Peanut Chikki or gajak

4.82 from 11 votes

Beautifully caramelized, sweet, perfectly crisp, and crunchy peanut chikki or gajak is the most loved delicacy and a staple in Indian homes. Speckled throughout with peanuts, this Indian version of peanut brittle is a simple fare made with just four ingredients and 20 minutes of your time. In addition, it is gluten-free, egg-free, and vegetarian.

Prep: 10

Cook: 20

Total: 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: PIECES

Calories: 96kcal

Author: Ruchi

Ingredients

1 cup Peanuts
¾ cup Gur/Jaggery
3 teaspoons Water
¼ teaspoon Cardamom Powder
½ tablespoon Ghee to grease the tray

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

ROAST PEANUTS

Add peanuts to a heavy-bottomed pan. Dry roast peanuts in a heavy-bottomed pan until light brown and toasty. Cook on low heat and slow-roast them for that perfect crunch and nutty flavor.
Once cooked, remove the peanuts from heat and allow them to cool.
Make sure that the outer cover of the peanut is completely removed before adding the jaggery syrup. When the peanuts are medium roasted, the skin will start coming off halftime. But then you need to roast them more since they have to become at least slightly golden color at the end.
When comfortable to touch, start rubbing peanuts in between your hands, and its outer layer will begin to come off. Set it aside to cool.
Grease a tray with ghee and set it aside.

JAGGERY SYRUP

Combine water, cardamom powder, and jaggery in a bowl and bring it to a boil. Cook the jaggery syrup over medium-low heat, constantly stirring until the mixture boils.
Once the jaggery syrup reaches the hardball stage (at 265° F), the color of the syrup will become darker, like dark amber color.
Check the consistency - the gur syrup will look thick (almost like 2 string consistency), and when dipped in syrup, it will coat the back of your spoon. That shows your syrup is ready.
Another alternative way to check the consistency is to spoon a drop of the jaggery syrup into the cold water.
If it sinks to the bottom and solidifies immediately, you can be assured that you are on the right path and march forward. On the other hand, if it dissolves, it needs to be boiled further.
When removed from the water, the jaggery will harden to a brittle consistency, and if pressed, it will snap. Take the syrup off the flame.
Add the roasted peanuts and mix until all the peanuts are coated well with the syrup.
Work very quickly here, as the mixture will harden pretty fast.
Spread the peanut mixture to a greased flat plate and cover it with parchment paper.
Roll the peanut chikki mixture to 1/4-inch thickness using a rolling pin. Lift the parchment paper and mark the chikkis with a sharp knife into squares.
This way, the gajak will snap easily once cooled. Set it aside to cool completely.
Cut and store the pieces in an airtight container. Good for 3-4 weeks.

Notes

Storage

Once cooled and cracked, Chikki lasts long at room temperature for three to four weeks when handled well. Store them in air-tight containers and keep them away from humid places.

If you’re going to stack peanut gajak in a pile, place a piece of parchment paper between each piece to avoid sticking. Do not refrigerate.

Freezer-friendly

Yes, you can freeze peanut chikki, but you need to ensure that you do so correctly to maintain its crunchy texture. The enemy of gajak is moisture.

If peanut candy is exposed to water, it will become soft and lose that wonderful crunch that is important to the perfect peanut brittle. You can store the peanut brittle for up to 3 months.

Nutrition