An ensemble of well measured clarified butter, wheat flour, almonds, cashews, walnuts, pistachios, sugar and a few traditional spices such as cilantro seeds, cardamom seeds etc cooked to a rich brown firm cake.
A traditional sweet that has seen many childhoods nourish and many post partum women gain strength. It is also used as “Vanva” and fed to the groom to be and the bride to be during the days leading up to their wedding day to give them the power and vitality that is much needed to cope with the taxing wedding rituals and to commence their wedded life.
Relished particularly in the winter months this sweet can stay without the fridge for months without getting spoilt. As a general practice mothers often make it for their married daughters in winters and send it across to them. On the other hand a mother in law traditionally prepares it for the daughter in law during her delivery .
The recipe passed down from family elder women to younger women has seen various versions of making with little difference in ingredients, their quantities and very little difference in the recipe.
variations:
Some people prefer to use jaggery instead of sugar.
Some people like the nuts to be crushed finely while others slice them not so fine for a crunchier taste.
Some May wish to add sugar as a syrup but others might be more comfortable using sugar as it is or in powdered form.
Some cook along with the sugar and some add sugar right at the last step while turning off the flame.
Some like to serve it as big pieces ( the traditional way), some prefer smaller bite size slices ( modernist approach) while some wish to keep it as crumbly mixture and spoon it to eat.
Some like it with poppy seeds and some like to skip it.
Currants and raisins are optional as many people don’t like them but prefer the nutty taste.
Sikiladi 
I heard this word first time.
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I am glad you learnt of it from this post.
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