Chef
Tilgul is an Indian sweet made from sesame seeds and other ingredients that is traditionally shared on the eve of Makar Sankranti, a festival on January 14 that marks the beginning of the harvest season. Indians offer tilgul to relatives, friends and neighbors while saying: “Tilgul ghiya ghiya goad ball”, which loosely translated means “Eat this tilgul and share sweet talk”. Also called the Kite Festival, Makar Sankranti represents one of the few Indian events celebrated on a particular day of the year.
Sesame seeds represent a common herb during many Indian festivals and give the treat a crunchy texture. The seeds are roasted in a hot skillet over low heat until golden brown. Coconut and crushed peanuts are also browned separately to make tilgul. One form of sugar, called brown sugar, is melted before the ghee is added.
Jaggery comes from the concentrated juice of unrefined sugarcane with the molasses still intact. It can also be made from the sap of date palms, coconut palms, and sago. This dark brown sweetener tastes similar to brown sugar but retains iron, vitamins, and minerals.
Ghee is clarified butter free from solid particles of milk and water. Cooks use this fat as a common ingredient in many recipes in Asia and India. The yogurt curd butter is heated and constantly stirred until the water evaporates. The Ghee is then strained through a muslin cloth to remove any remaining sediment. It can be made with cow, goat, sheep or buffalo milk.
Indian cooks spread ghee on their hands to form balls of tilgul. The mixture hardens quickly and may need to be reheated when making this candy. The combination of ingredients leaves an unmistakable flavor when eating this crispy delicacy.
Sesame seeds thrive in hot weather and add a nutty flavor to many foods. The black, red, or yellow seeds often appear in breads, but can also be added to stir-fried vegetables or pasta dishes. A paste containing sesame seeds can be made with mayonnaise and used with tuna or poultry. In India, these seeds are essential for making tilgul and sauces.
Tilgul served during the Makar Sankranti festival, marked by the sun rising from the Tropic of Cancer and entering Capricorn, is an example of the prominence of sesame seeds during Indian celebrations. These seeds are added to bath water or placed on the head to erase sins. Certain rituals during the festival offer sesame seeds to deceased ancestors, sometimes by burning them or burning sesame oil. Many Indians believe that eating this sweet and other foods containing this herb can lead to spiritual development.