Kateri Halwa/Sankranti Halwa

On Makar Sankranti halwa is given with tilgul. This is a traditional recipe for tilacha halwa. It takes 3-4 hrs to make this halwa.

In Maharashtra jewelry is made using this halwa, known as "Halwayache Dagine". Newly married ladies and new born wear these "Halwayache Dagine" on first Makar Sankranti celebration. Halwa is made on til, rice, muri(murmure) for dagine but to eat "Til Halwa" is generally made as it tastes very good.

Ingredients:

Sugar - 1 Cup

Til (Sesame seeds) - 1 1/2 Tbsp

Milk - 1 Tsp

Method :

1) In a pan take 1/2 cup water and add sugar and milk in it. Let it boil to form the syrup of one string consistency. Milk helps to get white color to sugar syrup. Let the sugar syrup cool for 15 mins and sieve it.

2) Take sesame seeds in heavy broad bottom pan and put on the stove on very low heat. 

Make sure the pan does not have any masala smell. If you have use brass (Pital) pan and if you do not have heavy bottom pan then first put the griddle on stove and on the griddle put a pan.

3) Add half tsp or a drop of sugar syrup in sesame seeds and mix well with hands very carefully.

4) Once the added sugar syrup is dried then add again and mix well.

5) Continue this process for 1 hour.You will observe a sugar coating on sesame seeds.

 Tip : Add 1/2 tsp of sugar syrup at a time do not add more than that initially.

6) Then start adding 1 tsp sugar syrup and mix well.

Tip: Always make sure your hand are clean while making halwa. Also cut your nails before making halwa.

7) Continue adding 1 tsp of sugar syrup for 2 hours.You will observe very little "kante" on sesame seeds.

8) You can continue this process for 30 mins to one hour or till halwa is big enough of size you want. Do not try to make it very big you may loose the "kateri" texture of halwa.

Kateri Halwa

9) You can also add color to sugar syrup to make colored halwa.