‘Makar┬áSankranti’ is celebrated in differant┬áparts of India as a Harvest Festival. It is known by Lohri┬áin Punjab or you can say North India┬áand is celebrated in South India┬áas Pongal. In Gujarat it is celebrated as Uttarayan or Kite flying festival.
Like any other festival in India, Makar Sankranti is also incomplete without special feast. Different dishes are prepared in various parts of India on this day to celebrate the harvest season.
Undhiyu (mixed vegetable dish), jalebi and til chikki (sesame seed sweets) are most cherished dishes in Gujarat on this occasion. Whereas Til ke Ladoo, chikki, peanuts, Rewri and Gajjak are eaten during Lohri in North.In South India families prepare shakara pongal, rawa pongal, coconut poli and many many more dishes. It is also known as Bihu in Assam.
These traditional delicacies are especially prepared on this festival. It is a festival where one thing is common apart from welcoming the harvest season, family and friends get together and celebrate the festival by feasting and rejoicing.
Til Chikki or Tal Sakri (Sesame Seed Candy or bars)
Quick and easy to prepare chikki, I used lighter color of jaggery, you can use dark color jaggery too, that will make your chikki in dark brown color. Jaggery and Til are two main ingredients used on Sakranti, else you can replace Jaggery to brown sugar also to prepare this Til chikki. Both options will taste delicious.
Ingredients -
- Roasted sesame seeds (Til) - 1 cup
- Jaggery - 1/2 cup
- Ghee - 1 1/2 teaspoon
- Cardamom Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Method -
Take one non stick pan and roast sesame seeds on medium flame till they start popping and turn little brown. Remove from flame and keep aside to cool. Heat ghee in a pan and add jaggery to it, sprinkle cardamom powder into the jaggery mix only and simmer for a while till it caramalises.
You can check if jaggery is cooked by adding a drop of it into cold water. If it forms hard ball it means done. Now stir for few minutes till it turns light brown. Add the roasted sesame seeds to the jaggery mixture and mix it properly.
Stir well and switch off the flame while mixing. Pour the mixture on the greased platform, flat tray or the back of a plate and roll it out into a thin layer with the help of a rolling-pin. You can gently cut the chikki into squares and then let it cool. When it is  cooled completely then break it into piece and store it in air-tight container.
For the recipe of Til Ladoo’s, please click on the below link!
Enjoy the Feast!!
{ 0 comments… add one now }