Sankranthi is celebrated in different parts of India during the month of January. It is celebrated as Thai Pongal, Makarasankaranthi, Lohri, Baisakhi in different parts of India. When there is a festival being celebrated, food plays an important role to add up the spirit. Every festival is associated with a particular food recipe. In Maharashtra, TIL CHIKKI / TILACHI chikki is made during the Sankranthi festival.
This Tilachi Chikki is made with very simple available ingredients. Sesame Seeds, Jaggery powder, and a little amount of Ghee. This Til chikki is exchanged between family and friends during the Sankranthi festival. This Tikki can also be made with Bengal Gram, peanuts, and other nuts. The key to getting a perfect chikki is to crystallize the jaggery with the right consistency. Chikki can also be had as a nutritious snack for the kids even during normal days. In this recipe, I have provided step by step instruction on preparing this delicious chikki. Do try this tasty chikki for this Sankranthi festival.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat a pan and add a cup of sesame seeds. Roast them in medium flame until the aroma comes and it begins to pop. Transfer it to a plate.
- In the same pan, add a teaspoon of ghee. Let it melt.
- Add one cup of jaggery powder to the ghee. sautee them in a medium flame for about 3 mins until it begins to crystallize.
- Add a spoon of the crystallized jaggery to a cup of water. It will be hard and break when taken out.
- Add the roasted sesame seeds to the crystallized jaggery. Mix them thoroughly.
- Spread them to a thin sheet using a chapati press over parchment paper.
- Slice them into squares while they are still warm. Store them in an airtight box.
Notes
- In this recipe, I have used white sesame seeds. You can replace it with black sesame seeds.
- In case, there is dirt in the sesame seeds, make sure to wash the sesame seeds in running water and dry them in a clean cloth. Then proceed with them as in the recipe.
- Instead of jaggery powder, you can also use white sugar. Bring them to a crystal consistency and make chikkis.