Bhartpur’s “kutema Gajak”
Product details
People without teeth can eat this Kutama Gajak: It is beaten 40 times with a wooden hammer, it was made for the first time on the complaint of a customer
It is not possible to not talk about Gajak in winter season. Whenever we talk about famous Gajak in Rajasthan, the name of the world famous 'Kuteima Gajak' of Bharatpur come first. It is prepared by pounding it with a wooden hammer. The story of its origin is very interesting. What is that, let us tell you…
Kutima was made on the complaint of a customer, it became world famous
Mahesh Chand, owner of Anand Swaroop Gajak, said that 'Kutama Gajak' was started by his father Anand Swaroop in 1960. His father was an expert in making many varieties of Gajak. In those days, simple Gajak made of jaggery and sesame was more popular. But the idea of Kutama came after a customer's complaint.
In the beginning, many elderly people came to father Anand Swaroop. They could not eat gajak. One day an elderly customer came with a complaint that his gajak could not be chewed. The sesame seed of gajak gets stuck in the teeth, which spoils the whole taste. Prepare such gajak that people without teeth can eat.
Then what happened. Father thought of preparing such a variety of gajak that would melt as soon as it is put in the mouth. Anand Swaroop got wooden hammers made and did many experiments on preparing gajak by crushing it. Neither the sesame seeds would remain whole nor would they get stuck in anyone's teeth. Keeping this concept in mind, he started preparing and selling Kutama gajak. Since then, the taste of this Kutama gajak became popular among the people.
It becomes soft after 35-40 blows of the hammer
Mahesh Chand told that a special trick is used to make Gajak soft. A piece is beaten 35-40 times with a wooden hammer. This makes the sesame seeds soft and they get absorbed inside. The Gajak piece is completely filled with the flavour of sesame seeds and not just sugar.
Mahesh Chand said that he sells the most 'Kutama Gajak'. Kutama Gajak is named Kutama because it is made by pounding it with a hammer. Gajak is made for about 12 hours a day. Because as the winter increases, the demand for Gajak also increases.
Mahesh says that people are so crazy about Gajak that they sell it from a street vendor. However, he also has a shop at Basan Gate where Gajak is sold but customers reach the street vendor instead of the shop. Earlier his father Anand Swaroop used to sell Gajak. Today he is doing this work with his three sons.
Business worth crores in Bharatpur alone
Today there are 20-25 big shops of Kutaima Gajak in Bharatpur. Apart from Anand Swaroop & Sons, Gajak of many brands like Madhur Vyanjan, Parmanand, Triloki is sold. Kutaima Gajak from here is supplied from Pali, Bikaner, Jaipur to Agra, Lucknow, Meerut and Delhi of Uttar Pradesh. The expatriates living in England, Australia, Saudi Arabia, America take Gajak from here. The business of one season is in crores. More than 500 people in the entire district get employment from Gajak business.
More than 12 varieties of Gajak
14 varieties of gajak are available in entire Bharatpur. Mahesh Chand told that he also makes sugar free gajak for diabetes patients. Apart from this, he also makes flax seed gajak, peanut gajak, dry fruit gajak, saffron bati, patti gajak, roll gajak, biscuit gajak, jaggery sev, khoya gajak, sesame laddu.
This is how 'Kutama Gajak' is prepared
- First of all, sesame seeds are cleaned and roasted in a pan until they turn red.
- On the other hand, prepare two and a half string syrup by mixing jaggery and sugar. It becomes dark brown in colour.
- Now the thick syrup is pulled out through machines and its lachcha is prepared.
- The syrup flakes are added to the roasted sesame seeds and mixed with hands.
- After the sesame seeds stick to the syrup, small balls are made from it.
- Now the artisans beat these balls with a hammer and give them the shape of a patty.
- Now garnish it with pistachio slivers. Kutama Gajak is ready
