Peanut Chikki
A classic, crunchy peanut brittle made with roasted peanuts and the rich caramel notes of Sarbu Jaggery Powder. A timeless favorite, made refined-sugar-free.
Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Makes: 12 pieces
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
| Raw peanuts | 2 cups |
| Sarbu Jaggery Powder | 1½ cups |
| Ghee | 2 tbsp |
| Water | 2 tbsp |
| Cardamom powder | ¼ tsp |
| Salt | ½ tsp |
Method
1. Roast the peanuts Heat a heavy-bottomed pan on medium-low flame (no oil needed). Add the peanuts and dry roast, stirring continuously, until golden brown and fragrant, with skins starting to crack (about 7–8 minutes).
2. Skin and crush Let the peanuts cool slightly, then rub between your palms to remove most of the skins. Coarsely crush or roughly chop and set aside.
3. Prep your work surface Generously grease a flat steel plate, marble slab, or rolling surface with ghee. Also grease a rolling pin or the base of a katori (bowl). Keep everything ready near the stove — chikki moves fast once it’s time to shape it.
4. Melt the Sarbu Jaggery Powder In a heavy-bottomed pan, add Sarbu Jaggery Powder, ghee, and water. Heat on low-medium flame, stirring continuously, until fully melted and bubbling. Sarbu’s fine, lump-free milling means a smoother, faster melt with fewer undissolved bits.
5. Cook to hard-crack stage Continue cooking the syrup on low flame until it reaches the hard-crack stage — a drop of syrup in cold water should harden instantly and snap when bent. Take your time here; rushing with high heat can scorch the jaggery.
6. Mix in the peanuts Turn off the flame immediately. Quickly stir in the crushed roasted peanuts, cardamom powder, and salt, mixing until every piece is evenly coated.
7. Spread the mixture Working fast, pour the hot mixture onto your greased surface. Immediately flatten with the greased rolling pin or bowl base to about ¼–½ inch thickness.
8. Score into pieces While still warm and pliable (within 1–2 minutes), score into squares or diamonds using a greased knife or pizza cutter — don’t cut all the way through yet.
9. Cool and break apart Let the chikki cool completely at room temperature (about 20 minutes), then break along the scored lines. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
Chef’s Tips
- Prep before you melt: Chikki sets within minutes of pouring, so have your greased surface, rolling pin, and cutter ready before you start the jaggery syrup.
- Why Sarbu Jaggery Powder works best: Its fine, consistent texture melts evenly and reaches hard-crack stage predictably, giving your chikki that signature clean snap rather than a chewy or grainy bite.
- Getting the crack right: If your chikki turns out chewy instead of crisp, the syrup likely needed a touch more time on the flame next batch. If it tastes bitter or burnt, the flame was too high.
- Make it nut-free friendly: Swap peanuts for roasted sesame seeds (til) to make til chikki using the same method and ratios.