MAKARA SANKRANTI | INDIAN FESTIVAL
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| ELLU-BELLA |
MAKARA SANKRANTI - festival in the Hindu calendar dedicated to the SUN (Surya) God which is observed and celebrated by Hindus around the world each year in the month of January either on the 14th or 15th of January.
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| AVAREKALU RASAM |
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| KADALEKAI & AVAREKALU SUNDAL |
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| SWEET PONGAL |
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| SPICY PONGAL |
The festivities associated with Makar Sankranti are known by various names including Sankranthi or Peddha Panduga in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Khichari in Bhojpuri region, Magh Bihu in Assam, Maghi Saaji in Himachal Pradesh, Makara vilak in Kerala, Makara sankranti in Karnataka, Maghi Sangrand in Punjab, Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Maghi Sangrand or Uttarain (Uttarayana) in Jammu, Sakrat in Haryana, Sakraat in Rajasthan, Sukarat in central India, Uttarayana in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, Ghughuti in Uttarakhand, Dahi Chura in Bihar, Makar Sankranti in Odisha, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Goa, West Bengal (also called Poush Sankranti or Mokor Sonkranti), Uttar Pradesh (also called Khichidi Sankranti), Uttarakhand (also called Uttarayani) or as simply, Maghe Sankranti (Nepal), Songkran (Thailand), Thingyan (Myanmar), Mohan Songkran (Cambodia), Til Sakraat in Mithila, and Shishur Senkrath (Kashmir).
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Ingredients & Method for making Ellu-Bella (Jaggery & white sesame seeds)  Dry roast 1/2 cup each white sesame seeds, dry coconut, peanuts, split grams separately, mix with chopped jaggery, stored in an air-tight container at room temperature  |
Makara Sankranti marks the first day of the the Sun transiting into Makara Rashi (Capricorn Moon Sign, the 10th Moon sign of the Zodiac) and this is one of the ancient Indian festival which has been observed according to Solar cycles (most Hindu festivals are set by the Lunar cycle of the Hindu calendar)
In the Indian State of KARNATAKA, This is the Suggi (ಸುಗ್ಗಿ) or harvest festival for farmers and on this auspicious day, girls wear new clothes to visit near and dear ones with a Sankranti offering in a plate and exchange the same with other families. This ritual is called "Ellu Birodhu." Here the plate would normally contain "Ellu" (white sesame seeds) mixed with fried groundnuts, neatly cut dry coconut and fine cut bella (jaggery). The mixture is called "Ellu-Bella" (ಎಳ್ಳು ಬೆಲ್ಲ). The plate contains shaped sugar candy moulds (Sakkare Acchu, ಸಕ್ಕರೆ ಅಚ್ಚು) with a piece of sugarcane. There is a saying in Kannada "ellu bella thindu olle maathadi" that translates to 'eat the mixture of sesame seeds and jaggery and speak only good.'
FESTIVAL FOOD
Sankranti Ellu-Bella
Tamarind Rice | Puliyogare
Ingredients & Method for making
ಐಯಂಗಾರ್ ಗೊಜ್ಜಿನ ಚಿತ್ರಾನ್ನ । ಐಯಂಗಾರ್ ಪುಳಿಯೋಗರೆ
Tamarind Rice | Puliyogare
Soak 1 cup tamarind in hot water for 1 hour. Squeeze tamarind juice and pour it to a sauce pan and boil for 20 mins. Slowly add other ingredients as shown in the picture above - Salt to taste, red chilli powder to taste, jaggery, sesame seeds, dry grated coconut, special spice powder to make this gojju (dry roasted 1/2 cup each of coriander seeds, urud dal, chana dal, dry red chillies to taste, 1 tsp. methi seeds, 4 tsps. cumin seeds, 5 tsps. sesame seeds, lemon size tamarind (seeds removed); when cool blend into powder form with sugar, salt and hing to taste), roasted peanuts & curry leaves. Simmer for additional 15 mins, remove from heat and use with cooked rice to make Iyengar tasty Puliyogare.
This tamarind gojju can be stored in refrigerator for upto 4-6 weeks and use when required.
Sakkar Pongal | Sweet Pongal
1/2 cup rice, 2 tablespoon moong dal, few cloves, cashews & raisins roasted in 1 tsp. ghee - pressure cooked for 3-4 whistles. 1 cup jaggery melted in boiling water. 1/4 cup milk, 1/2 tsp. cardamom powder & a small piece of edible camphor added. Simmered for few minutes and served hot.
Spicy Pongal | Savoury Pongal
For making Spicy / Savoury Pongal
Follow same procedure but skip edible camphor, cardamom, raisins, jaggery.
Add salt to taste, 1/2 tsp. each peppercorns & cumin seeds are roasted with 2 tablespoons moong dal. Seasoned with mustard seeds, hing powder, curry leaves, turmeric powder, ginger powder, chana & urud dals. Mixed with coriander leaves & dry coconut.