Gajak
گجک (gajak): Punjab's thin, crisp winter brittle of toasted sesame and jaggery
Winter in Punjab has a sound, and it is the snap of gajak: thin, glossy sheets of toasted sesame bound in jaggery, sold from piled trays outside the sweet shops of Multan, Gujranwala and Lahore from the first cold week of December. It is nutty, crunchy and toffee-sweet, with the earthy depth of gur, and families keep a tin of it beside the heater to nibble after dinner with green tea or to share with visitors. The commercial kind is hammered and pulled into flaky layers, but the home version poured thin and rolled flat is what most households make. The pitfall is pulling the jaggery off the heat too early, which gives a brittle that turns chewy and sticky after a day. Chef's tip: test the syrup by dropping a little into cold water; it must snap cleanly at once, and that hard-crack stage is reached quickly, so have the sesame warm and ready. Take care: the syrup is far hotter than boiling water.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the gajak
- 7 oz white sesame seeds
- 8 oz jaggery (gur)grated or chopped
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp gheeplus a little for greasing
- 1 /4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tbsp pistachios (optional)finely chopped
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Toast 7 oz white sesame seeds in a dry karahi over a medium-low heat for 6–8 minutes, stirring constantly, until it is golden and some seeds start to pop. Tip into a bowl and keep warm.
8 minStep 2: Grease the back of a large tray or a sheet of baking paper and a rolling pin with ghee.
Step 3: Melt 8 oz jaggery (gur) with 2 tbsp water and 1 tbsp ghee in a heavy pan over a medium-low heat, stirring until smooth, then let it bubble without stirring for 5–6 minutes until it darkens slightly and thickens.
6 minStep 4: Test a drop in a bowl of cold water; when it sets at once into a ball that snaps cleanly, the syrup is ready (about 300°F on a sugar thermometer). Turn off the heat.
3 minStep 5: Stir in the warm sesame and 1 /4 tsp ground cardamom quickly until every seed is coated.
Step 6: Tip the mixture onto the greased surface, scatter with 1 tbsp pistachios and roll it out at once with the greased rolling pin to about 3 mm thick; be careful, it is extremely hot.
Step 7: While it is still warm and pliable, cut it into squares or diamonds with an oiled knife.
Step 8: Leave for 15 minutes until completely cold and hard, then break along the cuts and store in an airtight tin for up to 3 weeks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 170 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 20 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gajak take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of white sesame seeds?
- Poppy seeds or finely chopped pumpkin seeds, same amount.
- What can I use instead of jaggery (gur)?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
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