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Ellu bella
Sesame and jaggery mix
ಎಳ್ಳು ಬೆಲ್ಲ: Karnataka's Sankranti mix of sesame, jaggery cubes, copra, peanuts and roasted gram
'Ellu bella thindu olle maathadi': eat sesame and jaggery and speak only good words. On Sankranti morning, girls in Bengaluru and Mysuru dress in new silk and carry small steel plates of ellu bella, a sugarcane stick, a banana and a sugar figure (sakkare acchu) from house to house, a custom called ellu birodhu. The mix itself is uncooked once its parts are roasted: white sesame, tiny cubes of dry coconut and jaggery, peanuts and putani (roasted gram), sometimes with a few fried gram-dal sugar beads. It is crunchy, nutty and sweet in small bursts. Families make a kilo at a time to give away. The common mistake is mixing it while the sesame is still warm, which melts the jaggery and turns everything into a lump. Chef's tip: cut the copra and jaggery to the same small size as the peanuts so every spoonful has a bit of everything.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
- 3 ½ oz white sesame seeds
- 3 ½ oz roasted peanutsskins rubbed off, halved
- 3 ½ oz dry coconut (copra)cut into 5 mm cubes
- 3 ½ oz hard jaggery (achhu bella)cut into 5 mm cubes
- 2 tbsp sugar-coated gram dal beads (optional)
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Roast 3 ½ oz white sesame seeds in a dry pan over a low heat, stirring, for 4–5 minutes until it crackles and turns a shade darker. Spread on a plate to cool completely.
5 minStep 2: Warm 2 ⅞ oz roasted gram (putani or dalia) in the same pan for 1 minute to crisp it, then cool.
1 minStep 3: Once everything is cold, toss sesame, putani, 3 ½ oz roasted peanuts, 3 ½ oz dry coconut (copra) and 3 ½ oz hard jaggery (achhu bella) together in a big bowl. Add 2 tbsp sugar-coated gram dal beads if using.
3 minStep 4: Store in an airtight tin and share in small packets. It keeps for 2–3 weeks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ellu bella take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 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.
- 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 hard jaggery (achhu bella)?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
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