Til Gur Ladoo

Lots of childhood memories are attach to the festival of Markar Sankrati. As childhood was spend in Maharashtra, all memories are also based from there.  This season was the time of kite flying, crushing glass to make manjaa (sharp thread), kite flights etc. Evening were time for haldi-kunku (literally meaning turmeric and vermillion) where the married women were invited to one house. The lady of the house would apply small bindi’s of haldi and kumkum on every women’s forehead, who is visiting her house and would give handful of goodies which include a peas, ground nuts,  popcorn, and a small utensil (like a steel spoon, steal box, etc). We as kids would accompany our mothers and wait for our turn.  The excitement was all about the gifts which normally was a handkerchief, hairclips, hairbands etc.

 People and traditions were so simple those days.  I miss all of this in today’s metro life.

Finally we were served til gud’s ladoos the highlight of this festival. Small ball made of crushed til and jaggury, with a flavor of cardamom.  The ladoos melted in the month. It felt heavenly. I have tried to make it in a similar ways but no comparison to those maharastrain aunties (kaku).

 Ingredient
White til/ sesame seed – 200gm
Gur/ jaggery – 150gm
Cardamom powder – 1tsp

Method

1.     Roast til it is lightly brown in a low heat. And cool it.
2.     Grate the gur.
3.     In a mixture coarsely grind til and keep adding little gur at a time so that it mixes well.  ( I mix it in a vegetable cutter, it mixes perfectly)
4.     To this add the cardamom powder, mix well.
5.     Take lemon size portion and bind it into small balls.
6.     Make similar ladoo’s with the rest of the mixture
7.     Note: if the mixture is not binding together, you can just heat the mixture and shape it. Don’t over heat the mixture and the jaggury will melt.