Til Laddoo & Til Chikki (Sesame and Jaggery Balls and Brittle)

Til Laddoos and Chikki are not just recipes for me. These are a tradition and a very fond memory of growing up. My mother used to make (and still does) these every Sankranti for us. The fragrance would envelope the house and eating the warm chikkis and laddoos was out if the world. I have made just sesame ones but you can make peanut (sing / mungphali), gram (dalia), rice crispy (kurmura) ones with the same procedure as well. The quantity below makes about 15 laddoos or 30 pieces of Chikki.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sesame seeds (250 grams)

1 1/4 cups jaggery, chopped in small pieces

1 teaspoon ghee + 1/2 teaspoon for greasing 

In a thick bottomed wok roast the sesame seeds, while stirring constantly, till they start popping. Remove from vessel and keep aside.

In the same wok, add the ghee and when it melts add the jaggery. Heat the jaggery till it's just melted. Stir while you do this. Now add the roasted sesame seeds and mix with the jaggery. Keep the heat on low. Work quickly while you do this. When it has completely mixed, take it off the heat. 

To make laddoos: 

Let the mixture cool for a minute. Now rub a drop of ghee on your palms and fingers and grab a ball of the mix and shape into a ball. The mixture will be very hot, so work carefully. The ghee prevents the jaggery from sticking to your palms and fingers. Work quickly to form the laddoos. If the mixture cools and you are unable to form laddoos, heat the mixture to make it more workable. Try to reheat as less as possible, as the heat make the laddoos hard. 

To make Chikki: 

Invert a large steel thali or a cookie sheet and grease with ghee. Take a rolling pin and rub it with ghee as well. 

Take the hot mixture and put in onto the greased thali. Roll quickly to form a large sheet, 2-3 mm thick. Shape the sides with hand if they break away. While still hot, cut into squares, diamonds or any shapes you want. Let it cool on the thali itself. When cooled, using a flat spatula, scrape it off the thali and enjoy! 

Notes: 

Use of thick bottomed wok is necessary as it will prevent burning and sticking of ingredients. Wok makes it easier to stir.

Chop the jaggery into small even sized pieces or they will not melt evenly.

The above recipe makes a softer type of laddoo and Chikki. If you want a harder, more crispier type, heat the jaggery for a minute more after it has melted, till it reaches a darker colour. 

Do not use organic jaggery. It will not form Laddoos or Chikki 

Store in an air tight container for 15 days