Til we eat again

Black sesame laddoos by Nair

One of the oldest oilseeds known to humanity, sesame or til is not only integral to Makar Sankranti celebrations across several communities in India, but is also a favourite with grandmothers. Reason? Considered an auspicious ingredient in Hindu mythology that's blessed by the gods themselves, til is packed with the goodness of healthy fats, magnesium, phosphorous, fibre, iron, calcium, proteins and a range of vitamins that help boost good cholesterol, keep you warm in winter, regulate blood pressure levels, and aid digestion, among other benefits. The diverse ingredient also finds its way into parathas, rice, gajaks, the Keralite aval and chutneys, among other festive fares prepared to celebrate the shift in the sun's position at this time of the year. As Marathi aunties egg you on to have one more of the ubiquitous tilgul laddoos by saying, "Tilgul ghya, goad goad bola [eat tilgul and speak sweetly]," chefs from different communities share with us their memories of harvest festivals, and til treats they grew up eating.

Meethe chawal

Aaichi laddoos
For chef and F&B consultant Amit Puri, memories of Sankranti are tied to his neighbourhood aunty, who he called aai, and her tilgul laddoos. "While tilgul laddoo was my favourite, we never made it at home. I used to eagerly look forward to the laddoos made by aai. The laddoos were so soft, they used to melt in my mouth. They would get over in a jiffy, so aai would send over a big container of them," the director at Ignite Foods shares.

Til paratha by Puri

Apart from all the kite-flying he indulged in, Puri reminisces that to mark the Punjabi festival of Lohri, which is usually a day before sankranti, his grandmother used to send over the traditional sweet chikki, gajak, rewdi and til laddoos, along with sarson da saag, makki di roti and mooli.

Chef Amit Puri

"My mother, on the other hand, used to make us til-gurwala paratha - prepared with whole wheat flour, toasted sesame, nutmeg, jaggery, ghee and cardamom powder - and meethe tilwale chawal made with caramelised jaggery and nuts," he adds.

Youthful secret
Growing up, Keralite chef Sara Jacob Nair of NairOnFire remembers being fed tablespoons of til powder daily, grounded out of sesame harvested in a small patch of land outside her maternal grandmother's house in the southern state. Her grandmother used to say that this powder was the secret to staying youthful forever, Nair recollects. "She would pound the til, and couple it with roasted and powdered jaggery and red rice. I didn't know then, but now I understand that til is so good for Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD)," the chef notes.

Sesame chamanthi

Another Malayali favourite is aval - made of soaked red poha, jaggery, and toasted til - she says. "We [Mallus] aren't big on Makar Sankranti, but having lived in Mumbai for so many years, I exchange a savoury til chamanthi or chutney - made with til oil, roasted powdered sesame, shallots, red chillies and coconuts - with my house help while she brings me til laddoos," Nair says.

Sara Jacob

Barfi from nani's bag
Dhani Goregaonkar, co-founder of the farm-to-fork catering service Paisley Experience, tells us that her maternal grandmother, whose family hails from the Kirad community - migrants from Rajasthan - used to always pack a whole lot of her tilachi barfi during her yearly visits around this time of the year. "The kirad community's cuisine has a lot of Rajput influence and Maharashtrian flavours. These barfis are somewhere between the Rajasthani gajak and the Maharashtrian tilachi laddoos in texture and taste," she shares.

Tilachi barfi

Ingredients
>> 500 g white sesame seeds
>> 100 g peanuts >> 25 g almonds >> 25 g cashews >> 1 tsp dry ginger powder >> 1 tsp cardamom powder >> 1/2 tsp nutmeg >> 350 g jaggery

Method
Wash and roast sesame seeds till they're golden brown. Grind into a coarse mixture. Roast nuts and grind into a fine powder. Chop jaggery and melt with a tbsp of water till it starts bubbling. Add the powdered spices, nuts, sesame and stir on a mild flame until thoroughly mixed. Pour into a greased tray and flatten to desired thickness; preferably two to three cms thick. Cut into rectangles while still slightly warm and let it cool.

Smart ways to unwind end of week

Analyse this
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On: January 17, 3 pm
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Eating with purpose
Mindful eating has become the new buzzword in diet circles, but has little to do with counting calories or other types of restrictions. Instead, proponents describe it as simply paying attention to the food you eat. This online course takes you through the basics of this practice.
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Starry nights
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Tuck into a feast
>> NairOnFire for Surya Sankranti Utsavam menu.
Call: 9324059522 to order

>> Lohri special thali at Rummy's Kitchen.
Call: 9769211608 to order

>> Sit in for bhoji pongal lunch at Thangabali, Mahim.
At: Shop 3,4,5, Manmohan Bhavan, Takandas Kataria Marg.
Call: 9321845558

>> Experience pongal thali at The Tanjore Tiffin Room.
At: 12, Union Park, Khar West.
Call: 08047483510