Sesame Jaggery Balls(TiLaa Oondaw)

This easy to make Laddoo/OonDaw is usually prepared for festivals like Sankranti, Ashtami and Ganesh Chaturthi, of course you can enjoy anytime you wish.

Sesame Jaggery Balls (tilaa oonDaw)

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sesame seeds (roasted)

• 1 cup jaggery (I used Swad brand Desi Gur)

• 1/4 cup water

• 1 tbsp cardamom (I add more as I love the flavor)

• 2 tbsps chopped cashews

• 2 tbsps roasted and crushed peanuts (I usually add either 4 tbsps of cashews or 4 tbsps of peanuts, I don’t mix them together)

• 2 tbsps ghee (clarified butter) for greasing hands while making the balls

Steps:

1. Roast the sesame seeds till the seeds start spluttering and you get a nice aroma, and keep aside.

2. In a pan add the jaggery and water and make the syrup.

3. Heat on medium high first and stir well to mix it and melt the jaggery. Let it come to a rolling boil and stir well continuously.

4. Turn heat to low and boil the jaggery syrup further for 5 minutes.

5. To test the syrup for 2 string consistency and doneness, drop a little of the jaggery syrup into a bowl with 1/2 a cup of cold water and try to make a ball. If it comes together and a lump is formed, it is done.

6. Turn off the flame and add in roasted sesame seeds, the chopped nuts and the cardamom powder.

7. Mix well making sure everything combines well.

8. Leave the mixture aside to cool for 5 minutes or till it thickens.

8.Grease hands with little ghee and prepare balls of size of your choice.

9. Enjoy the laddoos or store in an airtight container and enjoy for more than a month.

Notes:

It is crucial that you use the right variety of jaggery. The ones I have used that work, are the Kolhapuri Gur (which is the chikna or chikki gud), Swad (Desi Gur) and i sometimes even use Grandma's Molasses. For this recipe, I used Swad Desi Gur.

A variety of laDDoos can be made with the same jaggery syrup. The procedure remains the same, although you might have to adjust the amount of jaggery for some.

• Cashew nut Balls (laDDoos) you would use 2 cups of chopped nuts, and about a tbsp ghee mixed into the jaggery mixture.

• Peanut Balls (laDDoos) 2 cups of roasted and cut peanuts

• Charmuri (Puffed Rice) Balls, you can use about 3 cups of charmuri

• Coconut Balls (laDDoos) 2 cups of fresh grated coconut

• Ashtami Oondaw made with Laye piTTaw (puffed paddy rice powder), and with boondi (fried besan pearls) or karo (fried besan thick sev)