Kite Flying Festival of Gujarat and Chikkis
Kite Flying Festival is grand festival of Gujarat. It falls on 14th January and known as Uttarayan or Makar Sankranti. On this day sky of Gujarat is filled with colorful kites and all gujaratis are found on the roof top/terraces of their houses. It is festival of flying kites very high in the sky, cutting flying kites of others and get together with friends and family. The atmosphere is filled with shouts of “Kaipo j chhe” ( i have cut your flying kite) and “lappete” ( your kite has been cut, you wind your thread on roll).
Other than kites, Uttarayan is also associated with special food preparations like Chikkis and Undhiyu. Chikkis are preparations of jeggary/sugar and sesame seeds/peanuts/mamra (Puffed Rice/ Murmura). Undhiyu is made from mixing different vegetables like special beans, potato, sweet potato, raw bannana, coriander, green garlic and fenugreek leaves together in special spices. Chikkis and Undhiyu are made in every homes of Gujarat on the day of Uttarayan.
In this blog I have shared the recipes of Chikkis.
Tal (Til / Sesame seeds) Chikki
Til / Tal Chikki
Ingredients:
1 Cup Tal ( Sesame Seeds)
1 Cup Sugar
oil to grease
Method:
1. Roast Til in a Pan till it turns golden brown and keep them aside.
2. Heat a pan and add sugar in it. Continuously stir it so that it doesn’t stick. Initially keep the heat flame high. When sugar starts melting, reduce the heat flame. On medium to low flame melt sugar by continuously stirring. When all sugar melted its color will turn brown.
3. Turn off the heat and add Til in melted sugar and mix well.
4. Spread half portion of the mixture on back side of steel plate or on marble/ granite platform or on greased wooden surface.
5. Using roller roll the mixture to thin layer by turning sides.
6. Same way spread the remaining half portion. But before spreading heat mixture again for few seconds until til starts moving. After spreading the mixture to required thin layer and make square cuts using knife when it is hot.
7. When it cool downs and harden, break mixture from previously made cuts.
8. The obtained squares are called Chikkis which are ready to eat.
Mamra (Puffed Rice/Murmura) Chikki
Murmura Chikki / Mamara Chikki
Ingredients:
- 1 table spoon Ghee
- 5 cup Murmura ( Puffed Rice)
- 2 table spoon Oil
- 1 cup Jeggary
Method:
- Roast Mamra for 1 to 2 minutes or until moisture is removed and keep them aside.
- Heat oil and ghee in one pan.
- Add Jeggary in it. Once Jeggary melts, changes color slightly and starts bubbling turn off the heat. (To check Jeggary has been done perfectly take a drop of jeggary in a plate and let it harden. Then drop the hardened jeggary in plate. If it makes sound, your jeggary is done perfectly for chikki.)
- Add Murmura in Jeggary and mix it well for 3 to 4 minutes or untill all Mamara are are covered with Jeggary.
- Evenly Spread the mixture in oil greased plate.
- When the mixture is warm make cuts with knife.
- When it reaches to room temperature break the chikki from the cuts.
Gujarati Recipes 