Jaggery Sesame Peda Recipe | Kedai Pondicherry Style

No cooking required, easy to make, quick jaggery sesame pedas are just what the doctor would recommend for satiating your sweet tooth in a guilt-free style. Unlike most traditional Indian sweets which require long-drawn processes, our jaggery sesame peda recipe is a breeze to make and a delight to relish. Ideal for the cold weather, this nourishing, mineral-enriched, and perfectly portioned pedas recipe pondicherry style provides much-needed warmth and energy to the body. It is so simple that you could even put the kids to work. They will love rolling and creating the pedas with you. Our traditional kedai Pondicherry style recipe is truly one of a kind with no refined sugar and no milk, loved by all and even those who are lactose intolerant.

The magical combination of jaggery and sesame is common in the form of pedas or laddus in India...think til ladoo. This combination is especially used to make sweet treats on the occasion of Makar Sankranti across many Indian states. The form and ingredients may keep changing but the focal ingredients remain the same. In Maharashtra, for example, a variation of the jaggery sesame peda, tilgul laddus are made with peanuts, cardamom, and ghee along with jaggery and sesame. Til and gur (jaggery) are also eaten during the festival of Lohri which marks the end of the winter solstice just after the rabi season crop harvest.

The origins of jaggery sesame peda:

Our treasured jaggery sesame peda recipe comes from the family recipe of our friend, Anita Goubert in Pondicherry. We were told that girls in Pondicherry, upon obtaining puberty, were encouraged to snack on these kedai pondicherry style pedas during their first period for their extremely nourishing and heating properties.

What do jaggery sesame pedas taste like?

Our easy jaggery sesame peda recipe results in naturally sweet and intensely nutty tasting pedas due to the use of roasted sesame and roasted urad dal (black gram, hulled). Unlike sugar, jaggery has a very natural and distinctly earthy taste.

These til pedas are really healthy too - sesame seeds are a good source of fiber, B vitamins, plant protein, and may even boost bone health. Urad dal too is a great source of protein, calcium, and potassium along with other minerals.

Jaggery is sometimes called the healthy sweetener. It may or may not be healthy, but it definitely is the better option when weighed against sugar as it is not refined and thus contains nutritious molasses. It comes in many shades of brown but in India the lighter coloured jaggery or gur tends to be the preferred pick.

Fun fact: Did you know India is responsible for the production of 70% of the world's jaggery.

If you are a diabetic or have been asked your doctor to avoid sugar, you must consult the doctor to know if consuming jaggery or these jaggery sesame pedas is safe for you.

Ingredients for jaggery sesame peda:

The ingredients for the best jaggery sesame peda recipe include white sesame seeds, urad dal or black gram (hulled), sesame oil, and jaggery or gur. To get the maximum nourishment out of these pedas ensure you get the highest quality ingredients. You can even use organic ingredients if you wish.

How to make jaggery sesame peda / til peda?

Dry roast white sesame seeds and urad dal (black gram) separately over low heat in a heavy kadhai or wok, stirring continuously till the seeds start popping and the urad dal takes on a fairly dark colour. A heavy bottomed vessel ensures they don't heat up too quickly and burn. You need to be extra vigilant while roasting them. Remember to immediately remove them from the kadhai and transfer to another container or plate as the heat of the kadhai will keep cooking them even after you've taken it off the flame. Grind the roasted urad dal (black gram) to a powder.

The next step in the jaggery sesame peda recipe is lightly mixing and kneading the pedas for which you need to add sesame seeds to a large bowl and pour sesame oil over the seeds. Add gur (jaggery) and mash to combine well. Adding grated or pounded jaggery helps in making a more homogenous mix with equal distribution of ingredients. The roasted and ground urad dal should be portioned into two and added in intervals. Upon mixing the peda mixture and a light-handed knead, set this mix aside for 10 minutes. Resting the dough helps in better shaping of the pedas. For detailed step-by-step instructions that handholds you through the process of making jaggery sesame pedas, watch our instructional video.

If you wish you could replace the sesame oil with ghee (if preferred), but then that wouldn’t be a kedai Pondicherry-style recipe.

This til peda / til ladoo is not only easy to make, but the process is also fun, especially if you have kids who are always eager to help in the kitchen. Gather them around and reward them with a peda each after the rolling process is done.

Serving suggestions for quick jaggery sesame pedas:

Serve this peda at any time of the day as a snack or enjoy it as a dessert post meal. It tastes good just on its own without any accompaniments. Have one when you’re feeling cold and want something to warm you up instantly.

This easy Jaggery Sesame Peda recipe is perfect as a quick traditional Indian sweet. Learn how to cook this til peda / til ladoo with our easy step by step cooking video

If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy all our Festive Recipes right here.

Also, try your hand at making:

Besan Ladoo
Shami Kabab
Patra
Thekua | Wholewheat Cookies
Delhi Style Matar Kulcha
Kadha for cough and cold
Malpua | Indian Pancakes
Keema Biryani

Or If you have an interest in learning about Indian cuisine, read our guide to Traditional Indian Cooking Techniques.