Sriram Tilkut
Run by Rajesh Sah · 2nd generation
"Tilkut is winter food. We make it from October to February — never out of season, never compromise.
Their Story
Sriram Tilkut on Ramna Road in Gaya has been the original Tilkut maker since 1955. Their workshop runs only October-February (winter season), making 50kg of Tilkut a day during peak Makar Sankranti weeks. The family has refused franchising offers for three decades because they will not let the wooden-pounding technique be replaced with steel grinders.
How They Make It
Black and white sesame seeds are dry-roasted in a flat iron pan for exactly 4 minutes, then pounded with hand-mortared jaggery (we use a wooden danda, not a steel grinder, so the sesame doesn't release its oil and turn bitter). The result is then pressed between greased steel plates into 8-inch discs while still warm. Each piece is checked individually before packing. This labor-intensive process is why true Gaya Tilkut tastes nothing like the commercial sesame brittle sold in cities.