DS12 · Desserts · Karnataka
Ragi-Peanut-Date Ladoo
Karnataka's nourishing ragi ladoo, made with roasted finger-millet flour, crushed peanuts and dates bound with a little ghee — a children's favourite and a sensible festival sweet.
- Region
- Karnataka
- Diet
- Strictly vegetarian, egg-free
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Time, as written
- Prep 10 min · Cook 15 min · Shape 10 min
- Serves
- 6 (2 ladoos, about 40 g, each; makes 12)
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Status
- Adaptation — dates replace most of the jaggery; milk powder added
- Good for
- Tiffin, travel, festival sweet
Nutrition
Good source| Per serving | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Sat fat | Fibre | Sugars | Added sugar | Protein per 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 ladoos | 200 | 6 g | 25 g | 8 g | 3 g | 4 g | 12 g | 9 g | 3.0 g |
Tier: Good source — the lowest-protein dessert in the chapter, valued for its millet, fibre and calcium rather than its protein. "Added sugar" is from dates. Values checked against IFCT 2017 on 15 Oct 2026.
Values are estimates calculated from the listed ingredients and quantities (IFCT 2017 and product labels), not laboratory measurements. How the numbers were calculated.
Ingredients
Method
Dry-roast ragi flour in a heavy pan on low for 8–10 minutes, stirring constantly, until it smells nutty and darkens slightly. Add 5 g ghee halfway through.
Warm the remaining ghee; add the dates and mash over low heat for 2 minutes until soft and paste-like.
Off the heat, mix the ragi, peanuts, milk powder and cardamom into the dates.
While still warm, press firmly into 12 ladoos of about 20 g each. If they won't hold, add 1 tsp warm milk.
Cool fully before storing.
Protein optimisation
- Where the protein comes from
- Peanuts supply 3.5 g per serving, ragi 1 g, milk powder 1 g.
- Boost
- Replace 30 g of the ragi with 30 g roasted chana powder (+1 g protein per serving), or serve 2 ladoos with a glass of milk (+8 g protein, +145 kcal).
Variations, serving and storage
- Regional
- Traditional ragi unde with jaggery (40 g) and sesame instead of dates and peanuts.
- Substitution
- Jowar or bajra flour for ragi.
- Storage
- 1 week in an airtight box; 2 weeks refrigerated.
- Food safety
- Roast ragi thoroughly — raw ragi flour should not be eaten uncooked.
- Meal prep
- Excellent.
Allergens
Peanuts, milk (ghee, milk powder)
Labels: Good source · High fibre · Soy-free · Whey-free · Gluten-free · Meal-prep friendly