With Lohri around the corner, it is time to binge-eat great food and get a taste of tradition with some dancing and dhol. Did you know that Lohri is linked with the winter solstice, which marks the longest night and the shortest day of the year? This festival is all about welcoming spring and enjoying it with your family, but we can’t forget the food. One food that people greatly enjoy during Lohri is the nutty and delicious Chikki.

Chikki is the perfect essential winter snack that compliments cosy and chilly evenings. Prepared in a jiffy, Chikki is a crunchy sweet delicacy. While there are a number of ways to prepare Chikki, the most common and healthy way to prepare it is with jaggery and peanuts. We guess you must be tempted by now, so let’s dive into the recipe before discussing the health benefits of Chikki.

How to make Chikki at home?

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of peanuts
• 2 tablespoons of jaggery
• A teaspoon of ghee
• Rose petals (optional)

Jaggery peanut chikki recipe:

1. Dry roast peanuts on a medium flame until they turn slightly brown. Remove the skin once it cools down.
2. Once you have separated the skin from the peanuts, crush them gently using a cup for a minute.
3. Now take two tablespoons of jaggery in a pan.
4. Add one tablespoon of water to the pan and cook it on medium heat.
5. Add a teaspoon of ghee once the jaggery is completely dissolved.
6. Now, stir the syrup until it comes to a boil and thickens slightly.
7. The jaggery syrup should have the right consistency, like candy.
8. Turn off the flame and mix the peanuts with the jaggery syrup quickly.
9. You can also add rose petals to accentuate the taste.
10. Transfer the mixture to a plate and level the top using a rolling pin.
11. Cut it into pieces while the Chikki is still hot.
12. Store it in an air-tight jar once it cools down.

Is Chikki healthy?

Did you know that people have started making chikki with sugar in them? Traditionally, chikki was made using jaggery. When made with healthy ingredients like jaggery and peanuts, chikki can be extremely healthy. If you’re still wondering how exactly is chikki healthy for me, let us break it down for you.

Health benefits of jaggery

One of the two essential ingredients used in our healthy chikki is jaggery. Here are all the health benefits of including jaggery in your regimen:

• Helps prevent respiratory problems
• Good for people trying to lose weight
• Excellent source of energy
• Manages blood pressure levels
• Rich in iron and folate, jaggery is good to prevent anaemia
• Detoxifies the liver
• Boosts immunity
• Helps prevent constipation
• Maintains good digestive health

Health benefits of peanuts

Peanuts are extremely healthy for you if eaten in moderation. Here are the benefits of peanuts you should know:

• High content of unsaturated fats helps keep your cholesterol levels in check
• Reduces risk of heart attack and stroke
• Aids in weight loss as peanuts contain protein
• Lowers the risk of diabetes
• Since it’s a good source of fibre, peanuts help reduce inflammation
• Helps reduce the risk of cancer

So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to prepare some healthy Chikki and enjoy it this Lohri. But just be mindful about overeating it.