Crushed Peanut Chikki – A Sweet and Crunchy Indian Winter Treat, Chikki is a traditional Indian candy made from nuts and jaggery (unrefined cane sugar). One popular type of chikki is made with crushed peanuts, creating a sweet and crunchy treat that is especially popular during the winter months and Makar Sankranti celebrations.
Peanut chikki is made by first dry roasting peanuts until they are crunchy and taking on a deeper flavor. The nuts are husked, then crushed, or pounded to create coarse mixture while still keeping much of the crunch intact. These crushed peanuts are combined in a pan with jaggery that has been melted over low-medium heat until bubbly and allowed to caramelize to create candy. The nut and jaggery mixture is then quickly spread into thin sheets and cut into pieces before it sets.
Peanut chikki is a specialty in the northern and western regions of India, particularly in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh. It’s a common sweet snack found in many homes and markets during cool winter months when appetites tend towards richer and crunchy foods. The combination of crunchy peanuts and sweet jaggery makes for an addictive treat.
Along with being a popular cold weather snack, peanut chikki holds cultural significance as a Makar Sankranti treat. Makar Sankranti marks the first day of the sun’s transition into Capricorn. Family and friends exchange traditional sweets like Til chikki, Til Ke Laddu, during this seasonal festival. Peanut chikki is one of an artisanal winter delicacy to be shared among loved ones.
Ingredients
• 2 cups Raw Peanuts
• 1 ½ cups Jaggery (Gur), Grated or Chopped Into Small Pieces
• 2 tbsp Water
• 1 tbsp Ghee
• ½ tsp Cardamom Powder
Method
1. Roast the peanuts until crunchy and aromatic. Let cool completely, husk the skin rubbing in between your palm, then crush into coarse mixture.
2. In a heavy-bottomed pan, add the jaggery, ghee and water. Heat on medium, stirring frequently, until the jaggery has melted.
3. Continue cooking for 5-7 minutes until the mixture reaches to the bubbly but hard syrup or 3000°F on a candy thermometer.
4. Drop few drops of syrup in a small water bowl if syrup immediately turns into hard crunchy candy that means syrup is ready.
5. Add crushed nuts, cardamom powder into the syrup and combine until thoroughly mixed.
6. Pour the mixture onto a greased surface or over parchment paper, cover with another paper to avoid sticking while rolling and spread into a thin sheet using a spatula or rolling pin.
7. Allow to cool slightly then cut into squares or diamond shapes.
8. Let cool and set completely before storing in an airtight container.
Tips
• Roast the peanuts well to achieve maximum crunch. Constant stirring prevents burning. Cool completely before crushing.
• Grate or finely chop the jaggery so it melts smoothly. Soft jaggery blends quicker when cooking the syrup.
• Cook the jaggery syrup to hard ball candy. Going beyond risks overcooking.
• Quickly mix in the nuts and pour immediately once the syrup is ready. The thicker it gets; the harder spreading becomes.
• Use a greased surface and roll out evenly into a thin sheet of uniform thickness before cutting.
• Cool completely before storing so the chikki sets up crunchy.
• Store in airtight containers to maximize shelf life of up to a month.
- 2 cups Raw Peanuts
- 1 ½ cups Jaggery (Gur), Grated or Chopped Into Small Pieces
- 2 tbsp Water
- 1 tbsp Ghee
- ½ Cardamom Powder
- Roast the peanuts until crunchy and aromatic. Let cool completely, husk the skin rubbing in between your palm, then crush into coarse mixture.
- In a heavy-bottomed pan, add the jaggery, ghee and water. Heat on medium, stirring frequently, until the jaggery has melted.
- Continue cooking for 5-7 minutes until the mixture reaches to the bubbly but hard syrup or 3000°F on a candy thermometer.
- Drop few drops of syrup in a small water bowl if syrup immediately turns into hard crunchy candy that means syrup is ready.
- Add crushed nuts, cardamom powder into the syrup and combine until thoroughly mixed.
- Pour the mixture onto a greased surface or over parchment paper, cover with another paper to avoid sticking while rolling and spread into a thin sheet using a spatula or rolling pin.
- Allow to cool slightly then cut into squares or diamond shapes.
- Let cool and set completely before storing in an airtight container.
Grate or finely chop the jaggery so it melts smoothly. Soft jaggery blends quicker when cooking the syrup.
Cook the jaggery syrup to hard ball candy. Going beyond risks overcooking.
Quickly mix in the nuts and pour immediately once the syrup is ready. The thicker it gets; the harder spreading becomes.
Use a greased surface and roll out evenly into a thin sheet of uniform thickness before cutting.
Cool completely before storing so the chikki sets up crunchy.
Store in air-tight containers to maximize shelf life of up to a month.
