Pure Babool Gond 100g

Gond laddoo is what north Indian households make when the weather turns. Babool gond is the ingredient that makes it a gond laddoo rather than just a sweet.

Ours is pure edible gum from the babool tree, Acacia nilotica, cleaned and sorted.

What Babool Gond Is

Babool gond is the hardened sap of the acacia. The bark is cut, sap seeps out and dries into hard amber-coloured lumps, which are collected and cleaned by hand.

It is warming, which is the opposite of gond katira, and this is why it belongs to winter.

Traditional Uses

Winter strength

Babool gond's central traditional use. Gond laddoos are made at the start of winter and eaten through the cold months to build and hold strength.

Bones and joints

Traditionally given to support the bones and joints, particularly for older people and through cold weather.

After childbirth

Gond laddoo is one of the oldest post-natal foods in north India, made for new mothers to help them recover strength.

Warming the body

Classed as heating, which is why it is not taken in summer.

How to Fry It — the Step People Get Wrong

Babool gond must be fried before eating. Raw gond is hard, unpleasant and difficult to digest. Fried properly it puffs up into a light, crisp white ball.

1. Heat ghee in a heavy pan on a low flame. Low is not optional
2. Add a few pieces of gond at a time — never a whole handful
3. They will puff and turn white within seconds
4. Lift them out as soon as they puff
5. Cool, then crush lightly

Too hot and the gond browns outside while staying hard inside. Low flame, small batches, and take them out the moment they puff. That is the whole technique.

Gond Laddoo

• 100g babool gond
• 250g whole wheat flour
• 200g ghee
• 200g jaggery or gud, grated
• 100g mixed nuts — almonds, cashews, makhana
• Cardamom, dry ginger powder

1. Fry the gond in ghee as above. Set aside and crush
2. In the same ghee, roast the wheat flour on a low flame until it smells nutty and turns golden. This takes 15-20 minutes and cannot be rushed
3. Roast the nuts, chop them
4. Take the pan off the heat. Let it cool slightly, then mix in the jaggery
5. Add the crushed gond, nuts, cardamom and dry ginger
6. Shape into laddoos while still warm

Keeps for a month in an airtight tin.

How Much

As laddoo	One laddoo a day, usually in the morning
Season	Winter. It is heating
With	Warm milk is traditional

Gond Katira or Babool Gond?

Different trees, opposite effects, opposite seasons.

	Babool Gond	Gond Katira
Source	Acacia tree	Astragalus shrub
Effect	Warming	Cooling
Season	Winter	Summer
Use	Fried in ghee, made into laddoo	Soaked into cold drinks
In water	Dissolves	Swells into a jelly

For the summer one, see our Gond Katira.

How to Tell Good Babool Gond

• Pale amber to light brown lumps, fairly clear
• Hard and glassy, breaks with a snap
• Puffs up white and crisp when fried. This is the real test
• Clean, with no bark or grit
• Edible grade. Industrial acacia gum is a different product

Who Should Be Careful

• It is heating, so not suitable in summer or for anyone who runs hot
• Gond laddoo is rich in ghee and jaggery — worth knowing if you watch your intake
• Pregnant women and new mothers should ask a doctor first, despite its traditional post-natal use
• Drink water alongside it

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I eat it raw?
No. It must be fried in ghee first.

Why did my gond go brown instead of puffing?
The ghee was too hot. Low flame, small batches.

Can I fry it in oil instead of ghee?
It works, but ghee is traditional and tastes considerably better.

How long do fried gond pieces keep?
A week in an airtight jar, though they are best used the same day.

Is this the same as the gond in gond katira?
No. Different tree, opposite effect, opposite season.

Product Information

Net Weight: 100 g
Ingredients: 100% pure edible Babool gum (Acacia nilotica). No fillers, no preservatives, no added colour or fragrance.
FSSAI Licence No. (Manufacturer): 12223027000989
FSSAI Licence No. (Marketer): 22226112000739
Shelf Life: 24 months from the date of packing
Storage: Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Close the pack tightly after every use. Use a dry spoon.
Country of Origin: India

Marketed by: Ayurveda Amrita
FSSAI Licence No.: 22226112000739

This is a food product, not a medicine. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Consult a qualified doctor before starting any supplement, particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking prescription medication.