Gajak (also ''gachak'') is a dessert or confection originating in north-central India. It is a dry sweet made of
sesame seeds
Sesame ( or ; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a flowering plant in the genus '' Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cu ...
(''til'') or peanuts and jaggery. The ''til'' is cooked in the raw sugar syrup and set in thin layers, which can be stored for months.
Preparation
Gajak (Hindi: "गजक") is prepared with sesame seeds and jaggery with a method of preparation which is time-consuming. It takes about 10–15 hours to prepare 5–8 kilograms of gajaks. The dough is hammered until all the sesame seeds break down and release their oils into the dough.
One kilogram of gazak requires about one-fourth of jaggery to sesame. Varieties can include dry fruits.
Varieties
Ingredients and shape can vary. By ingredient,
* Gud-til gajak
* Til-revadi gajak
* Khas gajak
* Til-Mawa gajak
See also
*
Chikki
Chikki is a traditional Indian sweet ( brittle) generally made from nuts and jaggery/sugar. There are several different varieties of chikki in addition to the most common groundnut (peanut) chikki. Each variety of chikki is named after the ingr ...
*
List of sesame seed dishes
This is a list of notable sesame seed dishes and foods, which are prepared using sesame, sesame seed as a main ingredient. Sesame seed is a common ingredient in various cuisines, and is used whole in cooking for its rich, nutty flavor. It is also ...
References
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North Indian cuisine
Indian desserts
Confectionery
Sesame dishes