Makar Sankranti is just around the corner. That reminds me to post this very very special recipe here. I have been thinking about it for a long time. For us, Sankranti was always associated with this very tasty sugar drops – tilgul or kante halvo (Kante – spikes, halvo – halwa, a sweet dish). On Sankranti, we give a handful of this tilgul and sesame laddoo to everyone we meet and tell them “tilgul ghya goaD goaD bola“(take tilgul and talk sweet), which finally evolved into “Take sweet, talk sweet and be sweet” in schools. We take blessings from elders and bless the younger ones.
There was a time when everyone prepared these tilgul at home. Aayi always talked about how my grandmom used to make it at home. These days we get tilgul in market, but they are no where as tasty as the homemade ones. At my native, only a few ladies make these at home now. Last year, I was in India during Sankranti and asked my kaki (My dad’s cousin’s wife) to show me the procedure. She makes such beautiful and very tasty tilgul every year. She was very kind enough to let me take pictures also. It is believed that when tilgul prepared during very cold mornings gives best results, so most of the people make it in the early mornings. But kaki said she makes them when she finds an hour or so free, no matter what time of the day.
I have never attempted this myself. But every year I think about it. May be one of these days I will. Tilgul mostly consists of sugar coated sesame seeds (til), but other nuts/spices like peanuts(groundnuts), fennel seeds(saunf/badishep), cloves, pumpkin seeds, cashews are also added to give that extra taste.
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar (use sugar crystals which gives better results)
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1 cup sesame seeds (til), cashews, fennel seeds(saunf), cloves, pumpkin seeds, cardamom seeds, peanuts(ground nuts) etc
Method:
Sundry sesame seeds (til), cashews, cloves, pumpkin seeds, cardamom seeds, peanuts(ground nuts) for a day to remove any moisture.
Take sugar and water in a pan and bring it to boil. When it starts boiling, take off the heat and sieve it though a thin cloth. You will find some black/gray dirt particles on the cloth.
Take the sugar water and heat again. After few minutes, sieve again. Repeat this 2-3 times till all the dirt particles are gone.
Heat the sugar water again, when it starts boiling, add the milk. Milk will break when you continue heating (desired effect). Sieve it again.
Heat the sugar water again. Put a drop on kitchen counter/plate. If it sits like a drop and does not spread, the sugar syrup is ready to use. Let the syrup cool completely (usually left overnight to cool).
On a very low heat (Usually a coal stove is used, which is kept on a very low heat), take the sesame seeds and other nuts/spices in a thick brass plate. Add one tea spn of syrup on it and start mixing with fingers. Remember, not to use any spoon for mixing. This has to be done by fingers, very carefully, taking care not to break any sugar spikes. If it becomes too hot, take off the heat, keep mixing continuously.
Usually only a few coatings are done each day. So it takes about 4-5 days (or more depending on how much sugar coating is desired) to get the beautiful looking tilgul.
If needed add some color to some part of sugar syrup before using it to coat.
Remember, patience is the key to get beautiful tilgul. Never rush through any steps. Only add a tea spn sugar at a time. You cannot rush the process in any way.
Gosh Shilpa.. this is an art.. I knew it was very difficult to make but had never known the details till i saw these pics.. thanks for sharing.. these are some rare recipes which are almost lost with time.. great that they are documented by you.
Totally agree Prachi. Tilgul making is indeed an art.
Hi Shilpa,
Your website has become a google site for recipes for me. Each time I want to know a recipe, i search “Aayisrecipes” first, and till now I have always got what I had been looking for. Since I am from North Karnataka (and a Maratha too), your recipes are a great help to me. All I can say is thanks a lot 🙂
Thanks for your kind words Kaveri. I love to read that you like my blog. Thank you.
Hey Shilpa,
Thanks a lot for sharing this recipe. I seriously want to try it but wonder if at all I’ll be able to considering the effort n most importantly having a toddler!
But your recipes are of great help always and especially because am a goan.
Thanks
Shveta
Believe it or not, I have the same concern Shveta. But I am going to make it once atleast. Try it when you can.
Thanks for sharing such authentic recipe
Hi Shilpa,
Could you please post the recipe for Belgaum Kunda?
Thanks!
AP
Aparna, I don’t have the recipe as of now. Will try to get it.
Hi Shilpa
I followed your recipe for Tila laddoo…word to word… and they turned out absolutely wonderful. Am so happy. Thank you soooo much.
So glad to know that. Thanks for feedback
Hiii shilpa,
First of all thnx a lot fr sharing konkani traditions n reciepes… being a non konkani who lawfully entered konkani fmly its vry difiicult 2 ask MIL all d time… nw its time 2 impress her by ur blog… 😉
My question fr u is…. is thr any pooja offered on makar sankrati?
As far as I remember, there is no pooja specific to Sankranti
Hi Shilpa, Thanx for the recipe. Today only i asked this recipe from my Aunty and she straight away told me “Bahut mehnat wala kam hai.. Leave it ” . I was disappointed but now getting the recipe here im pleased. Will try my level best to make it n impress my Aunty.
I have 1 question as u said” few coatings are done each day” so every day do i have to make sugar syrup from scratch ? Or i can use the one I prepared beforehand? Pls help. Thanx once again.
You have to make it every day. I think it will solidify otherwise.