Wash the brahmi leaves, and pat dry. Leave these under a fan or near an open window to air dry further.

In a skillet, heat the oil or ghee until almost smoking and drop in the leaves. Reduce the flame. Fry until the brahmi leaves are crisping, the leaves crumble to the touch, and all traces of moisture are gone.

Transfer to a blender jar, along with the powdered jaggery or naattu chakkarai. Add the ginger and cardamom powders. Pulse until you have a uniformly crumbly “brahmi sugar.” Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool completely.

If you are using the sesame seeds, toast them lightly and then add them to the brahmi sugar. Set aside.

On a large plate or cookie tray, spread some parchment paper and grease this with ghee. Set aside.

In a clean, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and the 2T water. Mix until the water is incorporated.

Now set this on a medium flame and allow it to cook undisturbed. You do not need to brush down the sides. Just leave it be. As it bubbles, it may look like there are clumps of sugar on top that are never going to melt, but give them some time, and they’ll come together.

When the sugar mixture starts to turn amber, the sugar bits on top should have started to dissolve. Keep a close watch as this goes from amber to burned very fast.

When the mixture turns a dark brown (about 300°F on a candy thermometer), work quickly – add the brahmi sugar mixture and mix vigorously with a wooden spoon. Now lift the pan off the flame and pour the molten liquid onto the waiting parchment-lined cookie tray/plate and tilt it this way and that to allow it to flow and spread into a thin, uniform sheet.

You can if you like press a few brahmi leaves onto the surface, but this is purely decorative.

Allow this to cool for about 15-20 minutes until the sheet is very hard. Use a mallet to knock it and break into pieces.

Store in an airtight jar (or refrigerate if your climate is very humid like mine—and eat straight out of the fridge or the candy will attract moisture and become messily wet if left out). You can break little pieces onto vanilla ice creams, too, for a nice candy crunch.

Brahmi brittle made this way should keep indefinitely unless the humidity gets to it.