Simple Gluten Free Kitchen

Til Ki Pinni / Sesame Energy Balls

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When the temperature drops we reach for more warming foods. Sesame, jaggery, peanuts and coconut are some of the foods that can generate enough natural body heat when consumed in extremely cold weather. Sesame energy balls, popularly called Til ki Pinnis are a must in Punjabi households during winters when our body needs warmth and craves instant  energy. I remember every winter before Lohri my mother would take out her cast iron mortar and pestle to make Til Pinnis.

January 8, 2022 – Want to know how I made these. Uploaded video on YouTube.

 

 

Speaking of Lohri, let me tell you more about this. Lohri is a festival in Punjab which marks the end of intense winter. It is also celebrated in relation to the abundance of crops. Though it does not have any religious significance yet it is celebrated more as a community festival of joy and merry-making. People extend their gratitude towards God for being Kind and generous to them. It is similar to Thanksgiving but in place of turkey, we cook chicken or goat meat and ‘saag’ (leafy greens). This is particularly a happy occasion for the family to have a newly wedded and newborn in the house. Earlier it was celebrated only on the birth of a male child in a family but now as times are changing, I see some enlightened families who cherish the birth of their daughters.

On this day children go door to door ( like trick or treating) singing songs in the praise of Dulha Bhatti, a Punjabi version of Robin Hood who robbed the rich and helped the poor. These children are given peanuts, sesame, sweets, jaggery, popcorn, and money. As the sun sets a bonfire is lit in the yards of the houses and people gather around the rising flames, circle around the bonfire and offer a small amount of 5 edible things to the Fire to bless the land with abundance and Prosperity. After the ritual is over everybody eats peanuts, gajak (sesame or peanut brittle), jaggery and show their happiness by dancing around. The singing and dancing continue till late at night amid the beat of drums.

Lohri is celebrated in a big way in Canada with the bonfire in Temples. Then people host Lohri parties in their homes and also have a bonfire if possible on a cemented yard.

When it comes to traditions there are some recipes that are passed on to us from generation to generation from our mothers. ‘Til ki Pinni’ is an authentic recipe from Punjab which I learnt from my mother. Depending on the region they are also known by the name “Til Gul”.  “Til” means sesame seeds and “Gul” means Gur, the Punjabi word for jaggery. Jaggery is a natural sweetener made by the concentration of sugarcane juice without using any chemical or preservatives. Both sesame seeds and jaggery are good sources of energy. Consuming jaggery and sesame seeds in the winter season helps to maintain body temperature and fight winter related health issues.

Tasty and delicious, til pinnis require only two ingredients. Sesame seeds and Jaggery. I started adding almond butter because often times I don’t find the soft variety of jaggery. Almond butter helps to bind the balls and also reduces the sweetness.

All the ingredients stated in the recipe go into a food processor as I don’t have that special grinding tool my mother had. They are processed until everything blends together. While these sesame energy balls are super healthy, they are so delicious that they can be addictive. I keep the size small because you can not eat just one 🙂

I hope you give these a try soon. Now, let’s make some til ki pinni aka sesame energy balls.

 

Making til pinni with brown sesame and jaggery

 

Lohri falls on January 13th this year. I extend my greetings to all my friends and wish the warmth of bonfire and sweetness of jaggery to remain with you forever.

TIL KI PINNI/ SESAME ENERGY BALLS

Ingredients:

400 gm brown, white or black sesame (sometimes I mix two or all three)

300 gm Gur / jaggery, grated

1/2 -3/4 cup almond butter

Gur used for cooking is usually soft which can be easily sliced using knife or grated with a cheese grater

Method:

On a low heat dry roast the sesame seeds till you hear the crackling sound.

Place roasted sesame in a food processor bowl and process for 30-40 sec.

Add grated jaggery and almond butter. Process again (warm sesame seeds help to melt and mix the jaggery easily).

Stop and scrape inside of the bowl when required, pulse again until everything is well combined.

Transfer the contents to a bowl or tray. Make small tight balls by compressing in your fist. The tighter the ball the better you will be able to shape it into a round pinni. You have to clean your hands often ( just scrape the stuck mixture from your palm) to make the binding easier.  When it gets hard to form balls heat the mixture in microwave for 10-20 seconds.

These will store well for 3-4 weeks in an airtight container.

*Note: You cannot sub any other sugar in this recipe by using the above method. If you are not able to bind them into balls because of dry Gur then add 3/4 to 1 cup almond butter in the above recipe.

Update 2018

As we have reduced eating sugary things in last couple of years the above recipe seems too sweet to us now I use only 200 gm of jaggery for 400 gm of sesame. if you find any difficulty in forming pinnis with bare hands wear gloves.

 

 

 

Til pinni with 500 gm brown sesame + 1 tbsp black sesame + 300 gm jaggery and 3/4 cup almond butter

 

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Comments

  6. Lohri for us is Ponggal Bel which we be celebrating this Sunday and with brown rice pudding with the milk suppose to overflow while making it. I like this simple recipe with two ingredients and looks amazing. Nice to see your hubby there too shaping the sesame balls.

    Reply

  10. The festival does sound like a lot of fun, glad to learn more about your traditions. I like sesame but there is not much out there in the way of snacks or baked goods in the US. I would like to try and make these and I have seen too many good recipes with jaggery. I am on the hunt for jaggery…Thanks for sharing this unique recipe!

    Reply

  11. I would love to try these although I don’t know what jaggery is. What is it? Love toasted sesame seeds and the aroma while roasting. Sounds healthy too. Have a pleasant weekend.

    Reply

  18. Happy lohri to you!! Deliciously looking pinnis!! Great post.
    I am announcing Valentines special – my 1st blog event and Giveaway, Please do be a part of it and send in your recipes..!

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  23. I didnt know what jaggery is but I found out.. I dont know where I can find it, I really want to make these little balls, I thik that my son will love them! Thank you for visiting my blog, I really appreciate it! Have a nice week!

    Reply

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