Sunnundalu Recipe with A2 Ghee (Urad Dal Ladoo)
Share
Share
By the Faimly Farm Team · Prep 10 min · Cook 20 min · Makes about 15 · An Andhra-Telangana classic
Sunnundalu (also called Minapa Sunni or urad dal ladoo) is a traditional Andhra and Telangana sweet — roasted urad dal ground fine, mixed with jaggery or sugar, and bound with warm pure ghee into rich, melt-in-the-mouth ladoos. The ghee is what holds them together and gives their signature richness. Here is how.
Ingredients
- 1 cup urad dal (split black gram, skinless)
- 3/4 cup jaggery (grated) or powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup A2 ghee, warm (plus more as needed)
- 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
- 2 tbsp chopped cashews (optional)
Method
1. Roast the dal: dry-roast the urad dal on medium-low, stirring, until golden and aromatic. Cool completely.
2. Grind: grind the roasted dal to a fine flour. If using jaggery or sugar, grind it together with the dal so it is evenly combined.
3. Mix: add cardamom (and ghee-fried cashews if using) to the flour.
4. Bind with ghee: warm the A2 ghee and add it gradually to the flour mixture, mixing, until it just comes together enough to shape. The ghee is the binder here.
5. Shape: while warm, press firmly into round ladoos. If they crumble, add a little more warm ghee.
6. Set: let them firm up; store airtight.
Why Ghee Is the Binder
Sunnundalu has no syrup or milk — warm pure ghee is what binds the roasted dal flour into ladoos and gives them their rich, smooth, melting texture. Too little ghee and they crumble; good A2 ghee makes them perfect.
The Faimly Farm Tip
Bind with warm pure A2 ghee, adding a little extra if the mix is dry. Ours is made from indigenous-cow milk by the traditional bilona method, in small lab-tested batches under our FSSAI licence. Explore our A2 Bilona Cow Ghee or the full A2 Ghee collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sunnundalu?
Sunnundalu is a traditional Andhra-Telangana sweet of roasted urad dal ground fine, sweetened with jaggery or sugar, and bound with warm ghee into ladoos.
Why is ghee important in sunnundalu?
With no syrup or milk, warm ghee is the binder; it holds the dal flour together and gives the ladoos their rich, melting texture.
Jaggery or sugar?
Both are traditional; jaggery gives a deeper flavour and colour, sugar a lighter ladoo.
Why are my ladoos crumbling?
The mix is too dry — add a little more warm ghee and shape while warm.
Which ghee is best?
Pure A2 cow ghee, ideally bilona-made, binds best and gives the richest flavour.
Conclusion
Sunnundalu is Andhra's rich, simple ladoo where ghee does the binding and the magic — roasted urad dal, jaggery, and warm pure ghee pressed into melting sweets. Get the ghee right and you have a traditional treat that keeps for days.
Roll rich sunnundalu. Explore our A2 Ghee collection, try A2 Bilona Cow Ghee, and see our complete guide to cooking with A2 ghee. New customers can use code FIRST10 for 10% off their first order.
Faimly Farm: indigenous A2 milk, traditional bilona batches, lab-tested purity under our FSSAI licence. Learn more about Faimly Farm or contact us.
