July 22, 2015

Sesame Seed Brittle (Til Chikki)

Ellunda, as it’s called in Kerala, was a staple while I was growing up. It’s not only delicious and easy to make but also has a chock-full of nutrients. It is an excellent source of copper, manganese, calcium, magnesium,phosphorous, iron, zinc, molybdenum, selenium, vitamin B1, and dietary fiber. Just one tablespoon of sesame seeds has 88mg of calcium. Another mineral that it’s high in and has a positive effect on bone mineral density is zinc. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found a clear correlation between low dietary intake of zinc, low blood levels of the trace mineral, and osteoporosis at the hip and spine. And unlike dairy which is acidic, sesame seed is an alkaline food that supports bone and general health. You can read more about how dairy effects our body here.

While table sugar doesn’t contain any vital nutrients, coconut sugar does retain quite a bit of the nutrients found in the coconut palm. Most notable of these are the minerals Iron, Zinc, Calcium and Potassium, along with some short chain fatty acids, polyphenols and antioxidants. It also contains a fiber called Inulin, which may slow down glucose absorption and explain why it has a lower glycemic index than regular table sugar.

I doubt you’ll be able to keep your hands off of these tasty treats, they are truly addictive!

Ingredients

1 cup sesame seeds

3/4 to 1 cup coconut sugar

1 1/2 tbs coconut oil

Directions

Have a greased pan or a pan lined with parchment paper ready before you start.

Lightly toast sesame seeds by placing it in a clean heavy bottomed pan on low heat. Stir frequently to ensure it doesn’t burn. We only want it to turn a light golden color, never red. When you can smell the aroma of the sesame seeds you can transfer it to a bowl and move to the next step because the seeds will continue to cook even after you remove it from the heat.

Now add the coconut oil and the coconut sugar to the pan on low heat and stir for approximately 2 mins.

Take the pan off the heat when the coconut sugar has melted into a thick caramel colored paste.

Now add sesame seeds to this and mix well.

You’ll have to finish the next steps quickly before the mixture cools down and hardens.

Spread mixture on to the parchment paper or a greased pan. You can use a spatula or even a rolling pin, if you like, to flatten mixture. You can even roll them into tiny balls using the palm of your hand.