Til-Gul Ghya, God God Bola

With the new calender year, we look for January 14th, when the first Indian festival of the year is celebrated. Sankrant also known as ‘Makar Sankrant’ (Maharashtra), Pongal (Southeren states), Lohari (Panjab), Bihu (Assam). It is the festival to celebrate the harvest season. This time the Sun enters the Zodiac sign of Capricorn (Makar).

In Maharashtra, we celebrate it by calling married women for Haldi Kumkum, distributing Til Burfi and the tradition is to say ’til gul ghya god god bola’ (please take this sweet and speak sweetly). This sweet can be made in different ways, hard or soft. We prefer the soft version. This is my Mom’s recipe. (she says it is her Mom’s)

Ingredients:

Makes approx. 25 pieces

• Til (Sesame seeds)- 3 cups

• Sugar- 2 1/2 cups

• Water- 3/4 cup+2 tablespoons (if needed)

• Ghee- 2 tablespoons

• Gur (Jaggery)- 1/4 cup

• Cardamom powder- 1/2 teaspoon

• Dessicated coconut- for garnishing

 

Method:

• Take a plate with an edge and grease it with some ghee.

• Dry roast the sesame seeds on medium-low heat will you get the aroma. Keep it aside and let it cool down then coarsely grind it. Add cardamom powder to it.

• In a kadhai/pan/wok, put ghee. Add sugar, water and jaggery. Sugar and jaggery will start melting.

 

• Within couple of minutes, the liquid will start bubbling and foaming. Take one drop on the syrup ad drop it on  a plate, if it doesn’t spread that means you are ready to add the sesame powder. Keep on stirring.

 

• After some time, it will start leaving the side. Turn off the heat.

 

• Transfer it to the greased plate. Gently press it with your palm or grease the bottom of a bowl, pat this hot mixture and even it out into the plate.

• Garnish it with coconut while its warm. Pat it again using the bowl.

• After it cools a little, cut it into square. Wait until it cools down completely before you take out the pieces.

ENJOY!!