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Makar Sankranti is rapidly approaching—one of the largest celebrations in the nation. Makar Sankranti will be observed on January 15, 2024, this year. Makar Sankranti signifies the sun's entry into Makar, or Capricorn, the month's conclusion with the winter solstice, and the start of longer, warmer days.
Sankranti is a holiday in India when preparations are usually started many days ahead of time since the day's unique delicacies need some teamwork. The whole family would be working together to put on a fantastic performance since they are all so worthwhile. Sesame seeds are the star of the show and can be used to produce both sweet and savoury meals.
Til is an essential part of the festival and its significance cannot be understated. Not only that, til is also an indispensable winter food that helps keep your body warm. So, now that you know what exactly Makar Sankranti is and how til is an important part of the festival, let's get started with the dishes.
Til-Gur Ladoo
The combination of sesame seeds (til) with jaggery (gud or gur) creates a flavour explosion and this ladoo is the perfect example. These til ke ladoos have coconut and peanuts in addition to these two key components, which only serve to improve the flavour and make these nutty ladoos even more beloved. This confection is a Makar Sankranti speciality and is undoubtedly the most well-known dessert of the festival.
Paneer-Til Pakora
Give a savoury twist to til with this delicious paneer til pakora. When you are entertaining guests, paneer is a reliable choice for both snacks and curries. And to give your Makar Sankranti celebrations a dash of savoury goodness, this til paneer pakora is precisely what you need.
A besan batter made with spices and till is used to coat the paneer cubes before deep-frying them to make the pakoras. These paneer pakoras with the benefits of sesame are crispy, delicious, and really simple to make and use spices such as chilli powder, garam masala, chaat masala, green chilli, and more.
Bajra Til Tikki
This Bajra til tikki will significantly raise the health quotient of your snack platter in addition to adding to the variety of snacks available for the Makar Sankranti celebration. Full of immunity-boosting qualities, bajra and til are beneficial throughout these cold months. This bajra til tikki only requires three ingredients, such as bajra, til, and sugar, or gur. This is the ideal last-minute snack for your menu.
Til Chikkis
The two primary components used to make these til gur chikkis or til gur papdi are sesame seeds and jaggery. Essential fats and nutrients needed throughout the winter are provided by both ingredients. The third, optional ingredient is ghee.
Chikki varies in thickness. Some want it thick, while others prefer it paper-thin. When rolling out the chikki, one must act quickly. It might be a little difficult to roll out thin chikki, but it is possible with experience.
These brittles are crispy and crunchy. Chikkis, nevertheless, can be either firm or soft. Compared to softer varieties, harder chikki requires the jaggery or sugar to melt for a longer period of time.
Til Poli
Traditionally made during Makar Sankranthi, Til Gul Poli, also known as Gulachi Poli, is a sweet chapati or flatbread made with sesame seeds, jaggery, and whole wheat flour. This is a sweet, silky, and delectable Maharashtrian dish that tastes best served warm with ghee.
Gul Poli is prepared by rolling a ball of stuffed dough, which is then heated and lightly roasted with oil or ghee. This is a unique dish because of the chapati's high nutritional content, which goes well with the earthiness of the jaggery and the crunch of the toasted sesame seeds.
Til Chutney
This simple dish, which is made with perfectly toasted sesame seeds and green chillies, doesn't need much work on your part. Some of the other ingredients used are garlic, lemon juice, sugar, coriander leaves, and salt. This straightforward dish can be served with idli, dosas, murukku, thattai, bhajji, and bondas for a complete meal on Makar Sankranti.
Til Aloo
Simply toss the young potatoes in a spicy masala of ginger-garlic paste, besan, turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and dried mango powder. Sprinkle sesame seeds liberally over the potatoes during baking and serve the spicy potatoes for a flavourful treat. Til aloo pairs beautifully as a side dish with pooris, chapathis, bhakris, and more.
Ellu Sadam
Sesame seed rice, or ellu sadam, is a classic South Indian meal. It features aromatic sesame seeds blended with urad dal, channa dal, red chillies, and peppercorns. After dry-frying and grinding these ingredients into a coarse powder, the mixture is added to cooked rice, creating a flavourful base.
A tempering of ghee, mustard seeds, channa dal, urad dal, peanuts, red chillies, and curry leaves enhances the dish. The result is a delectable ellu sadam, ready to be offered as neivedhyam or enjoyed as a satisfying meal.
Ellu Murukku
A popular South Indian snack, ellu murukku, is prepared for festivals and other special events. Rice flour, urad dal flour, sesame seeds, butter or ghee, asafoetida (hing), and other spices are combined during cooking. Ellu Murukku is well-known for its crisp texture and sesame seed-infused nutty flavour. It's frequently eaten as a snack with coffee or tea.
Ellu Thattai
Thattai are seasoned, flat rice flour discs (puris) that are deep-fried till they get golden and crunchy. These are traditional foods from Tamil cuisine, enjoyed on special occasions such as Pongal, Deepavali, and Krishna Jayanthi. Hing and red chilli powder are the only spices used in thattai.
Sesame seeds, butter, and curry leaves are used to flavour them. When preparing the dough, a tiny quantity of soaked chana dal is added for texture and crunch.
