Makar Sankranti 2023: 3 traditional recipes to try out

Among the biggest harvest festivals of the country Makar Sankranti is observed widely across Maharashtra today Food plays a central role in the festive customs as people indulge in local delicacies such as Puran poli and til ke laddoo This Makar Sankranti try these traditional recipes shared by Foodhall executive chefs Debashish Dutta and Supreet Ghai and give your loved ones more reason to cherish the festivalTil ke LaddooTil ke laddoos are among the customary traditional sweets made on Makar Sankranti These sweet sesame jaggery balls are rich in iron and calcium and are very common across MaharashtraIngredients1 Cup White sesame seeds toasted12 Cup Khoya softened12 Cup Jaggery crumbledA pinch of Saffron stigmas2 tsp Pure Cow A2 Ghee2 Tbsp full cream Milk warmMethodHeat a thick bottom pan add ghee add jaggery and melt gently keep stirring it till it froths Soak saffron in warm milk and reserveBefore jaggery starts to solidify add the saffron milk and stir Add grated softened khoya toasted sesame seeds and mix well together with mixing spoonGrease the palm with a bit of ghee and take a small portion of the mixture and roll it in hand to form medium sized balls Serve at room temperaturePro tip by Chef Debashish Dutta Cook jaggery until the soft ball stage for softer laddoosPeanut Jaggery Brittle or Peanut ChikkiPopular allyearround and beloved by children chikki is the quintessential guiltfree sweet The crunchy peanut jaggery brittle has a good amount of protein zinc and seleniumIngredients1 cup Peanuts toasted and broken12 cup Jaggery2 tablespoon water2 tablespoon GheeMethodRoast the peanuts in oven until crunchy and golden cool roughly crush and keep asideHeat the ghee and jaggery with 2 tablespoons water and melt on low heat Stir continuously until the jaggery melts Keep cooking till the mixture reaches the hard ball stage Check the syrup in cold water and it should be firm brittle and break easilyQuickly add the peanuts and give a quick stir and mix very well Take off the flame and pour the chikki mixture on the greased plate Place a foil or a butter paper on the top and with a rolling pin roll the top to an even layerRemove the paper and then with a knife cut squares of the brittlechikki and let it cool at room temperaturePro tip by Chef Debashish Dutta Cook jaggery slightly more and put few drops on a cold surface to check if it turns into a hard brittle textureGur Ki GajakA winter delight Gur ki Gajak is a wholesome snack for everyone with a sweet tooth The flaky dry sweet is high in fibre and antioxidants and is extremely healthy for consumptionIngredients500 g GurJaggery4 cups Peanuts6 tbsp Ghee6 tbsp Fennel seedsMethodHeat ghee in a nonstick pan over a medium flame Add gur to it and lower the flame Allow it to melt and turn golden Once done add the fennel seeds and mix it wellTake another pan and add some ghee and roast the peanuts in it Once they are done add roasted peanuts to the gur mix and mix it well Cook on low flameSpread the gur on a tray or on a glazed sheet Spread a foil sheet on a flat and sprinkle some ghee on it Now transfer the gur mixture on a tray and spread evenlyBreak into pieces and serve fresh Let it cool down and serve this by breaking into small bites and enjoyPro tip by Chef Supreet Ghai While mixing the peanuts in gur mixture make sure the flame is low andonce the mixture is spread on the tray sprinkle fennel powder while itrsquos hotCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updatesMidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news