Kaju Chikki

Chikki is one of the simplest sweet preparations there is. Jaggery melted, mixed with nuts, poured thin and cooled. What changes is the quality of the jaggery and the quality of the nuts — those two things make all the difference between chikki that tastes like something from a street stall and chikki that you actually want to finish.

This kaju chikki uses whole cashews — not broken cashew bits, whole ones — and unrefined jaggery. The jaggery is cooked to the right temperature so the chikki snaps rather than bends. The ratio of cashews to jaggery is high, which means you're mostly eating cashew held together by jaggery, not the other way around.

No refined sugar. No glucose syrup added to keep it soft or extend shelf life. Just jaggery and cashews.

Good as a snack, good as a post-meal sweet, good in a lunchbox. If you've only eaten commercial chikki, try this version — the difference in the jaggery flavour is noticeable.