Traditional Makar Sankranti recipes made easy

A festival dedicated to Surya puja, kite flying and bonfires, Makar Sankranti is an important festival that falls in the month of March. Makar Sankranti marks the first day of the sun's transit into Makara rashi (Capricorn). It also marks the end of winter solstice and the start of longer days. As per the Hindu calendar, this year, the festival would be celebrated all over India on Jan 14. People from all over India celebrate this festival by flying kites, praying to Surya devta and by preparing several types of dishes. Here are some traditional recipes which you can make at home in the easiest way possible.

Coming all the way from Bengal, this famous Makar Sankranti dish is enough to tantalize your taste buds with its soft texture and sweet taste.

Ingredients required- ½ cup grated coconut, ½ cup wheat flour, 1 cup khoya, 2 cups of sugar, 5 cup water, 2 tbsp ghee, ⅛ tsp baking soda and oil for deep-frying.

Method-

1. Prepare sugar syrup by boiling 2 cup sugar with 4 cup water. Once it starts thickening, switch off the flame and set it aside.
2. Now fry coconut and khoya over medium heat and stir continuously.
3. Make batter by mixing flour, ghee, one cup water and baking soda.
4. Heat ghee in a kadhai for deep-frying. Make small balls from coconut mixture, dip into batter and drop in the ghee. Deep fry all balls until golden brown.
5. Lastly, heat the sugar syrup for a minute and take it off the flame. Drop all the fried balls in it and let them sit for at least 30 minutes.

Yellow coloured Khichdi made with a tadka of ghee is another highlight of this festival. Made with different across different states, Khichdi is a common dish that is relished by a number of people on this auspicious day.

Ingredients required-1 cup urad dal, 2 cup rice, 2 tbsp ghee, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp red chilli powder, ½ tsp hing, salt as per taste and water (as required).

Method-

1. Soak dal and rice separately in water. Let them sit for at least 1-2 hours. Wash them 2-3 times before soaking them.
2. Now heat ghee in a pressure cooker, add hing, cumin seeds and let them splutter.
3. Drain the dal and add in the cooker. Roast it for 2-3 minutes.
4. Now add salt, turmeric, red chilli powder powder and 1 cup of water. Mix well.
5. Secure the lid and pressure cook it for 2 whistles.
6. Now drain the rice and add it to the cooker, along with 2 cups of water. Secure the lid again and cook it for 1-2 whistles, accordingly. Allow the steam to release on its own.
7. Once done, add a dollop of ghee on top and serve with curd.

Baingan Pakora is usually paired with Khichdi during Makar Sankranti and makes a good option for lunch.

Ingredients required- 4-5 small sized brinjals, 1 cup besan, ¼ tsp turmeric, ¼ tsp chilli powder, ¼ tsp hing, ¼ tsp cumin powder, 2 tbsp fresh coriander, ½ cup water, salt as per taste and oil for deep frying.

Method-

1. Prepare the batter by mixing besan, water, turmeric, chilli powder, hing, cumin powder, salt and fresh coriander.
2. Whisk all the ingredients well to form a smooth batter. You can add ¼ cup more water, if the batter seems too thick.
3. Now, cut brinjal slices and dip them in the batter. Coat them properly.
4. Heat oil in a kadhai and drop brinjal pieces in it. Keep the flame medium and fry pakoras from both sides until golden brown.
5. Once done, serve hot with khichdi.

A traditional Bihari dish, Laai is a super easy festive sweet dish made with just four ingredients- jaggery, peanuts, ghee and puffed rice.

Ingredients required- 3 cup puffed rice (murmure), 1 tbsp ghee, 1 cup jaggery and ¼ cup lightly crushed peanuts.

Method-

1. Firstly, dry roast puffed rice on low flame till it turns crisp.
2. Now heat ghee in a kadhai and add jaggery. Keep stirring until jaggery melts.
3. Once the melted jaggery starts boiling, turn off the flame and add puffed rice and crushed peanuts.
4. Mix gently until well combined.
5. Make laddoos from the mixture while it is still warm.
6. Lay the laddoos on a tray and let them dry until crispy.

A popular Maharashtrian dish made on the festival of Makar Sankranti, Til Poli, also known as Gulaichi poli is a sweet roti made with sesame seeds.

Ingredients required- 1 cup sesame seeds, 2 cup powdered jaggery, 1 cup maida, ½ cup wheat flour, 3-4 tbsp ghee and a pinch of salt.

Method-

1. Firstly roast the sesame seeds and grind them.
2. Now add powdered jaggery and 1 tbsp ghee in it. Mix well.
3. Knead a dough with maida, wheat flour, 1 tbsp ghee, a pinch of salt and a bit of water.
4. Make small balls and fill the sesame-jaggery mixture in it.
5. Roll the ball into round chapatis and roast on tawa using ghee.