Ingredients

• 1 lb jaggery
• 3/4 cup waterI
• 1 1/4 lb roasted, blanched peanuts

Instructions

1. Brush a small stainless steel bowl with oil or melted butter.
2. Boil jaggery and water until jaggery melts.
3. Strain with a fine sieve.
4. Return to the saucepan and continue cooking on medium heat until thick. Test by dropping few drops in cold water. It should be hard crack stage (150 degree on candy thermometer).
5. Add peanuts and mix well.
6. Spread the mixture evenly inside bowl.
7. Push a greased smaller bowl into the mixture to help create a hollow bowl shape.
8. You have to loosen the basket right away otherwise you will have a problem taking it out.

You sieve the mixture because jaggery has small stones in it.

I use a candy thermometer for best result every time. To make the handle: make 1/2 a recipe of the jugu pak. Pour the mixture on a greased surface, and roll into a 1″ round, long stripe (it should be about the depth of the bowl), shape it into a handle. Save about 1 tbsp of the jaggery syrup before you add the nuts, for using as a glue for the handle. After removing the basket from the bowl, stick the handle with the reserved syrup. The basket should be stored in a cool place. You can substitute walnuts or pistachio for peanuts for the handle.