Peanut Gajak
Peanut Gajak. This Indian style peanut brittle is a seasonal delicacy in many Indian homes during the winter months. It is delicious and very easy to make at home.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Grated jaggery (I used jaggery powder)
- 1 tsp Ghee + ¼ tsp ghee for greasing a plate
- 1 cup Roasted, unsalted peanuts preferable chopped coarsely
- 1 pinch Salt
Instructions
- Grease the back of a stainless steel plate/ flat pan with ghee or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Heat a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Add 1 tsp ghee, the grated jaggery and 1 tbsp water. Give this a good stir.
- Cook this mixture, stirring continuously for about 8 to 10 minutes, until the jaggery mixture starts to melt, soften and then caramelize. Make sure the heat is not high so that the mixture doesn't burn.
- You must look out for the hard ball stage which is the point where a drop of the jaggery mixture when dropped in cold water sinks and hardens into a toffee.
- Switch off and remove the pan from heat.
- Immediately fold in the roasted peanuts, salt and cardamom powder if using, and stir until combined well.
- Quickly thereafter, transfer this mixture onto the back of the plate or on the parchment paper, and using a rolling pin, roll this to an approximately ¼ inch thickness.
- Let this now set until cool and you can then break into rough shapes using your hand after about an hour.
- You may also cut across the set mixture with a knife or pizza cutter while still warm to allow symmetrical shapes to come out later.
- Store the gajak or brittle in an airtight container.