तिळगुळाचे लाडू · Festival cooking
Tilgul Ladoo
Sankranti's sesame-jaggery ladoos — तिळगूळ घ्या, गोड गोड बोला.
Every Makar Sankranti, Maharashtrians press these ladoos into each other's hands with the same words: take this tilgul, and speak sweetly. Sesame for warmth in the coldest month, jaggery to sweeten the words.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Makes
- 12–14 ladoos
Method
Dry-roast the sesame seeds on low heat until they turn pale gold and start to pop. Set them aside to cool.
Melt the ghee in the same pan, add the grated jaggery and stir on low until it melts and froths.
Cook to the soft-ball stage: a drop in cold water should gather into a soft, rollable ball. Stop early for chewier ladoos; go a shade darker for firmer ones.
Off the heat, stir in the sesame, peanuts and cardamom.
When the mixture is just cool enough to handle, grease your palms with ghee and roll it into small, tight ladoos. Work warm — it stiffens as it cools.
आजीचा सल्ला · the kitchen's tip
Roll with greased palms and a bowl of water nearby — the mixture should be as warm as your hands can bear. Wait too long and it sets in the pan.
Traditional uses described here are general knowledge about these foods, not medical advice.
From the shop
The staples this recipe is built on.
गुळाची ढेप · jaggery
Jaggery Block
The classic dhep — solid, golden, made for festival cooking.
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Maharashtra's festival flatbread — chana dal and gur, rolled thin and roasted in ghee.
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Cutting chai the old way — sweetened with gur, warmed with sunth.
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The original golden milk — one pan, ten minutes, real Lakadong depth.