Morena gajak
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Thin, brittle sheets of sesame and jaggery, beaten until flaky. The winter sweet of Morena in the Chambal region.
Region: Madhya Pradesh (Morena and Gwalior, Chambal region)Occasion: Winter; Makar SankrantiTime: 1 hourServes: About 500 gVegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 cups white sesame seeds
- 1½ cups grated jaggery
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp ghee, plus extra for greasing
- ½ tsp cardamom powder
Method
- Dry-roast the sesame on low heat until it crackles and turns light golden. Cool and crush half of it coarsely.
- Melt the jaggery with water and ghee in a heavy pan and boil, stirring, until a drop in cold water turns hard and brittle.
- Take off the heat, quickly mix in all the sesame and the cardamom.
- Turn out onto a greased surface. While still warm, roll it out thin with a greased rolling pin. (Traditional makers repeatedly pull and beat the jaggery and sesame with wooden mallets to make it light and layered.)
- Cut into squares while warm and store airtight once cool.
History
Morena is famous across North India for its gajak, made by hand in small workshops in the cold months.
Significance
Sesame and jaggery are eaten in winter for warmth, and gajak is given as a gift around Makar Sankranti and Lohri. Making and selling it is a seasonal livelihood for many families in Morena.