Puffed Rice and Gram Chikki (Brittle)

Ingredients

• 3 cups Puffed rice (Mamra) (Originally '14 tolas' (approx 160g). Adjusted to volume for modern convenience.)
• 1 cup Jaggery (Gur) (Originally '3/4 seer' (approx 250g). Use soft, yellow jaggery chopped or grated.)
• 1/4 cup Water (For melting the jaggery.)
• 1 tablespoon Ghee (Clarified Butter) (For greasing the board and rolling pin. Quantity estimated.)
• 3 cups Roasted split chickpeas (Daria) (Optional variation: Use instead of puffed rice for 'Chana Chikki'.)

Instructions

1. 1Prepare a flat surface (wooden board or the back of a baking sheet) and a rolling pin by greasing them lightly with ghee. This must be done before starting the syrup, as the mixture sets very quickly.
2. 2Clean the puffed rice to remove any grit. Heat a heavy-bottomed pan over low heat. Add the puffed rice. To prevent burning or breaking the delicate grains, stir gently using a wad of paper towel or a soft spatula rather than a heavy spoon. Roast until they are crisp and white. Do not let them turn red or brown. Immediately transfer to a cool bowl to stop the cooking process.
3. 3Crush the jaggery and dissolve it in the water. Strain this mixture through a clean cloth into a deep, heavy pan to remove impurities. Place on low heat. Once it begins to boil and foam, stop stirring with a spoon to prevent the syrup from becoming cloudy or crystallizing.
4. 4Cook on low heat until the bubbling sound becomes quieter and the bubbles look dense. Test the syrup by dropping a small amount into a bowl of cold water. It should form a hard ball that snaps with a brittle sound when broken (hard crack stage). If it is sticky or soft, cook longer. It should not be stringy or soft like a sponge.
5. 5As soon as the syrup reaches the hard crack stage, remove from heat immediately. Quickly add the roasted puffed rice (or roasted chickpeas if making that variation) and mix rapidly until evenly coated. Pour the mixture onto the greased board. Use the greased rolling pin to roll it out to about 1/2 inch thickness. Press the edges with your hands to form a neat square or rectangle.
6. 6While the mixture is still warm (but not hot), use a sharp knife to score deep lines into square pieces. Do not try to cut when fully cold as it will shatter. Allow to cool completely until hard and brittle, then separate the pieces along the scored lines.