As soon as the world gets done with celebrating the new year, we Indians get ready to prepare ourselves for the upcoming festivity. Out of all the 12 Sankranti celebrated by Hindus, Makar Sankranti is one of the most important and awaited ones. From the excitement of adorning the winter sky with all hues of pink, blue and green with kites to bidding adieu to the chilly winter days, Makar Sankranti is a festival to await.
Needless to say, like any other Indian festival, Makar Sankranti has a host of delicacies associated with it. And with an amalgam of myriads of regional cuisines, Indian cuisine has an assortment of delicacies for Makar Sankranti. Here’s a glimpse of the culinary map of Makar Sankranti in India.
1. Makara Chaula Of Odisha
As a kid, I remember waking up with the aroma of makara chaula on Makar Sankranti. The festival of harvest is celebrated with freshly harvested rice, jaggery, chhena, milk, banana and sugarcane in Odisha. My mom adds a dash of cardamom powder to it for extra fragrance. You can add more fruits to it to amp it up nutritionally and add flavours to it.
2. Pinni Of Punjab
Most Punjabi households zing with the aroma of pinnis during winters. Not only winters but pinnis have festive significance too. The ladoos made with all things delicious and healthy are enough to warm your soul and body. Filled with the goodness of ghee and nuts, the ladoos are a must-have on Makar Sankranti.
3. Til Ladoo Of Maharashtra
“Til, gur ghya ni god god bola”- this is how Marathis greet each other on Makar Sankranti. The local phrase meaning “eat til and gur and talk sweetly” itself signifies the importance of the two food ingredients in Marathi culture. The delicious and chewy ladoos made with sesame seeds and jaggery are enough to fill your body and palate with the goodness of the winter specials- sesame and jaggery.
4. Khichdi Of Bihar
The quintessential comfort food of India is an exclusive dish in Bihar on Makar Sankranti. Khichdi served with a dollop of ghee and teamed with chutney is a must-have on Makar Sankranti for Biharis. The Khichdi is amped up nutritionally and taste-wise by being teamed with the seasonal specialties.
5. Payesh Of West Bengal
The love affair of Bengalis and desserts is no hidden secret in the culinary world. Payesh is the Bengali cousin of the Indian kheer and is made with similar ingredients. The pudding is thicker than kheer in consistency and is all things delicious and aromatic. In Bengal, people celebrate Poush Sankranti/Makar Sankranti with payesh that is made with nolen gur or khejur gur.
Do try these delicacies at your home this Makar Sankranti and let us know how you like them.