Til laddoo season commences next week with Makar Sankranti around the corner. Keep aside some sesame blend into a chutney, make a cake or create sesame salt. For the salt, powder lightly roasted sesame, add sea salt and sprinkle over soups, salads and noodles. For the rest, here are recipes—and ideas—to use this wonderfully versatile ingredient in your cooking.
A nutty chutney
With fresh coriander, juice of a full lime and umami-rich asafoetida, this sesame chutney is pure genius. Enjoy it with dosas, chilas and a whole range of snacks.
A crunchy toast
A lightly fried toast with vegetables and topped with sesame adds layers of texture to a simple snack. Chef Ranveer Brar mixes sesame with ketchup as an accompaniment to demonstrate how simple pantry essentials can be elevated with clever tweaks.
For rice fans
Just as tamarind and lemon, sesame can be added to rice for a wholesome dish. It's especially healthy for those on a gluten-free diet. All one needs is a podi-style powder mixed with sesame and then combined with steamed rice. You can also use the powder to sprinkle over fluffy ghee idlis, uttapams or serve along with dosas.
A no-bake cheesecake
Almost all good things can be put into cake. This recipe qualifies as weekend indulgence when you have free time and the yearning to make something special. Make it fancy with sesame brittle which can be stored to garnish desserts or roughly crushed and added to salads.
And the award goes to…
Til chikki! It is the precursor to brittles—well, almost—and this list would have been incomplete without a recipe of this beloved Makar Sankranti speciality. For the perfect crunchy texture, don't use premium or organic jaggery. Find locally available hard and chunky variety or visit a trusted grocery store and ask for chikki gud.
