We celebrate Makar Sankranti festival in mid January across India. This is the first festival of the calendar year. Here is wishing you a great time with your loved ones.
Scroll down to see our top Makar Sankranti recipes.
Happy Makar Sankranti!
Why do we celebrate it?
We celebrate it to mark the end of winter solstice and beginning of longer days. It is also a celebration of winter harvest. Gujarati community calls it as Uttarayan. Earth starts moving northwards from this day.Also marks the transit of Sun into Capricorn or Makar. Sindhis call it Lal-loi .Assamese call it as Magh Bihu and Pongal or Pedda panduga in South. There are four days of Pongal - Bhogi, Surya, Mattu and Kaanum. We have put together a list of our top Makar Sankranti recipes for this special festival. Scroll below to read them.
What should we do on Sankranti?
We should worship the SUN as a deity for his power to give us life. People pray for a good harvest. They also celebrate with bonfires, kite flying and fairs. Sesame seeds have a major role in this festival. People bathe with sesame seed oil and wear black so that it keeps the body warm on the cold day.
The famous Kutch festival also is celebrated during this time. There is nothing more magical than the beautiful colorful kites flying over a barren white Rann of Kutch. This place looks amazing during full moon. Having been blessed to be there I can say it is a sight you will never forget. Other must visit places, Lakhpat, Mandvi, Bhuj and Dholavira. See our travel story here.
What is eaten on Makar Sankranti?
Sesame is a powerhouse of vitamin E and anti-oxidants. It also provides energy and heat to the body. We make special sweets for this occasion. They include various types of chikki ,revadi and laddoo. Other important festival recipes and bhogi recipes are pongal, sweet pongal.
Note: Pregnant women should avoid sesame and jaggery as they both induce heat in the body. Please consult your doctor before consumption.
See our Top Makar Sankranti Recipes
Top Makar Sankranti recipes
Easy recipes to celebrate Makar Sankranti
Rewari
Tiny titbits of happiness. Make this jaggery and sesame praline with a hint of coconut oil. Perfect to munch on and get that essential Iron and Vitamin E. Sugar rush anyone? P.S: You can also make this recipe with sugar if you do not have jaggery at home.
Til mawa barfi - sesame rose fudge
This is an eggless vegetarian sweet. It has the goodness of both sesame and rose water.
Til ke ladoo-seasame seed balls
Sesame seeds rolled into small balls. Also called as til laddoo in Maharashtra or Til Laru in Assamese. This recipe is all seed based. You can make it vegan by adding oil/vegan butter. It is already made with natural cane sugar or jaggery .It is also gluten-free
Til Patti-sesame brittle
Good old til chikki or sesame praline. Lai as we Sindhis call it. Perfect to munch and crunch. This is an all sesame sweet. Minimal ingredients but maximum taste. Crush it later and add it to ice creams. Tastes fabulous.
Murmura laddoo- Puffed rice balls
This is also known as maramaralu undalu in South India. Assamese call it Murir laru. This is a vegan gluten-free recipe. You can use both sugar or jaggery to make these yummy treats
Peanut Chikki-groundnut brittle with jaggery
I remember munching the whole packet of singdana chikki in a day. Easy to make and perfect for small hunger pangs.
Oats chikki- Oats brittle
No problem if you cannot eat sesame. Have an oats praline with dried berries. This praline is great for Vitamin E too. Berries are full of anti-oxidants. Also, a good way to have oats when it is cold. You cannot have cold overnight oa
Oats laddoo
Oats laddu is a great way of having oats when it is cold and you cannot have your regular overnight oats.
sakarai pongal |chakkara pongali | sweet pongal recipe
Sweet pongal or chakkara pongal and khara pongal recipe, salty version is served in naivedyam for pooja in South India.
Five seed energy bar
Bored of sesame only recipes? Make your own 5 seed praline. This 5 seed energy bar is vegan and gluten-free. All seeds are great for Vitamin E.
Caramel Popcorn
Popcorn is also eaten during the bonfire celebration. Quick way to gain fiber and energy while you dance and fly kites. You may serve it salted, caramel or with some cheese.
Did you make any of this recently? Tag us on Instagram @secondrecipe. Would love to see the pictures or video. Enjoy!
FAQs
Makara sankranti is known as poush sankranti in Bangladesh and Bengal.
In Himachal it is called as Maghi saaji.agha Ra Saza. In Nepal & Bihar it is also called as Maghi Parva or Maghi Sankranti.
The movement of sun from south (dakshin) to north (uttar) is known as Uttarayan while the opposite is called dakshinayana
Ven pongal or khara pongal (salt khichdi), chakkara pongal or sweet pongal recipe, gavvalu and /Til ke laddu | Sesame seed balls, undalu are some important recipes in South India.
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