TIL PAPAD / SESAME SWEET PAPAD

Til papads are made during Sankranti, the harvest festival of Indians.
Varieties of sweets made of groundnuts, sesame and jaggery are made and distributed among friends.

Here I am sharing a recipe of sesame and sugar made in North Indian homes.
These are small sweet crispy discs very simple to make and very tasty and nutritious.


METHOD
2 measures white til/sesame seeds
1 measure sugar

 PREPARATION
Before lighting the stove, grease a rolling pin and board with a little ghee

• In a thick bottomed pan , add a measure of sugar and heat on slow to medium heat.
• When the sugar melts completely, add the til/sesame and mix well to form a ball.
• Transfer the ball to a greased rolling board
• Grease your fingers with a little ghee and give proper shape to the ball  and roll out into thin circular discs. Roll out as thin as possible.
• THIS PROCEDURE HAS TO BE FAST  AS THE SUGAR BEGINS TO HARDEN QUICKLY AS IT STARTS COOLING AND IT CANNOT BE ROLLED  AND YOU WILL BE LEFT WITH A BALL OF TIL AND SUGAR.
• This procedure has to be repeated for making each papad.
• Use small measures of sugar and til/sesame each time to make a papad.
• A small ladle for measurement would be ideal.
• DO NOT ALLOW THE SUGAR TO BECOME BROWN /CARAMELIZE WHILE MELTING. KEEP THE FLAME LOW.

Keep the required amount of til and sugar in two separate bowls
SCRAP THE SPOON CLEAN AFTER MAKING EACH PAPAD AS THE  TIL AND SUGAR MIX WILL STICK TO THE SPOON WHILE MIXING

CUCUMBER IN TIL GRAVY

INGREDIENTS

1 medium sized cucumber
3 tbsp sesame (til) ground to powder
2 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/8 tsp turmeric powder

FOR TEMPERING
2 tsp oil
1/4 tsp cumin (jeera)
1/2 tsp mustard
a pinch oh hing (asafoetida)
1/8 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)

PREPARATION

• Chop the cucumber into cubes.( Do not remove the skin)
• Heat oil in a pan and temper with jeera, mustard and hing.
• Add the chopped cucumber and salt and stir fry for a few secs.
• Add the dry ingredients, mix well and cover a lid and allow to cook on low flame.
• Keep stirring at intervals to avoid the masala from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• (Add a little water if required.)
• Remove from the stove when the cucumber is cooked and oil starts floating on top.
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