No Festival is Complete Without the Food! 10 Makar Sankranti Recipies from Different States Across India to Relish in 2019

Til Laddoos are healthy and delicious food made from jaggery, sesame seeds, peanuts, and coconuts.

• Step 1. Heat 1/3 cup sesame seeds and 1/4 cup peanuts separately till you see the change in colour on low heat.
• Step 2. Add 1/4 cup desiccated coconut in the pan till it turns golden yellow. Crush the peanuts in the grinder and add to it roasted coconut and sesame seeds. Add 1/4 tbsp of cardamom powder to it and make a mixture.
• Step 3. In the same pan add 1/2 grated jaggery with 3 tbsp of water and keep the pan on low flame. Keep stirring it until it forms a soft ball of jaggery and gives sticky texture.
• Step 4. Switch off the flame and add mixture to the jaggery solution. Keep the pan down when jaggery solution and mixture blends clearly.
• Step 5. Once you take the pan down and the solution is hot, spread some oil on your palm and start making Laddoos out of it. Keep it under a fan for cooling and your til Laddoo snacks are ready.

Peanut Laddoo is healthy to eat during winters as it keeps your body warm. It takes only 15 minutes to prepare this mouthful of heaven.

• Step 1. Add raw peanuts to the pan on low flame. Stir it until you see peanuts turning crunchy. Once done rub the peanuts between your palms to remove the peel.
• Step 2. Crush the peanuts in the grinder and add grated jaggery to it. Grind the mixture again till you get a coarse consistency.
• Step 3. Take the mixture in a pan or tray. Take some mixture between your palms and start forming the shape of a ball. let it cool down and your Laddoos are ready to eat.

Murmura Chikki is a delicious and quick Maharashtrian snack. All you need is two ingredients to prepare it.

• Step 1. Take a pan and add 3 cups of Murmura to it. Stir it for 3 mins until the colour turns light pink and keep it aside.
• Step 2. Add 2 tbsp of water and jaggery in a pan. Heat it on low flame for 2 minutes and stir continuously.
• Step 3. Add the roasted murmura to the jaggery mixture at once and mix it well.
• Step 4. Take a rectangle pan or tray and brush oil to its surface. Add the mixture to the pan and press the mixture down in the pan shape.
• Step 5. Let it sit for 60 minutes and then with sharp knife start cutting blocks in the mixture.

Badam Suji Halwa is star of all Indian festivals. From traditional festivals till events like wedding Badam Suji Halwa is must on the menu.

• Step 1. Roast semolina in a pan for 2 to 3 min on low flame.
• Step 2. Take another pan on a low flame and add ghee. Add crushed almonds and sauté to it. Add milk and keep it on boiling.
• Step 3. Add cardamom powder and sugar to it after few minutes. Add banana slices and salt as well.
• Step 4. Add roasted semolina and keep stirring till the texture becomes thicker. Switch off the gas.
• Step 5. Garnish your halwa and serve ready to eat.

Undhiyu is made up of seasonal vegetables and served with pooris and roti. Follow the steps to make Undhiyu on this Makar Sankranti.

• Step 1. Make methi muthias by mixing salt and fenugreek leaves with water and soak for 7 to 8 minutes. Squeeze out the water from the leaves and throw away water.
• Step 2. Add whole wheat flour, gram flour, chilli powder, ginger, green chilli paste, a pinch of soda and 11/2 tbsp of olive oil to the leaves. Mix well and add water and knead the mixture into soft dough. Divide the dough into small portions and roll each between the palm in a round shape.
• Step 3. On a non-stick pan heat the oil and keep it on low flame. Fry the muthias when oil is hot till it turns brown in colour and put them on an absorbent paper.
• Step 4. Make slits on the peeled potatoes, eggplants, and slices of bananas. Add chilli powder, sugar, grated coconut, chopped coriander, green chilli paste, green garlic, cumin seed powder, coriander powder, ginger paste, and salt to make coconut-coriander masala. Mix it well and start stuffing in the slits.
• Step 5. Take a large bowl and mix together surti vaal, yam, toor daal and remaining coconut masala and marinate it for 10 minutes.
• Step 6. Add oil in a pressure cooker and heat it on a low flame. Add carom seeds and sauté in the oil until they crackle. Add hing powder and baking soda to it and fry for few seconds. Add stuffed potatoes and eggplants and turn to high flame. Cover the cooker, let there be 2 whistles and then switch the cooker off and let the steam go away.
• Step 7. Open the lid, mix the content in the cooker. Add stuffed bananas with fried muthiyas on top. Once again place the cooker on low flame till the bananas turn tender and soft. Place the dish on a plate and serve hot.

Sweet Pongal is perfect sweet dish to have in menu in any occasion. It is also known as Chakkara Pongal. All you need is little milk and sugar to make sweet pongal on Makar Sankranti.

• Step 1. In a pressure cooker, add moong daal to roast till the dal turns fragrant. Add washed rice to the pan. Add 2 1/
• 4 cups of water and cook it till it softens in a pressure cooker.
• Step 2. In another pan, add grated jaggery and keep it on low flame till the textures become sticky and thick. Once the cooker pressure goes down, open the lid, and mash the rice.
• Step 3. Add jaggery water to the mashed rice and then add green cardamom powder in it. Mix and cook till jaggery water mixes well with rice.
• Step 4. Add ghee and coconut piece to a pan and heat it till it gives an aromatic smell. Add it to the rice.
• Step 5. Add cashews and cloves to a pan on low flame and stir it till it turns golden. Turn off the gas and add raisins and camphor. Mix it well and Sweet Pongal is ready.

Gokul Pithe is a treat of sugar and coconut that melts in your mouth instantly. Here is how you can treat yourself till Makar Sankranti

• Step 1. Make a syrup of two cups of sugar and one cup of water. Let it cool for some time. Heat the pan and add khoya, sugar and sauté to it on medium flame till the textures become thick.
• Step 2. Remove from the heat and allow it cool. Divide it into 8 parts. Roll them into balls and flatten them between your palms.
• Step 3. In a bowl mix maida and sodium bicarbonate. Add one and a half cup of water to create a thick batter coating. Heat ghee in a kadai. Dip the coconut cakes in the maida batter and deep fry till turns golden.
• Step 4. Drain and soak in the sugar syrup for half an hour and it is ready to serve.

Pinni is a very famous Punjabi dish. As you know Lohri also comes on the same day of Makar Sankranti you can try making Punjabi dish on the day by following steps:

• Step 1: Make a powder of sugar and keep it aside. Heat ghee in a pan. Add flour and mix it until it turns brown. Add khoya and sugar to harden it.
• Step 2: Roast dry Khoya in a vessel until it turns brown. Stir it for around 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and add fried flour.
• Step 3. Add raisin, pistachio, and almonds and keep the mixture to cool.
• Step 4. Pour little milk and mix it. When the mixture is warm start making a ball out it. Decorate it with nuts on top.