1. Take a thick-bottomed kadai and heat ghee in it. Fry the cashew nuts until light brown over low flame. Drain and transfer to a plate. Fry raisins in the same ghee until they puff up, drain and transfer them to the same plate.
2. Add rava in remaining heated ghee in the same pan.
3. Roast it until its color changes to light brown and fragrant smell starts to come over low flame.
4. Add shredded coconut and mix well.
5. Turn off the flame and transfer to a plate. Allow it to cool at room temperature.
6. Heat water and sugar in the kadai over medium flame and stir continuously until sugar melts into syrup (chashni). Add saffron strands.
7. Cook until it becomes sticky and lightly one string consistency. Do not cook it for long time. (*see tips)
8. To check whether its “one string” consistency or not, put a drop of syrup on a plate or a small bowl and cool it by blowing air on it. Take a pinch of sugar syrup between your thumb and forefinger, pull them apart and check if single strand is formed.
9. Slowly add semolina-shredded coconut mix (prepared in step-3) in syrup and stir continuously to avoid lumps.
10. Turn off the flame. Add cashew nuts, raisins and cardamom powder and mix well. Allow it to cool at room temperature until warm enough to handle. Divide it into 15 equal parts and give them a shape of ball (laddu) with your palms.
11. Rava laddus are ready. Either serve them immediately or store in an airtight container to enjoy it at anytime you like.

How to make Rava Ladoo Without Sugar Syrup

1. Follow the steps (1 to 4) as given above.
2. Add 3/4 cup powdered sugar, cardamom powder and dry fruits; mix and cook for a minute.
3. Add 2-3 tablespoons warm milk in small incremental quantities (start by 1/2 tablespoon) and keep mixing it until ladoo mixture is soft enough to form small balls, it will take around a minute. Turn off the flame.
4. Let the mixture cool for 5-7 minutes and then make small balls from mixture.

• *Make sure, sugar syrup is not cooked for long duration, otherwise mixture turns hard after adding roasted rava and you are not able to make laddus. If it happens, add 2-3 tablespoons of warm milk little by little, mix well and prepare small round shaped laddus from mixture.
• You can avoid coconut if you do not like its flavor.
• Make sure that rava is roasted properly. Improperly roasted rava will make sticky laddus.