Gram flour and ghee sweets (Besan ladoo)

1. Finely chop the pistachios. Sift the icing sugar so there are no lumps.

2. Melt the ghee over low heat in a heavy-based frying pan and add the gram flour.

3. Toast over low heat, stirring constantly, for 15-20 minutes. At first the mixture is thick and crumbly, then it gradually loosens, becomes runny and turns golden brown, giving off a nutty aroma. Don't rush it: the raw flour taste disappears only with slow toasting.

4. Take off the heat, stir in the cardamom and leave to cool for 10-15 minutes until lukewarm: if it's too hot, the icing sugar will melt and the ladoos will lose their shape.

5. Add the icing sugar and most of the pistachios, mix thoroughly, then shape by hand into 12 equal walnut-sized balls, pressing them firmly together.

6. Decorate the tops with the remaining pistachios and leave to set completely. They keep for one to two weeks in an airtight tin.

Tip: Besan ladoo is the essential sweet of Diwali and other festivals, also taken as a gift to relatives. If the mixture is too crumbly to form balls, add a tablespoon of melted ghee; if it's too soft, put it in the fridge for 10 minutes.