IMP - Buckwheat and Sesame Halwa is an original recipe created by
the blogger and has been published for the first time on
oriyarasoi.com.
Sugarcane. Freshly harvested rice. Sesame seeds. Jaggery. A whole lot of ingredients that remind one of Makar Sankranti (also known as Gudi Padwa or Lohri in different parts of the country). Curiously enough, unlike other Hindu festivals, this is one festival that falls on 14th of January every month. Apart from being a harvest festival, it also marks the beginning of six months of 'Uttaarayan', an auspicious period for the Hindus. Hence most parts of the country celebrate this festival by distributing sweets among friends and relatives as a gesture of goodwill.
One of the most popular Makar Sankranti recipes is the 'til-gud' or 'til ki barfi'. Both the primary ingredients used in this recipe are believed to keep the body warm and their consumption is considered to be beneficial during the cold months. But since sesame and sugar are high in calories, I put my own twist by substituting a portion of the sesame with buckwheat flour.
And if you happen to be thinking on the lines of why buckwheat, here are 5 reasons why you absolutely need to make this gluten-free and allergy-free grain a part of your everyday diet -
As part of my resolution (mentioned in the earlier posts), I will be including more of the indigenous superfoods in my everyday diet this year. So, read on for this 'gluten-free' and ' dairy-free' recipe -
[ Do not forget to check out more Makar Sankranti recipes shared by my blogger friends Parinaaz and Saswati ]
Preparation Time - 20 mins
Ingredients -
Preparation - Toast the sesame seeds on a skillet. Remove from flame and allow to cool down. Grind into a fine powder.
Heat 1 tsp ghee in a wok. Add the buckwheat flour and roast on a low flame till the flour takes on a pink color. Remove and keep aside.
Add the powdered jaggery and date syrup along with 1 cup of water to a wok. Bring to a boil and let it boil for 3-4 mins before adding the roasted buckwheat flour and powdered sesame seeds. Cook for another 2-3 mins before removing from the flame.
Sprinkle the remaining sesame seeds on a greased plate. Spread the halwa over the seeds and let it cool down before cutting into desired shapes.
Store in a airtight container in the fridge. Consume within the week.
That's not all !!! More yumm-e-ness to be discovered when you scroll down -
Sugarcane. Freshly harvested rice. Sesame seeds. Jaggery. A whole lot of ingredients that remind one of Makar Sankranti (also known as Gudi Padwa or Lohri in different parts of the country). Curiously enough, unlike other Hindu festivals, this is one festival that falls on 14th of January every month. Apart from being a harvest festival, it also marks the beginning of six months of 'Uttaarayan', an auspicious period for the Hindus. Hence most parts of the country celebrate this festival by distributing sweets among friends and relatives as a gesture of goodwill.
One of the most popular Makar Sankranti recipes is the 'til-gud' or 'til ki barfi'. Both the primary ingredients used in this recipe are believed to keep the body warm and their consumption is considered to be beneficial during the cold months. But since sesame and sugar are high in calories, I put my own twist by substituting a portion of the sesame with buckwheat flour.
And if you happen to be thinking on the lines of why buckwheat, here are 5 reasons why you absolutely need to make this gluten-free and allergy-free grain a part of your everyday diet -
- Helps prevent diabetes
- Lowers Cholesterol and blood pressure
- High fiber content
- High quality protein
- Rich in Antioxidants
As part of my resolution (mentioned in the earlier posts), I will be including more of the indigenous superfoods in my everyday diet this year. So, read on for this 'gluten-free' and ' dairy-free' recipe -
[ Do not forget to check out more Makar Sankranti recipes shared by my blogger friends Parinaaz and Saswati ]
Preparation Time - 20 mins
Ingredients -
- 1 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds
- 3 tbsp jaggery
- 1/4 cup date syrup
- 1 tsp ghee
- extra sesame seeds for garnishing
Preparation - Toast the sesame seeds on a skillet. Remove from flame and allow to cool down. Grind into a fine powder.
Heat 1 tsp ghee in a wok. Add the buckwheat flour and roast on a low flame till the flour takes on a pink color. Remove and keep aside.
Add the powdered jaggery and date syrup along with 1 cup of water to a wok. Bring to a boil and let it boil for 3-4 mins before adding the roasted buckwheat flour and powdered sesame seeds. Cook for another 2-3 mins before removing from the flame.
Sprinkle the remaining sesame seeds on a greased plate. Spread the halwa over the seeds and let it cool down before cutting into desired shapes.
Store in a airtight container in the fridge. Consume within the week.
That's not all !!! More yumm-e-ness to be discovered when you scroll down -