Its Makarsankranti, the festival of harvest celebrated by Hindus in India and Nepal. It has a special significance as it marks arrival of Spring in India and it is a traditional event. We celebrate this day by making sweets with Jaggery and Sesame. This tilkoot is made by pounding sesame and mixing it with melted jaggery.
This is a specialty from the states of Bihar and Jharkhand. They are ideal for midnight snacking specially in winters.
Directions:
1. In a flat bottom pan add sesame seeds and roast them on low flame by continuously stirring them.
2. Make sure to keep stirring as they burn very fast and taste not so good. The sesame seeds should be slight golden in colour and will acquire a crunch on getting toasted.
3. Put these sesame seeds in a blender to make a course powder, serving 1/2 cup for mixing later.
4. Pulse the blender for a short duration as longer time will take out the oil from the seeds and it will turn into a thick paste.
5. Cut jaggery into small pieces.
6. Add ghee or clarified butter in a wok.
7. Add jaggery or gur pieces into the melted ghee.
8. As soon as the jaggery melts put the flame off.
9. Add the sesame powder into the melted jaggery and mix evenly.
10. Also add the whole seeds reserved earlier.
11. At this stage act fast and make them into balls using your fist. If the jaggery mixture becomes cold it will be difficult to bring it together. apply ghee on your palms and squeeze the mixture and make it to look like a ball.
11. Serve them at room temperature and store them in an airtight container. Stays good for a very long time.
You can also try Besan Laddoos, Rasgullas and even Sooji Halwa.
[whohit]TilKoot[/whohit]
- 4 cups or 500 gms Sesame seeds
- 500 grams Jaggery
- 2 tsp Ghee or clarified butter
- In a flat bottom pan add sesame seeds and roast them on low flame by continuously stirring them.
- Make sure to keep stirring as they burn very fast and taste not so good. The sesame seeds should be slight golden in colour and will acquire a crunch on getting toasted.
- Put these sesame seeds in a blender to make a course powder, serving 1/2 cup for mixing later.
- Pulse the blender for a short duration as longer time will take out the oil from the seeds and it will turn into a thick paste.
- Cut jaggery into small pieces.
- Add ghee or clarified butter in a wok.
- Add jaggery or gur pieces into the melted ghee.
- As soon as the jaggery melts put the flame off.
- Add the sesame powder into the melted jaggery and mix evenly.
- Also add the whole seeds reserved earlier.
- At this stage act fast and make them into balls using your fist. If the jaggery mixture becomes cold it will be difficult to bring it together. apply ghee on your palms and squeeze the mixture and make it to look like a ball.
- Serve them at room temperature and store them in an airtight container. Stays good for a very long time.