Makar Sankranti Recipes: 5 Different Makar Sankranti Dishes from India
Makar Sankranti is a harvest festival known by different names, for instance, Lohri in Punjab, Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Bhogali Bihu in Assam, Uttrayan in Gujarat and so on. Though the name of the festivities celebrated in several states might differ, it is the delicious food preparation, they have in common.
Here are 5 Makar Sankranti recipe suggestions to try out that will set up the festive tone.
1. Til Gur Laddoo Recipe (Sweet made with sesame and jaggery)
Making til gur laddoo or the sesame seed sweet is a tradition followed in most Indian households during Makar Sankranti. It is also called Tilkut and is very easy to make.
To prepare the Til Gur laddoo, roast the sesame seeds on a medium flame, till they turn light brown. Grind the roasted sesame lightly to make a coarse powder, add it into the melted gur (jaggery) and blend it well. Make round shaped laddoo of the mixture and store them.
2. Khichdo Recipe (Sweet made with cracked wheat, milk and dry fruits)
In Gujarat, people celebrate Uttarayan by preparing homemade sweet khichdo. It is heavenly delicious, as well as a nutritious sweet dish prepared from cracked wheat, milk and dry fruits.
For preparing this recipe, roast the wheat in ghee and stir till it becomes light brown in colour. Add milk and sugar to it and allow the mixture to boil until fully cooked and becomes thick in consistency. Garnish with raisins, cashew nuts, walnuts and almonds.
3. Badam Suji Halwa Recipe (Sweet made with semolina and almond)
Makar Sankranti is incomplete without badam and suji halwa. This halwa is quick to make. Moreover, the goodness of semolina and the crunch of almonds will put you in a festive mood!
To prepare the halwa, heat a pan to dry roast the semolina, till it is lightly golden brown in colour. Add ghee and ground almonds to the sooji (semolina) and continue roasting on low flame. Now in another pan take water, add sugar, saffron, crushed cardamom seeds and bring all to a boil. Take it off the heat. Slowly and carefully add the water mixture to the semolina and keep stirring till the mixture is thick and starts leaving the sides of the pan. Sprinkle with almonds and serve hot.
4. Til Paneer Recipe (Snack made with cottage cheese and sesame)
Tilwale Paneer is a great snack to nibble on while enjoying the kite flying festival. To prepare this recipe, cut the cottage cheese or paneer into long strips. Marinate the paneer with chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, chaat masala, garam masala, lemon juice and salt for half an hour.
In another bowl, mix refined flour, semolina, remaining ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, salt and water as required to make a thick batter.
Heat the oil in a flat pan, dip the Paneer pieces in the batter, coat it with the sesame and shallow fry until evenly golden on all sides. To get a rich and a perfect Sankranti snack, drain it on an absorbent paper and serve with lemon and onion slices.
5. Murmura Laddoo Recipe (Sweet made with Puffed Rice)
This sweet is popular amongst Punjabis during Lohri. They celebrate the end of winter with bonfires, folk songs and of course the murmura laddoos!
Dry roast the murmura in a pan on medium heat, until they are very crispy. Now melt the jaggery, add in the puffed rice and roll the warm mixture to form laddoos. Even roasted peanuts or roasted dried fruits could be added along with the puffed rice.
