Tilgul Ladoo
A traditional Maharashtrian sweet for Makar Sankranti, these ladoos made from sesame seeds (til) and jaggery (gul) are exchanged with the saying "Tilgul ghya, goad goad bola" (Eat tilgul and speak sweet words).
Ingredients
- 1 cup White sesame seeds (til)
- 1 cup Jaggery, grated or powdered
- 1/4 cup Roasted peanuts, coarsely crushed
- 1/4 cup Dry coconut (kopra), grated
- 1/2 tsp Cardamom powder
- 1 tbsp Ghee
Instructions
- Dry roast the sesame seeds in a pan on low heat until they are light brown and aromatic. Do not over-roast.
- In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat the ghee. Add the jaggery and cook on a low flame until it melts completely.
- Continue to cook the jaggery syrup until it becomes bubbly and slightly thick. To check for consistency, drop a little syrup in a bowl of water; it should form a soft ball.
- Turn off the heat. Quickly add the roasted sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, grated coconut, and cardamom powder.
- Mix everything together very well.
- While the mixture is still hot, grease your palms with ghee or water and start shaping small portions into round ladoos. Be careful as the mixture will be very hot.
- Let the ladoos cool down completely. They will become firm as they cool. Store in an airtight container.