It’s a new year and we need all the festivals to celebrate 2021 and welcome it. Makarsankranti is one such festival which is celebrated by flying kites and also is a religious celebration as well as a seasonal observance and marks the winter solstice, when the shift of the sun leads to ever-lengthening, longer days. This day, also known as Maghi, is a major harvest festival and is dedicated to the sun god Surya. This is one such festival which is named differently in all cultures. To celebrate the beginning of a new season, we have brought to you some of the best dishes you can prepare for Makarsankranti.
- Til ladoo
One dish with different names and sizes. Famously known as Til ladoo in Maharashtra, Gajak in Madhya Pradesh or chikki. This ladoo is a must-have for this very occasion to resume the harvest season.
Ingredients:
- Sesame Seeds 250 grams
- Jaggery grated 1 cup
- Peanuts 1/4 cup
- Dry coconut grated 1/4 cup
- Green cardamom powder 1/2 teaspoon
- Pure ghee 1/2 tablespoon
Instructions:
- Roast white sesame seeds on hot tawa till crisp taking care that they do not change colour
- Roast peanuts, remove skin and then make a coarse powder. Lightly roast grated dry coconut
- Mix sesame seeds, peanut powder, grated dry coconut and green cardamom powder
- Melt the jaggery and cook till softball consistency is formed. Mix all dry ingredients in it and roll into laddoos. Allow to cool and let them set!
2. Undhiyu
Undhiyu is the popular dish prepared in Gujarat during this time of the year to celebrate the harvest season. Read on below to prepare some delicious Undhiyu at the comfort of your home.
Ingredients:
- 150 grams surti papdi or a mix of surti papdi and valor papdi
- ½ to ⅔ cup fresh pigeon peas/ toor dal
- 100 grams small brinjals
- 150 to 200 grams of baby potatoes
- 100 grams sweet potato
- 100 grams raw unripe banana
- 150 grams purple yam (kand)
- ½ cup tightly packed grated coconut
- 3 tablespoon finely chopped coriander leaves
- 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
- ½ tablespoon ginger paste
- ½ tablespoon garlic paste or green garlic chives paste
- ½ tablespoon green chili paste
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- 3 teaspoon coriander powder
- 2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon sugar or add as per taste
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon salt or add as required
Instructions;
- Heat 4 to 5 tbsp sesame oil or peanut oil in a pressure cooker. Add ½ tsp ajwain or carom seeds & ½ tsp cumin seeds. Stir and fry the ajwain and cumin seeds till they change their colour. A few seconds. You can also use sunflower oil or safflower oil.
- Then add ⅛ tsp asafoetida/hing. Stir.
- Now add the stringed and podded beans. If you are using fresh pigeon peas, you can add them at this step.
- Stir well. To preserve the green colour of the beans you can add a pinch of soda.
- Now add half a portion of the leftover coconut masala.
- Again stir very well and saute for 3 minutes on a low to medium flame. Then make a neat layer of the beans at the bottom.
- Then place the chopped purple yam in a neat layer.
- Then make another layer of chopped raw bananas and sweet potato.
- Now sprinkle ¼ of the coconut masala evenly. Don’t stir.
- Make the next layer of stuffed brinjals and potatoes.
- Add ½ cup water from the sides. Don’t stir.
- Now gently place the prepared methi muthia in a layer. Sprinkle 2 to 3 pinches of salt all over.
- Cover the pressure cooker with its lid and pressure cook on a medium to high flame for 2 whistles or for 8 to 10 minutes.
- When the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid and gently mix everything without breaking the stuffed veggies.
- While serving if you want, you can garnish surti undhiyu with chopped coriander leaves or some grated coconut. Serve undhiyu with pooris.
Do you want to prepare more dishes on Makar Sankranti? You can read on to Celebrate Makarsankranti with These Traditional Dishes.
