Chikki Chronicles: The Indian Peanut Brittle That Defines Winter Snacking

For any Indian, it’s inevitable to think about winters without chikki or peanut brittle. Chikki is synonymous with winter snacking in most parts of Northern India.

High in energy with an extra dose of nutritional punch, Chikki is commonly made of groundnuts and jaggery. However, peanut chikki, dry fruits chikki, puffed rice chikki etc are other common variants available.

Tasty, healthy, crunchy, this delicious snack is wholesome and enjoyed by everyone in the sunny winters. Staying healthy can definitely not get easier than this.

Origin

This traditional food item is said to have its origin in Lonavala, Maharashtra. In 1900’s, when train services between Lonavala and Mumbai started, Sh. Magnalal Aggrawal (a famous sweet shop owner) started selling a semi-liquid mix of jaggery, peanuts, and ghee to the travellers.

He referred to this delicacy as gud dani. Seeing the fabulous response of this sweet snack, Railways asked him to provide it in a packaged version to the travelers, which led to the massive popularity of Maganlal Chikki or Lonavala Chikki, and rest is history.

The myriad of variations in this goodie flooded the market soon enough and each was loved as much as the earlier versions. The love for all the avatars of chikki anytime of the year – especially during winters – is not a secret.

Other Popular Names

In some regions like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, chikki is also known as ‘’Layyiya Patti’’. It is known as ‘’Lai’’ in Sindhi. Apart from being relished as a sweet snack in South Asia, the flavour of chikki is also savoured in Brazil with the name of pe-de-moleque.

Preparation and Varieties

This amazing sweet treat with a dose of nutritional punch is made of jaggery, peanuts/groundnuts or any form of nuts and ghee.

The jaggery is melted with a little water and this syrup is coated on the nuts and carefully transferred to the moulds to give the desired shape. Round, square, and rectangle are the most common shapes readily available in the market.

Peanut Chikki

One of the most nutritious and wholesome snack item, peanut chikki is made with peanuts and jaggery. It is the most sought after snack item in winters owing to the amazing health benefits it has without compromising on the taste.

Loved by children as well as elderly, this chikki is a source of instant energy. It is also enjoyed in some parts with a glass of warm milk.

Peanut Chikki With Jaggery

Recipe by Richa Gupta

Peanut chikki is a very healthy recipe with combination of proteins from peanuts and iron from jaggery.

See how to make peanut chikki with jaggery. Peanut gajak is usually made in winter months especially during Makar Sakranti.

Check out this recipe

Coconut Chikki

As the name suggests, this chikki is made with desiccated coconut and jaggery. If your heart melts for coconut then I am sure you must already be a fan of this one.

The irresistible tang of coconut blended with delicious jaggery aka gur makes these bites absolutely tempting and of course a healthy option sweet for everyone.

Dry Fruit Chikki With Coconut Sugar

Recipe by Meera Girdhar

Plattershare in association with GoIndiaOrganic has given me an opportunity to use Coconut Sugar, though I never used this product earlier in my recipe. However I took this as challenge and when I read more about this I came to know this sugar is extracted from Coconut Flower sap.

This is natural and contains nutrients like iron, zinc and calcium though less in quantity. Further GI i.e. Glycemic Index is low at 35 which means absorption of sugar in blood is slow. However sugar is not a very healthy option even coconut sugar is no exception.

I prepared Dry Fruit Chikki for my kid and even you can try this simple, easy but yummy dish for your brother or sister on the occasion of Rakshabandhan day…

Check out this recipe

Sesame Chikki

Chikki made of white sesame seeds is another favourite amongst people of all age groups in winters. This one is another favourite of one and all. Sesame aka til is great for health and provides the body with warmth – much needed in winters – internally

Peanut And Til Chikki (Peanut Brittle With Sesame Seeds)

Recipe by Amrita Iyer

The Indian Harvest Season in January is something what everyone waits for after the new year commences.It falls mid month : 14-15 January and is celebrated round the country with much zeal.It has various names depending on the States like Bihu in Assam,Pongal in Tamil Nadu,Lohri in Punjab and Makar Sankranti in other states. One common aspect of this festival is how people eat the main snacks for the occasion.As January is the prime winter month,almost every region has a crunchy and munchy snack called Chikki made with sugar or jaggery,peanuts and various nuts and sesame seeds.The health conscious people opt for soybean granules or amaranth.But these munchies are made no matter what and are very nutritious and warming to the body. I am posting the basic recipe of Chikki here made with Peanuts and Sesame Seeds,These delicious and nutritious bites are made in 10 minutes and require no big preparations!

Check out this recipe

Nutritional Value

One of the lesser guilty way to satisfy your sweet tooth is to have chikki. It is high on nutrition, energy, and taste. What’s more, this goodie is also loaded with lots of health benefits.

Sure enough, you don’t need a reason to relish this delicacy, let me still acquaint you with just a few benefits it has to offer to your body:

• Maintains cholesterol levels: The monounsaturated fatty acids present in peanut chikki is known to lower bad cholesterol and is very good for the heart.  
• Good for nervous system: Phyto Phenols and antioxidants present in jaggery – an essential ingredient of chikki – prevents nervous disorders like alzheimer’s and dementia.
• Aids in growth and development: Amino acids help in growth and development, making it an ideal snack for growing children. Kids like the flavour and is wholesome, filling them up with instant energy.
• Good for skin: Vitamin E, magnesium, and zinc present in peanuts help in boosting skin regeneration and getting glowing skin. Do you need more? I bet not!

Is your mouth watering already? Well, how about getting these delicious mini-powerhouses of energy home right away?

And if you are confused which one to try first, let me tell you they are all worth indulging in so there is no right or wrong option. Start your chikki journey with the best options available online and thank us later.

A relaxed session in the winter sun with a pack of choicest chikkis and good company is all you can ask for.

Also Read:

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• 15 Indian Fruits Which Are Exotic To The World
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