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Thala guli
තල ගුලි (thala guli): little balls of pounded roasted sesame and jaggery, wrapped in twists of paper
Small boutique shops all over Sri Lanka hang strings of thala guli by the till, each ball wrapped in a twist of coloured paper, and children spend their coins on them on the way home from school. They also have a place on the Avurudu table and at almsgivings, as sesame is considered an auspicious, strengthening food. Toasted sesame seeds are pounded with jaggery and a pinch of salt until the oil comes out and the mixture holds together, then rolled into little balls that are rich, nutty, slightly bitter and sweet. No cooking beyond toasting is needed, so they take barely twenty minutes. Under-toasting the seeds is the trap: pale seeds taste raw and will not release enough oil to bind, so roast until they pop and turn evenly golden. Chef's tip: pound while the seeds are still warm, when they give up their oil easily; a food processor in short pulses works too.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the balls
- 7 oz white sesame seeds
- 5 ½ oz palm or kithul jaggeryfinely grated
- 1 pinch salt
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Toast 7 oz white sesame seeds in a dry pan over a medium heat for 5–6 minutes, stirring constantly, until the seeds pop and turn evenly golden.
6 minStep 2: While still warm, pound the seeds in a mortar with 5 ½ oz palm or kithul jaggery and 1 pinch salt, or pulse in a food processor, for 4–5 minutes until the mixture is oily and clumps when pressed.
5 minStep 3: With slightly damp hands, roll into walnut-sized balls, pressing firmly.
Step 4: Leave to firm up for 15 minutes, then wrap each ball in a twist of baking paper. They keep for 2 weeks in an airtight tin.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 130 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does thala guli take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 10 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 vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of white sesame seeds?
- Poppy seeds or finely chopped pumpkin seeds, same amount.
- What can I use instead of palm or kithul jaggery?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
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