Text:

“Ladoo is a common household dessert that moms make. Every mom will make it a little bit differently, but its mainly made out of besan (gram flour), sugar, and ghee (butter).”

Background:

My informant told me that he saw the treat as a token from home, since his mom always made it, but he doesn’t know the exact recipe.  He also told me that “ladoo” is a name that is also used to make fun of fat people since the dessert is made into round balls. He used to call another girl on his street ladoo because she was fat.

Context:

Ladoo is a semi-sweet dessert that is made in a lot of Indian households.

Personal Thoughts:

My informant had two more left in a container, so he offered me one for me to taste. I could tell that this dessert meant a lot to him especially now that he was at college and away from home since he rarely got it anymore. My informant’s roommate was also in the room at the time and said that his mom made the same thing too. It tasted semi-sweet, and had a solid, dry, cake texture. I can’t think of any American desserts to compare it to, but I’ve had similar Chinese desserts.