My mom makes such delicious tilgul vadis, you have no idea. You just cannot eat one, as after finishing the first, you'll feel like having more.
For all those who don't know what a Tilgul Vadi is, I'll explain, don't worry.
Til (pronounced as Teel) are the sesame seeds. And Vadi is a type of sweet made out of these seeds, with jaggery (gul). Some communities in India, including mine, make these sweets today, that is, on Makar Sankranti. As the consumption of sesame seeds generates heat in the body, it is an extremely 'hot' sweet. It is, therefore, made on this day, which lies in January--one of the winter-months in India.
Makar Sankranti usually falls on 14th January, but when it is a leap year, it is on the 15th January, like it is this year.
In Maharashtra, we exchange sweets made out of tilgul and wish each other, "Tilgul ghya, ani god god bola." It translates in English saying, "Take tilgul (sweets) and speak sweetly."
We also make other sweets on this day, including the delicious gul-poli, which my mom made this morning.
Now, let's dig into the recipe of Tilgul Vadis.
Preparation Time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 10-12 mins
Makes: 30 approx
Veg/Non-Veg: Veg
Ingredients:
- Sesame Seeds (Grounded) - 2 Cups
- Groundnut (Crushed) - 1 Cup
- Jaggery - 2 Cups
- Ghee (Unsalted Butter) - 1 tbsp
- Cardamom Powder - 1 tbsp
- Desiccated Coconut - 1 1/2 tbsp
Special Utensils Required:
- Baking Tray
- Vessel
Steps:
1. Roast sesame seeds in a vessel.
2. After they cool down, grind them. The grounded sesame seeds should account to 2 cups.
3. Roast groundnuts. After they cool, crush them. The crushed groundnuts should equal 1 cup.
4. Grate/chop jaggery until it measures 2 cups.
5. Grind cardamom into a powder.
6. Grate dried coconut.
7. In a vessel, put ghee. Melt jaggery in it, but don't let it boil!
8. As soon as it melts, put grounded sesame seeds and crushed groundnuts. Mix.
9. Immediately after mixing, pour the mixture in a greased baking tray.
10. Spread the mixture evenly (like you do while making granola bars).
11. Immediately, garnish it with desiccated coconut (dried grated coconut) and cardamom powder.
12. After it cools/dries, cut the whole mixture into squares. Enjoy; and Tilgul ghya; god god bola!
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