Crunchy Brittle

"The better I eat, the better I look. The better I look, the better I feel. The better I feel, the better I look. The better I look, the better I eat. I could get used to this cycle!"


Munching a bit of something mid-day or at tea is something we have to do at our home. I usually have yogurt or a fruit as a mid-day snack. But it gets quite repetitive sometimes and a change is always welcome. One of the many things we make to break the monotony of our mid-day and tea time snacks is this crunchy brittle. It is such a versatile snack. It can be adapted to taste and preference of ingredients, and also can be made as a lose crunchy to spoon into your mouth or a brittle. What's more, the ingredients are the kind one usually has in the pantry...at least in our pantry, but anyway easy to get stuff. So here we go---The brittle is my daughter-in-law's recipe.

NOTE: You will find "shakar" in the list of ingredients. This isn't sugar but a loose form of gur/jaggery (that's the best I can explain it) It is not to be confused with "bhura khand" which is also similar but slightly lighter in colour and has a different texture slightly different flavour.

This is what we get here. In India it's a bit darker in colour.

Ingredients
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup sunflower seeds
2 tsps sesame (optional)
(options to the seeds - 1/2 cup pistachios, 1/2 cup cashewnuts, 1/2 cup peanuts (skinless)
2 tbsps ghee or olive oil (ghee is definitely better)
1/4 tsp cumin pwdr
1-1/4 cup shakar
1/2 cup miel de palma (palm honey)
1/2 cup maple syrup (optional) but I suggest it as a good choice to combine.
A pinch of salt

What to do
Grease a tray or a pie dish. keep aside.
Dry roast the seeds separately.
Heat the ghee, lower flame to minimum (sim)
Add cumin, 1 cup shakar and syrup, palm honey. Mix it continuously.
When it starts to bubble at the outer edge, add the seeds/nuts and continue to stir, to mix the seeds/nuts well with the shakar mix. If you think it needs more shakar add the 1/4 cup as well.
When it becomes sort of heavy, remove and spread in the greased tray.
Leave to cool. Then lift from tray and break into pieces.

Notes:
If you want it soft and separate, to spoon like a chewdra, add a bit more ghee and syrup and instead of 1 cup shakar add 3/4 cup shakar. And you could also add some murmura (dry roasted like the seeds)

Murmura added to the seeds is delicious and crunchy too!

Do not use bee honey as it is thicker and may not give the best result in consistency and flavour. Palm honey is lighter and thinner and the same consistency as maple syrup so both work well together.

Spread in a greased tray or pie dish. When cool, lift out and break into pieces.

Enjoy a healthy bite...

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