Sesame Seeds and jaggery balls are traditionally prepared in India during Makara Sankranti.
Sankranthi, or Sankranti is a festival that signifies the beginning of the harvest season for the farmers of Indian Sub-Continent. This is a harvest festival celebrated not only all over India but other South East Asian Countries as well.
In Maharashtra people exchange multi-colored tilguls made from til (sesame seeds) and sugar and til-laddus made from til and jaggery. While exchanging tilguls as tokens of goodwill people greet each other saying – ‘til-gul ghya, god god bola’ meaning ‘accept these tilguls and speak sweet words’. The under-lying thought in the exchange of tilguls is to forget the past ill-feelings and hostilities and resolve to speak sweetly and remain friends. (Source:Wiki)
Jaggery is a rich source of iron due to the process involved, using iron utensils. It is considered by some to be a particularly wholesome sugar and, unlike refined sugar, it retains more mineral salts. Moreover, the process does not involve chemical agents. Indian Ayurvedic medicine considers jaggery to be beneficial in treating throat and lung infections (Source:Wiki).
Indira has a wonderful article about Jaggery here
The traditional Til laddoo has jaggery, peanuts and sesame seeds. Addition of flax seeds and nuts is optional. I added it to incorporate more nutrition and power to the traditional laddoo. Also this is a good way to sneak in flax seeds to a laddoo. The taste or flavor does not change by adding any of these ingredients.
The taste of the sesame seeds laddoo is flavorful, but preparing it requires little bit of practice. Please read the Notes (below) before proceeding and take extra caution while making this. The hot jaggery is like a bubbling volcano and any oversight in handling can lead to mishap.
Notes:
- Some people use a special type of sticky jaggery called “Chikki gul” for making these. But I used the regular jaggery found in the Indian stores.
- Even if you require more than 15 laddoos, it is recommended to prepare the laddos in batches. Main reason being that it is difficult to handle a big batch of laddos.
- When the jaggery becomes hot and bubbly (depending on the quality), it behaves like a volcano and a bottom less pitJ. So be prepared to add more sesame seeds or peanuts as required.
- The mixture is very hot to handle, so gather as many people as possible to make the balls. The more the betterJ. Do not forget to grease your palms.
- If the mixture cools down then it is not possible to make it into balls. So reheat the mixture on low flame. The mixture begins to melt and then proceed to make the balls.
- Re-heating the mixture tends to change the sweet taste of jaggery to bitter taste. Hence make this in small batches and do not reheat as far as possible.
- Do not skip the ghee, as it adds flavor and also a shine to the laddoos.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cup sesame seeds (white/brown) (be prepared to add more)
- 1 cup jaggery powdered ( I used the regular one not the sticky one)
- 1/2 cup skinned peanuts
- ½ tsp powdered cardamom
- ¼ cup water
- 1 Tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
- ½ cup flax seeds(optional)
- ¼ cup powdered walnut, almonds (optional)
Yields:
· 15 medium size laddoos
Method:
- Take a heavy bottom pan and roast the sesame seeds over medium heat. Keep mixing well and when it turns light brown, remove and keep aside.
- Roast peanuts and crush into small pieces (slightly powdered texture). Keep aside.
- In that same heavy bottomed pan, boil the water. Then add the jaggery over medium heat and stir.
- After about 5-8 minutes the jaggery dissolves and blends to form a paste.
- After a while, it begins to bubble up and when you pull it up with a ladle (wooden) it forms syrup like consistency.
- Make sure the jaggery does not get burnt. Now add the sesame seeds in small batches, mixing in between.
- Only after the batch is dissolved, add more of the sesame seeds, flax seeds (optional), peanuts, nuts etc. Keep stirring as you go along.
- Add the ghee into it, the mixture at this point is sticky and thick. Finally add the cardamom power.
- Making balls: The mixture is extremely hot. So rub some ghee/oil to the palm of your hands. When the mixture is still hot, take some in the palm of your hands. Roll into ball.
- If it is too hot to handle, pour a ladle full onto a plate, spread it a bit and then take bits of it and roll into a ball.
- Similarly make the laddoos from the remaining mixture and let them cool. Store in an airtight container.
- If the mixture cools down then it is not possible to make it into balls. So reheat the mixture on low flame. The mixture begins to melt and then proceed to make the balls.
temptinf sesame balls..good one!!
Those ladoos are perfect, I only buy the store bought, sure this one is purely heaven!
Laddoo looks yummy. I haven’t eaten these since I was in middle school. Looks perfect!
yummy and nutritious laddos… i just can’t handle the heat. so i am scared to do jaggery syrup based sweets.
yummy laddoos and healthy too…havent eaten them since long time…we usually prepare them during makarsankranti..:)
I remember these so well– never made them, though. They were always delicious, but I remember some that were jawbreakers
Yours look amazing.
i wonder why i never liked these that much..they look delicious!
I haven’t had these for years!! Waaaah Supriya, I want some now… i think that nut powder will taste great, esp. the almond. You made so many? aren’t you giving some away?
my mom used to make these with black sesame seeds. much more nutritious. yours look yummy.
I used to eat chikki back in India.Great job done in shaping the laddoo..They are perfect:)
We can make the same thing with peanuts too, right? I have only had storebought til ladoos
hey those laddoos sure look heavenly………………..
These look amazing and they have that “eat me” look all over them.
I have never made these at home But I really love them esp with til being soo good for health.
Wow yummy laddoos with sesame seeds! Must have tasted heavenly!
That was a really interesting post to read and those look beyond gorgeous!
Wow, my mom used to make these, though am sure this wasn’t the exact recipe!
I should so make these one of these days.
Wow, those are some gorgeous laddus. So tempting. You made them more healthy by adding flax seeds. Great job
Great healthy snack!!
I love sesame-jaggery balls.But I have never tried making them at home.i like the addition of flax seeds and peanuts.Thanks for the recipe!
hey RC my all time fav this is…looks yum..
hey im awaiting ur frnd acceptance in facebook
These look wonderful! My mom loves these guys.
Til laddus (and peanut chikki) is always welcome here. Adding flax seeds is a great idea. Though I’m not sure about the walnuts, how did it taste with the sesame seeds and jaggery?
Btw, I think you mean that ghee is clarified butter?
Aparna, thanks for the comments. I have corrected the Ghee as clarified butter.
I added very little walnuts and that too in powder format. So one can hardly make out the taste. It is healthy too.
wow! the ladoo look awesome …….i will sure use this wonderful receipe thanks 4 it
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