TIL GUL RECIPE | TILACHE LADU

Tilgul is a colourful sesame candy coated with sesame seeds; in Maharashtra people exchange tilgul on Sankranti, a Hindu festival celebrated on 14 January. The sweet is a mixture of seasame seed (called "Til" in Marathi/Hindi) and jaggery (called "Gul" in Marathi/Hindi) and hence the name. On the Sankranti eve, families serve their guests with Tilgul while saying "Tilgul Ghya ani, goad goad bola" which literally means "Eat Tilgul and talk all sweet".

Since SANKRANTI festival is celebrated in mid winter ideally Tilgul recipe is a combination that helps keep the body warm due to these heat generating ingredients making it a healthy sweet to enjoy.

Laddu made of til (sesame seeds) with jaggery is a speciality of this festival and most popularly made in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. As such sesame seeds are considered to be very auspicious during this festival and the maximum use of sesame seeds is made during this festival. 

For example, bathing with water containing sesame seeds and eating and distributing tilgul (a sweet made from sesame seeds), offering sesame to Brahmans, lighting lamps of sesame oil in a temple of Lord Shiva 


Ingredients:

1/2 kg white sesame seeds,
1/4 kg jaggery (usually jaggery required for Tilgul is stickier than the normal one and called 'chikkicha gul' in Marathi. ),
1/4 cup dry shredded coconut,
1/4 cup peanuts or chana dalia,
1 tsp cardamom powder
2-3 tsp ghee

Method:

1.Roast sesame seeds over medium heat. When they turn slight golden, remove. Roast shredded coconut till light brown. Roast peanuts.

2.Remove the skins of peanuts and crush them into small pieces. Or use chana dalia instead of peanuts.

3.In a clean heavy-bottomed, nonstick pan, heat jaggery over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon ghee into it. After some time, it starts bubbling up and changes to light red.

4.Pour sesame seeds, coconut, peanuts and cardamom powder immediately and mix well. This mixture is little sticky and thick.

5.Rub some ghee to the palm of your hands. When the mixture is still hot, take some in your palm. Roll into 1 inch diameter ball.

6.If the mixture gets cold, heat again to make the rolling easier. Make all the ladoos and let them cool. They turn hard and crisp once cool.
7.Store in an airtight container.



Tip: Increase the amount of jaggery if it is less sweet.