Til Laddu - A Vegan Sweet with a Crunchy Twist

wellhealthorganic.com Til Laddu: Carefully crafted, Til ke laddu is a nutritious and flavorful treat composed of sesame seeds, jaggery, peanuts, and desiccated coconut. This vegan delicacy holds special significance during the Makar Sankranti festival.

Til Laddu

Preparation Time: 12 minutes

Cooking Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Cuisine: Maharashtrian

Course: Sweets

Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegan

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Ingredients:

• ⅓ cup white sesame seeds 
• ¼ cup peanuts
• ¼ cup desiccated coconut
• ½ cup powdered jaggery or grated jaggery (heaped) – 100 grams
• 3 tablespoons water
• ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder (ground cardamom)
• Water or oil for greasing the palms

Also Read: Biscuit Cake

Instructions:

Roasting Ingredients:

1. Heat a kadai or pan over low heat and add the white sesame seeds. Stir occasionally until they pop and change color, about 2 to 3 minutes. Avoid browning them.
2. Transfer the roasted sesame seeds to a plate.
3. Add peanuts to the pan and dry roast them over low heat until crunchy and slightly charred. Set aside to cool.
4. In the same pan, roast the desiccated coconut until light golden. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preparation of Dry Mixture:

1. Once the peanuts have cooled, coarsely crush them using a mortar-pestle or grinder.
2. Combine the crushed peanuts with the roasted sesame seeds and coconut. Add cardamom powder and mix well. Set aside.

Making Jaggery Syrup:

1. In the same pan, add powdered or grated jaggery and water. Heat over low heat, stirring continuously until the jaggery dissolves.
2. Simmer the jaggery and water mixture until it reaches the soft ball stage. To test, drop a bit of the syrup into a bowl of water. It should form a soft ball when removed.

Assembling Til ke Laddu:

1. Once the jaggery syrup reaches the soft ball stage, remove from heat and add the dry mixture. Mix thoroughly.
2. While the mixture is still hot, shape it into laddus using greased palms. If too hot to handle, allow it to cool slightly before shaping.
3. Optionally, use a measuring spoon to scoop out the mixture and form laddus.
4. Store the laddus in an airtight jar at room temperature.

Also Read: Mysore Dosa

Notes:

Soft Ball Consistency: Achieving the soft ball stage is crucial. Stir the jaggery syrup constantly to prevent burning.

Sesame Seeds: Both hulled and unhulled sesame seeds work well. Unhulled seeds may impart a slightly bitter taste, but it balances with the sweetness.

Adjusting Consistency: If the mixture becomes too hard, add water and heat gently to soften. If it doesn't bind, cook the mixture further until it reaches the soft ball stage.

Customization: Peanuts and desiccated coconut can be omitted or replaced according to preference.

Roasting: Ensure sesame seeds and peanuts are toasted until crisp. Skip roasting if using pre-toasted ingredients.

Cardamom Powder: Adds aroma but can be omitted if unavailable.