Page 13 - SAMPLE Almanac

Recipe for Gajak
This delicious crunchy sweet is made and eaten during the festival of Lohri, as well as at the similar festivals of Makar Sankranti and Pongal, which are celebrated around the same date. Ask an adult to help you make this treat as the sugary syrup, or jaggery, gets very hot!
You will need:
Rectangular ovenproof dish (about 23 cm x 35 cm) Greaseproof paper Heavy-bottomed frying pan Tablespoon
Saucepan Wooden spoon Rolling pin Sharp knife
1 Grease the ovenproof dish with some of the ghee and put it to one side.
2 tablespoons of ghee, plus extra for greasing 125 g sesame seeds 200 g caster sugar
2 tablespoons of water
Allergy warning:
this recipe contains sesame seeds.
2 Put the sesame seeds into the frying
pan and toast them (with no oil or fat) on a low heat until they start to turn brown. Put them on a plate and leave to one side while you make the syrup.
3 Mix the sugar and ghee with 2 tablespoons of water in the saucepan.
4 Cook the mixture on a medium heat until it turns thick and syrupy.
5 Take the pan off the heat and, using the wooden spoon, fold in the roasted
sesame seeds.
6 Once everything is well mixed, pour the sweet treat into the greased
ovenproof dish and smooth it flat with the rolling pin. Let it cool completely. 7 Leave until the mixture is cool and firm, then ask an adult to cut it into
rectangles with the sharp knife. Or you can have a go at snapping it with your fingers if you don’t mind odd shapes!
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