Thala Guli ('tah-lah 'goo lee) ( si, තල ගුලි) also known as ''thala bola'', ''gingelly'' or ''gingili balls'' or rolls, are traditional Sri Lankan sweetmeats, made with sesame seeds, salt and

jaggery Jaggery is a traditional non-centrifugal cane sugar consumed in the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Africa. It is a concentrated product of cane juice and often date or palm sap without separation of the molasses and crystals, and can ...

(palm sugar). Thala means

sesame 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 ...

in Sinhala and guli or boli refers to whether they are made in the shape of a roll/cylinder or a ball/sphere. In northeast Sri Lanka, they are known as ''ellu urundai'' or ''ellurundai'' ( ta, எள்ளுருண்டை) which in

Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia ** Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nati ...

translates as sesame balls.

Ingredients and preparation

;Ingredients Thala Guli is typically prepared from four basic components: white sesame seeds, desiccated coconut, jaggery and salt. Common variations to the traditional recipe include using dates (such as

Medjool The Majhūl date ( - tamar al-majhūl, literally, ''unknown'', from جَهِلَ, ''to not know'') also known as ''Medjool, Medjoul,'' or ''Majhool'', is a large, sweet cultivated variety of date (''Phoenix dactylifera'') from the Tafilalt regio ...

) or peanuts. Where jaggery is unavailable unrefined sugars, such as muscovado sugar can be used as a replacement. ;Preparation Separately dry roast the sesame seeds, and desiccated coconut, until they are golden brown. Grind the sesame seeds with salt in a mortar with a pestle, until the crushed seeds are oily. Grate the jaggery into the mixture and grind. Add the roasted coconut and continue to grind. The mixture is then shaped by hand and molded into small balls or rolls. Warm

kithul treacle ''Caryota urens'' is a species of flowering plant in the palm family, native to Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar and Malaysia (perhaps elsewhere in Indo-Malayan region), where they grow in fields and rainforest clearings, it is regarded as introduced ...

, sesame oil, coconut oil or ground dates are often used as binding agents if the mixture is not pliable enough to form balls or rolls. ;Consumption They can be arranged on a serving plate however they are traditionally wrapped in pieces of white crêpe,

waxed ''Waxed'' is the debut album of the Norwegian rock band BigBang. It was first released in 1995Grønneberg, Anders, ''Dagbladet.no'' (August 12, 2011)- BigBang er mitt liv then reissued in 2002 by Warner Music.''Norsk pop- og rockleksikon'' (2005)B ...

or baking paper with fringes at their ends. The paper is then twisted on either side of the balls or rolls so they look like miniature

bon bon A bonbon is a small chocolate confection. They are usually filled with liqueur or other sweet alcoholic ingredients, and sold wrapped in coloured foil. Ingredients Through the Western world, bonbons are usually small candies but vary by region ...

s or

Christmas cracker Christmas crackers are festive table decorations that make a snapping sound when pulled open, and often contain a small gift, paper hat and a joke. They are part of Christmas celebrations in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Commonwealth countri ...

s. They are served at the end of a meal, or as a snack between meals.

References

{{Sri Lankan cuisine Sri Lankan desserts and sweets Sesame dishes

Ingredients and preparation

See also

References