#13 Yum Recipes for Sankranti|Pongal, a Roundup

Celebrate the Lohri the festival dedicated to The Sun with these delicious 13 recipes.

Every year 14 January or the 15th January is celebrated as Sankramana with pomp in various parts of the Indian subcontinent. Yes, the harvest festival is called Sankranti, Pongal,Bhogi, Sakramana, Lohri, Magh Bhiu are some of the names for the festival. The festivities are held for different periods depending on the region from flying kites to Surya Namaskar we have it all. I have curated 13 recipes that you can use, these are the not only ones but some favourites. Follow me on social media for more delicious recipes that are healthy and simple to make. You can also subscribe to my newsletter I promise not to spam you!

Any festival involves food here are some top foods that are made. These traditional foods what your body needs in the season. So you will find an abundant use of Sesame seeds, groundnut or peanuts, all oilseeds, Bajra or Pearl millet, fresh vegetables.

Lets us start with Pearl Millet or Bajra

Pearl millets are one grain that is consumed in this season. If you enjoy Rotti made from Jowar you will like these made with bajra! One way to consume millets is making this yum Sajji Rotti. For Bhogi Habba is made one day prior when we celebrate Bhoji. The menu features for Bhoji mainly consists of stuffed baby aubergines vegetable, Khichidi called Hoogi, Sweet Curry called God Saar.

A diabetic or weight watcher? Who says you cannot enjoy sweets? Try this delicious Bajra aur Gur ki Roti. Just the season for some yum food.

With the abundance of methi leaves try making theplas. But a twist I made these delicious and nutritious Bajra and Methi Parathas you guessed it the addition of Bajra flour was the twist. Kiddo knew there was some new ingredient but she polished them off. All your Sankarnti Food does not need to be sweet.

Another food we eat a lot in the winter is sesame seeds

Sesame seeds are rich in calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc, molybdenum, selenium, and dietary fiber. So we make in Maharashtra and even in the North Karnataka Gul Poli or Beld Holgi. These flatbreads are made with jaggery, powdered sesame seeds and dry coconut. A speciality made for Sankranti Season Gul Poli lasts for some days so they are ideal to travel with a dollop of ghee on top and your energy needs for winter are met. These pictures are very old I need to update them hopefully will work on it this year.

Making Sesame seed laddu with melted jaggery is an art. But that is not the only way to make these delicious Til Laddus. These ones are soft and easy to eat and you can make them using the mortar pestle or the mixer. Absolutely simple and easy. Try it!

Then I did mention making Til Ladoo with Jaggery but then if like me you do not enjoy the task(because the mixture is hot and you need to be quick) make them in this Til Chikki. To make Chikki you get a special kind of jaggery it is called "Chikki che God" in Konkani. This jaggery is very sticky and you can make amazing chikki with it.

Have you tried making the North Indian brittle Gajak? We could get it only in the winter I still remember there was a cart that sold so many yum brittle and Gajak was only in the winter. Why not make it at home it is easy here is the recipe.

Peanuts this is the season for them

Also called groundnuts the are great fresh peanuts available in the markets this season. Those we boil with salt makes a great snack. But if you have a sweet tooth then you will appreciate these Peanut and Jaggery Ladoos. Yes, I made them finally with peanuts. The jaggery and peanut mixture is hot when rolling the ladoos. But we all agree they taste amazing.

Now if you wonder is Sankranti all about Sweets then wait we have some delicious Pongal for you to try. Pongal means to “boil over” or “spillover”  the rice and dal are made to spill over from the clay pot, a sign of abundance!

The traditional Pongal Sakkara Pongal that Sowmya has shared her mother's recipe which she says was her grandmother's before. Sowmya said it was easy but when Sowmya said it was easy I had my reservations till I read the recipe. Try it! Head to Sowmya's for the recipe.

Is there a food blogger who does not twist, tweek or hoodwinks her family successfully? What happens when you buy brown rice no one wants to eat and have too many dates? What happens when you watch documentaries on ill effects of sugar? With Sowmya this delicious Dates and Sakkara Pongal with Brown Rice happened! Read it you will love her post.

Now you can start drooling over Kalyani's Kalkandu Pongal which is Rock Candy Sweet Pongal. It is definitely a must-make this season. Are you trying it out? Do let us know.

In case you do not want to use rice to make pongal its perfectly okay. Like me you too will love this delicious Porso Millet Venn Pongal. A savoury breakfast item and Venn means white in Tamil. Traditionally Pongal is made with rice and moong dal but mine is made with from Porso millet. You will find it commonly as Vari che tandul or Sam ke Chawal.

Or like Kalyani use Oats! I love this idea not one person will know what they are eating. Can use it as a breakfast dish too on any day. Try Oats Chakkara Pongal any day!