Peanut candy, popularly known as chikki, is one of India’s most loved winter treats, known for its simple taste and crunchy bite. It’s made by mixing roasted peanuts with melted jaggery. The real magic
lies in heating the jaggery just right, so the chikki becomes hard and crisp once it cools down. While it’s often eaten as an energy snack or a sweet treat, it’s easy to make yet tricky to perfect.
They’re sticky and tough to break, but the sweet flavour keeps people coming back for more. Recently, a content creator caught attention online by showing how peanut chikki is prepared from start to finish. The video takes viewers behind the scenes, breaking the idea that the sweet is made in a complex way. The process looks simple, which includes peanuts mixed into hot jaggery syrup, but timing play a big role.
How Chikki Is Made Step By Step
The video begins by showing workers pouring freshly melted jaggery syrup into another container. The syrup is heated again, after which powdered sugar is added to increase the sweetness and mixed well. Next, peanuts are added and stirred until the mixture starts to turn thick. In the final part of the clip, several workers are seen shaping the mixture into round, flat pieces. They carefully measure the weight so that each packet contains an equal amount of chikki.
Reacting to the post, a user asked, “Not bad, but on the floor tho?”
“They covered the hair. But the food is next to barefoot,” a comment read.
Referring to the jaggery syrup, one more added, “That motor oil still got about 3000 miles left, they’re good for now.”
Chikki’s Name And Roots
As per Condé Nast Traveler, Chikki’s name comes from a Marathi word that means sticky, which suits its texture well. This sweet has been part of Indian food history since the 1800s. During the British period, many workers in Maharashtra were building a railway line between Bombay and Lonavala through tough hill areas. The hard work required food that could give quick energy. A local sweet maker in Lonavala created a simple snack using jaggery, ghee and peanuts, which gave workers the strength they needed. The snack became popular. Later, railway officials saw its popularity and asked the sweet maker to prepare it for passengers travelling on the route.
Chikki has similar versions in many parts of the world. In Greece, there is pasteli, which is made using sesame seeds and honey. Mexico has alegria, a sweet prepared with amaranth grains. In Georgia, gozinaki is popular and is usually made with walnuts cooked in honey. Vietnam has keo lac, which is prepared with peanuts and often mixed with almonds and pecans.
