Mixed nuts Brittle - Nuts candy

My Mom's special recipe, peanut brittle" Pallila patti", a home made candy. This used to be my after school snack, when I was a kid. It is sweet, crunchy, healthy, nutritious, everything natural with no additives , colours or preservatives.  It is made with Jaggery, Jaggery is unrefined sugar. It comes from the sugar cane. It is nothing but sugar in the raw form. it is called as "gud" in hindi, "bellam" in telugu

This Mixed nuts brittle or nuts candy is fully packed with vegetable protein, wholegrains,healthy fat, and rich in fibre. I incorporated different kinds of nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame in it, as we have availability in abundance here in Toronto. This popular home made candies are simple , easy to make and also makes a great gift idea for any occasion.

 

 

Serving the kids: Kids enjoy this so much that they would ask for more but, portion size is the key to control . Portion size also applies to the adults as well.  As per the daily dietary requirements  for a healthy normal adult,  a handful of nuts is just enough. I added a pic of portion sizes...

Alert: Please be careful while serving the kids who have " food allergies/ food sensitivities ", Nut allergies are quite rampant in these days.  

Human beings are not made equally in their physical makeup.  Different people react differently for the same food.  Most of us might've experienced food allergies / food sensitivities at one point or the other.  The words " food allergy" and "food sensitivity" are they one and the same and can be used interchangeably??  The answer would be "NO".  Then, what actually is food allergy ?  and how to differentiate with  food sensitivity.  What are the signs and symptoms to look for??

Food sensitivity:  This can also be known as food intolerance.  More people actually suffer from food sensitivities than food allergies.  Some symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, eczema, skin rashes, heart burn, wheezing , runny nose, and also includes,  fatigue, gas bloating and irritable bowel.  Food sensitivities can be had from common foods, food chemicals such as preservatives/ additives such as  MSG, lactose, sweeteners, food colourings, gluten, Nitrates etc..

Food allergy:  Food allergy is much serious.  The symptoms range from  minor skin rash to the deadly anaphylaxis( life threatening). All most all of the schools in Toronto banned the food with nuts.  Parents are advised not to pack any food with nuts to the children.  No treats with nuts can be send to children on special days like Christmas or Halloween.   Even the Birthday cake should be nut free and should produce the letter from the baker to the Teacher. Nut allergies are never heard of in India.  In Canada, as an Early childhood educator, I've come across some cases of  allergies.  I was taught about the allergies and how to administer Epipen to the children.   If you are a Parent , Teacher, or someone working with children, please look for any or all the symptoms on a person with food allergies. 

• Flushed face
• Red or itchy skin
• Swelling of the eyes, face , lips, throat, tongue
• Impaired breathing, speaking and swallowing
• Anxiety, distress, faintness, weakness
• Cramps, diarrhea, vomiting
• Rapid heart beat
• Loss of conciousness.

The symptoms may appear almost instantaneously or after an hour, But immediate attention is required.

Ingredients:

All kinds of nuts - about a cup

Jaggery  -  1 cup approx

Water - 1/4 cup

Method:

Prepare the greased pan and keep ready.

Roast the mixed nuts either in the oven on or the stove top with few drops of oil.

Put the sauce pan on medium heat, add water and jaggery and cook , stirring continously, making sure all the lumps are melted.  Continue boiling until the mixture reaches boiling point. keep stirring...

Once the mixture reaches 300 degrees and appears to be an amber color, pour in the nuts . Cook for one more minute and then transfer the mixture to the greased pan. Use a spatula to quickly and lightly spread into an even layer. Let it cool completely to set. Break into pieces and enjoy!

TEST :    It is very important to  get the  thick stringy texture while boiling the mixture. To check if the mixture reached the desired consistency, after mixing, lift the spoon to see how the mixture is dropping.  It has to be like a string "  theega paakam" or put few drops of mixture into water, it has to become hard immediately. 

 TIPS:  Once the nuts are added to the mixture, stir continuously to prevent burning and provide even  toasting.

 Make sure the mixture reaches the exact consistency while boiling. 

This mixture is scalding hot, so use extreme caution.