Kadala mittai

 Kadala Mittai (Peanut Chikki) with Jaggery

Ingredients

* 1 cup roasted peanuts (kadala)

* ¾ cup jaggery, grated or powdered

* 2 tbsp water

* ¼ tsp cardamom powder (optional)

* A little ghee for greasing

Method

* Roast the peanuts until crisp. Remove the skin and keep aside.

* Add jaggery and water to a heavy-bottomed pan.

* Heat on medium flame until the jaggery melts completely.

* Strain to remove impurities, if needed.

* Return to the pan and cook until it reaches the hard-ball stage.

* Test by dropping a little syrup into a bowl of cold water. It should harden immediately and crack when pressed.

* Add peanuts and cardamom. Mix quickly.

* Transfer to a greased plate or parchment paper.

* Flatten with a greased spatula and cut into squares while still warm.

Important: The jaggery syrup consistency determines whether the kadala mittai turns crisp or chewy. For crunchy chikki, cook until the

 syrup reaches the hard-crack stage.