motichoor

Motichoor is a traditional Indian sweet made from extremely small fried gram flour droplets, known as boondi, that are briefly soaked in sugar syrup and gathered into pearl-like beads. The finished product is typically orange or yellow in color, owing to saffron or food coloring, and is valued for its delicate, melt-in-the-mouth texture and fragrant aroma from cardamom and saffron.

Motichoor is commonly eaten on its own or used to make motichoor laddu, a variation where the pearls are ground and mixed with khoya (milk solids) and nuts to form round sweets. Preparation involves whisking a gram flour batter, dropping droplets into hot oil or ghee to form tiny boondi, frying until crisp, and then briefly soaking the droplets in warm sugar syrup flavored with cardamom and saffron. The syrup-coated boondi is cooled; in laddus, it may be crumbled and combined with khoya before shaping.

Regional presence and cultural role: Motichoor is popular in North Indian and Gujarati cuisine and is a common feature of festive meals, weddings, and temple offerings (prasadam). It is widely available in Indian sweet shops across the country and among diaspora communities.

Name and variants: The name derives from moti (pearl) and chur (crumb or piece), reflecting the bead-like pearls of the sweet. A common variant is motichoor laddu, which can be enhanced with chopped nuts or dried fruits.

Storage and notes: Store in an airtight container away from moisture. Laddus made with khoya may have a shorter shelf life. The dish is gluten-free, though cross-contamination can occur in manufacturing.