I have an inexplicable penchant for peanuts. I use them liberally for upma, rice preparations, salads and even sweets. I prefer munching on peanut chikkis for evening snacks instead of junk food like chips and crackers. Chikkis are traditional Indian candies made of a variety of ingredients like peanuts, almonds, pistachio, cashews, etc., along with jaggery or sugar. I although prefer jaggery because it is healtheir too. People can also encourage their kids to snack on these healthy candies which provide nutrition and also fill the stomach. My mother always makes a good stock of these and we carry it in our bags/purses to munch on when we feel hungry while travelling. The method of making Peanut chikkis and laddu is the same, the only difference being the shape.
Peanut Chikki & Laddu
Time taken: 20 min
Taste-o-meter: Sweet
Ingredients:
• Roasted peanuts: 1 cup
• Jaggery: 1 cup
• Ghee: 1 tbsp
Method:
• Dissolve the jaggery in little water and remove impurities, if any.
• In a thick-bottomed pan, boil the jaggery on medium heat, till jaggery thickens a bit.
• Once the syrup is ready, add the ghee and roasted peanuts.
• Stir for a minute.
• For the chikki, keep a ghee-greased plate ready.
• Transfer the peanuts to the plate and spread with a rolling pin so that the surface becomes even.
• When it cools a bit, cut into squares.
• For the laddu, apply a little ghee in your hands and make small balls of the peanut mixture.