Winters have already knocked on our doors! And in this chilly weather, our taste buds crave more and more sweets. But if you are a diet conscious person and want to satisfy your cravings, grab some Gajak — a pure winter delicacy for sweet lovers.
Gajak, chikki, or patti is the most famous winter sweet originating from north-central India. It is a dry sweet made of sesame seeds or peanuts and jaggery. The til is cooked in raw sugar syrup and set in thin layers, making it a dessert that can be stored for months. The reason, it is a famous winter sweet is because of its ingredients — sesame seeds, dry fruits and jaggery that keeps one’s body warm and cozy.
There are a variety of these mouth-watering Gajaks of all over India. Here we have listed some of these lip-smacking desserts:
1. Gud-til Gajak: These are the most famous type of Gajak found in winters. The main ingredients used to make this Gajak are sesame seeds and groundnuts which give this sweet treat a great crunch. The taste of Malwa will make you drool over the Gud-Gajak made with jaggery and ghee.
2. Til-revadi Gajak: This variety of Gajak is smaller in size but tastes a little sweeter. Made with white til and jaggery, Til-revadi Gajak is the crunchiest form of Gajak.
3. Khas-Khas Barfi Gajak: Khas Khas Gajak is a unique blend of Gud, Til and Khas Khas. This lends a distinct nutty flavour to the Gajak, giving it a cotton candy texture.
4. Til-Mawa Gajak: This Gajak is the most famous sweet dish for Makar Sankranti and Lohri festivals. Shiny, smooth, and thin textured, this Gajak looks like little biscuits made with roasted and ground til, sugar, mawa, green cardamom powder, pure ghee and milk. The mawa ingredient gives it a royal dessert look too.
5. Dry fruit Gajak: These are the traditional as well as the most commonly found Gajak. The sweet candy is made with jaggery, nuts and seeds. People like various types of roasted-crunchy ingredients in it that includes peanuts, almonds, cashews, sesame seeds, puffed rice, roasted chana dal and dried coconut.
All the above-mentioned Gajaks are one of a kind and most importantly, all variants are gluten-free and vegetarian, with a taste of traditional Indian flavour.
Go and treat yourself to a variety full of Gajaks in the market, before the winter season ends!
