Tilgul Ladoo (Sesame Seeds & Jaggery Sweet Balls)

How to make Makar Sankranti Special Tilgul Ladoo, Til aur gur ke ladoo, Til laddu sesame seeds balls, Tilgulche Laddu, Tillache ladoo, Recipe of Soft Til gur Ladu, Sweet Sesame Seeds And Jaggery Balls

Hello Friends,

Happy Makar Sankranti to all. Makar Sankranti is a major harvest festival celebrated in several parts of India from north to south and east to west but named it differently.. Best suited words would be for this day is - one day - many celebrations with different names in different parts of India. 

In the western part of India, it is called as Makar Sankranti.. In South - Pongal, North - Lohri, East - Bihu. Other famous names of this festival are Bhogi, Uttarayan. Bihu is the Festival of Assam. Bhogi (Telugu & Tamil) - First day of the four days of Pongal Festival. Uttarayan and Kites Festival (Gujarat - West part of India), 

Makar Sankranti is also considered as the biggest festival to worship the God of Sun, Lord Vishnu and Goddess Mahalakshmi. On this day, the sun enters the Makar Rashi (Makar Rashi means Capricorn Sign). The word Sankranti means movement of the sun from one zodiac sign to another. So Makar Sankranti literally means movement of the sun into Capricorn.

Tilgud ghya aani goad goad bola“ - accept these sesame and jaggery balls and speak sweet sweet words. This is the way west part of India wishes each other on the marker Sankranti day..

Tilgul Laddoos are the winter charms. As we all know nature is very beautiful and caring and has its own way to keep our body warm during this season, but there are some foods which are highly recommended for this winter season. Sesame seeds and jaggery are on the top of this list. This combination is very much recommended in Ayurveda medicine. Tilgul ladoo is a very popular recipe which is traditionally prepared in India during Makara Sankranti.

Let's get started 
☑ Recipe details

preparation time 30-35 min

Cooking time 10-15 min

Number of ladoos 30-35

Cuisine Indian
Recipe type Festive preparation - Desserts 

Recipe difficulty level medium

☑ Ingredients required 

250 grams soft jaggery (chikki Gur)

250 grams sesame seeds (Til)

100 grams Raw peanuts

50 grams Roasted Chana dal

50 grams poppy seeds (Khus Khus)

40 grams dry coconut / desiccated coconut powder

3tsp cardamom powder

1tsp dry ginger powder

⅓ tsp nutmeg powder (optional) 

1tbsp ghee

☑ Method

♨ Step 1 : Dry roasting 

Dry roast the following ingredients on slow flame. Sesame seeds, Raw peanuts, Roasted Chana dal, desiccated coconut and green Cardamom. Take very good care, follow dry roasting process on slow flame to avoid getting burnt. From the above list raw peanuts take good time compare to other ingredients. Allow them to cool down and keep aside until called for.

♨Step 2.Coarsely Grind or Crush 

Raw peanuts - Remove the skin of peanuts and with the help of rolling pin (Belan) crush them into small pieces.

Roasted Chana dal - crush them into little pieces with the help of rolling pin.

Green Cardamom - combine ½ tsp sugar or roasted Chana dal and green cardamom in a mixer grinding jar and powder it. 

♨ Step 3 Combine all

All of these ingredients are mixed together 

Roasted Sesame seeds
Roasted poppy seeds 
Roastes and crushed Raw peanuts 

 roasted and crushed Chana dal

Roasted desiccated coconut 

Green Cardamom powder

♨ Step 4 Cooking Time 

Greese the heavy bottomed pan. Add jaggery, cook on slow flame till it dissolves completely. Continue stirring in between to avoid sticking to the bottom.. This process will take 8-10 minutes. When it is fully dissolved, then it will start bubbling now add ghee and dry ginger powder. Mix it very well.

Now this level is very important, keep the gas on low flame. You need to check whether jaggery is nicely cooked or not.

Be ready with a small cup filled with cold water. Now throw a tiny drop of jaggery in the cold water, see to it that it should not dissolve in this water. After dropping - if it forms a soft ball, when pressured with thumb and index finger means it is perfectly cooked. If you are looking for hard Tilgul ladoo, then cook this jaggery for more time , and if you want soft tilgul ladoos then without wasting a single second all add the ingredients combined in step no. 3.

The process of mixing need your good efforts.  Switch off the gas stove. This mixture will become very sticky and thick. It is very hot to handle so rub some ghee to the palms of your hands. With the help of two tablespoons divide the mix into small portions in a plate or take some mixture in your hands to form a golf size ball.. You have to keep rolling in your palms till all the balls are shaped. You will also observe the mixture gets cool down and it becomes very difficult to roll. Don't worry as for this you need to reheat again and again as this is very normal when making tilgul Ladoo.

After ladoo preparation, allow it to cool down. They will become hard and crispy once cool down. Store them in an air tight container. Your ladoos are ready. You can store for up to 2 weeks time in an airtight container.

☑ Notes

♨ Ladoo making simple rules

Nicely cooked jaggery + immediately adding mixed ingredients means soft, crisp and chewable balls.

Nicely cooked Jaggery + cooking jaggery for some more time on high flame means hard and more crispy ladoos.