Dry Fruit Laddoos
These laddoos brim with the lush flavours of a selection dried fruits and nuts. San Francisco–based Swathi Kamath brings you her much-loved, fool-proof recipe.
Please find the recipe here: Dry Fruit Laddoos
4. Rice Laddoos
We’ve all grown up hearing about laddoos made from nuts, dates, raisins, besan and rava. But could you ever imagine that laddoos made from rice might be wonderfully tasty. Jayanti Soni offers her recipe for this treat which contain ghee, nuts, rice flour and saffron and elaichi.
Please find the recipe here: Rice Laddoos
5. Oatmeal Laddoos
On the hunt for a wholesome, no-sugar laddoo? Try these little energy bombs by Sunita Harisinghani, packed with almonds, dates, milk, ghee.
Please find the recipe here: Oatmeal Laddoos
6. Besan Laddoos
Another timeless Indian sweet, who can resist a golden chickpea flour laddoo, with its nutty-ish ghee taste? It can perk up an ordinary day.
Please find the recipe here: Besan Laddoos
7. Coconut Laddoos
The marriage of milk and fresh coconut produces an utterly irresistible laddoo. Gently heated over low heat, the sugar and milk gradually melt into the coconut. Recipe courtesy by Shikha Goel.
Please find the recipe here: Coconut Laddoos
© 2025