Workers make tilkut in a factory in Ranchi

Ranchi, Jan. 14: Tilkut is fast climbing the popularity charts in Jharkhand.

The sweet, which is made of sesame and sugar, is not only tickling the taste buds of foodies, but also helping battle the biting cold. Courtesy the huge Bihari population residing in Ranchi, the tilkuts have flooded the city markets.

The delicacy which is specially eaten on Makarsankranti, which falls on January 14, along with the traditional dahi chura (curd with rice flakes) can be seen being sold in renowned sweet shops, small food joints and make shift stalls across the city.

Tilkut, meaning smashed sesame seeds, is made from sesame seeds and sugar. Molten sugar is mixed with sesame and is heated in a clay bowl till the two stick to each other. After a few moments desired shapes of tilkuts are carved out. The craze has allowed the tilkut makers to make varieties of delicacies from the same sesame seeds. For example, tilpapri is a thin, flat variety having the same ingredients. The tilkut season has enabled the traders to do brisk business.

Varieties of tilkuts are being sold at Rs 50 a kg to Rs 60 a kg. The cost of tilkut depends on the variety of sugar being used in it.

“I manage to sell around 500 kg of tilkut in a season. The sale is particularly high a day prior to Makarsankranti,” said Uttam the owner of Adhunik Misthan. Uttam owns a shop in the lane adjoining Mahabir Chowk where a lot of tilkut making and tilkut selling units are located.

There is an interesting fact associated with some tilkut selling shops in the city. There are numerous shops near Mahabir Chowk that sell kulfi during the summer and tilkut during winter. Shops such as Kallu Tilkut aur Kulfiwala, will not be able to provide kulfi during winter and tilkut during the summer.