Anarsa is a beloved festival sweet — soaked-and-ground rice worked with jaggery, rolled in sesame seeds and fried in ghee to a sweet that is crisp without and soft within. It is made especially for Diwali and Chhath, when kitchens fill with the smell of frying sesame.
A simple method: soak rice, dry it and grind to flour; knead with grated jaggery and a little ghee and rest the dough for a day; shape into discs, press one side into sesame seeds, and fry gently on medium heat until golden. It keeps for days and travels well.