PERFECTLY IMPERFEFCT PEANUT BRITTLE/കപ്പലണ്ടി മിട്ടായി

Sometimes, it's the simplest of things that give us great pleasure. This is a great sweet that we all grew up eating. If you are not concerned about getting perfect squares of the mittai that you get in stores and are not very keen on using a candy thermometer, then this can be made in a few minutes if you have scraped jaggery. Jaggery is completely unrefined sugar.

I have heard  my aunt say, " Just put some jaggery syrup and peanuts on the table and let the kids snack on it as they pass by. " Maybe that's how Kappalandi mittai was made . I wonder.

This brittle has a softer bite. Soft on the tooth. (I am not getting any older!!). I like it this way.

RECIPE

1. 1 cup grated jaggery(125 gms)
2. 1/4  salt
3. 1 tsp water
   
4. 1 and 1/2 cups groundnuts,180 gms(skin removed,halved or chopped with a knife, I have used salted, halved peanuts from Costco)

METHOD

• Take a 10" non-stick frying pan. Add the grated jaggery, salt, and water, and heat it on a low flame. Cook till the jaggery melts completely.

        

       

 

• Wait for it to thicken, and turn off the stove. When you stir, the liquid should no longer be wet. Keep it in the pan and let it cool down. You don't have to wait long since only 1 tsp of water is added.
  

  
• To remove the brittle from the pan, heat the pan on low for 15 to 20 seconds. The syrup on the bottom of the pan will melt, but the top part should remain the same. This was my eureka moment!! I accidentally stumbled on this way of releasing the brittle.
• Take the pan off the stove and tilt it so the whole brittle will slide off it. Slide this onto a plate lined with parchment paper. 
  

  

  
  

  

NOTES

• Feel the consistency of the jaggery and water accordingly. Too dry- add more water.
• Jaggery can be scraped using a knife. This is what my mother does.
  

• I use salted halved peanuts, as is. I buy them from Costco.
• If you want smaller pieces, hand-chop them with a knife. Put the nuts on a towel instead of the chopping board and chop them. I tried pulsing the peanuts in the processor, but they became a little bit powdery. So, I find that hand chopping is the best way. OR put the peanuts in a kitchen towel, wrap the towel so that the peanuts are not exposed, and bash them with a meat tenderizer or a rolling pin. Use a plain towel and not a Turkish towel. 
  
  
  



• After transferring the mittai, a small amount of jaggery was left behind in the pan. I would like to find a solution to wipe the pan clean. Adding ghee didn't work as expected.

• If you want a nice dark-colored brittle, let the jaggery melt and turn to the desired color on low heat with water. Then, add the peanuts. This gives the exact peanut brittle consistency.