Til Ladoo
Sesame jaggery balls — white and black sesame seeds dry-roasted in a heavy pan until they just begin to pop and turn golden, then immediately combined with melted jaggery syrup (cooked to soft-ball stage) and cardamom, and quickly pressed into firm, compact balls while the jaggery is still pliable. The sesame's nutty warmth and slight bitterness against the jaggery's caramel sweetness is the definitive flavour of Makar Sankranti across Maharashtra. The Vidarbha til ladoo uses a higher proportion of black sesame than other regions' versions, giving the ladoo a more intense, roasted flavour and a darker colour. Made exclusively for Sankranti (January 14) when sesame is considered the sacred offering; distributed to neighbours, friends, and family with the traditional greeting 'til-gul ghya, god god bola' (take sesame-jaggery, speak sweetly). Kept for two to three weeks without deteriorating.
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Recipe
Ingredients
| 1 cup | white sesame seeds |
| 1/2 cup | jaggery |
| 2 tablespoons | ghee |
| 1/4 teaspoon | cardamom powder |
| — | water as needed |
Instructions
- 1 Dry roast the sesame seeds in a pan over medium heat until they are golden and aromatic. Set aside to cool.
- 2 Grate or finely chop the jaggery.
- 3 In the same pan, add ghee and melt the jaggery over low heat, stirring continuously until it forms a smooth syrup.
- 4 Add cardamom powder to the jaggery syrup and mix well.
- 5 Add the roasted sesame seeds to the jaggery syrup and mix thoroughly until the seeds are well coated.
- 6 Remove from heat and let the mixture cool slightly, just enough to handle.
- 7 Grease your palms with a little ghee, take small portions of the mixture, and roll them into small balls or ladoos.
- 8 Allow the ladoos to cool completely and set before serving.
Tips
Ensure the jaggery syrup is not overcooked, as it will harden quickly. Work quickly to form the ladoos while the mixture is warm.