Special, savory & sweet recipes for Pongal and Sankranti from different parts of South India & Maharashtra

The harvest festival is upon us. How to welcome a festival at this time - especially one signifying hope, prosperity, and good times after a very trying 2022? What better way to begin 2023 than to spur the taste buds with some delectable, special festival food! Here are some lip-smacking delicacies from different states of South India and Maharashtra where Pongal and Sankranti are celebrated. 

Eat good food! Live a good life!

We have shared Pongal and Sankranti recipes from Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.

In 2023, Pongal, celebrated by Tamil Nadu, falls between January 14-17. Here are some traditional Pongal recipes that will have you camping in the kitchen! 

Pongal festival recipes:

1. Medhu vadai (Fried savory made of black gram lentils)

Preparation Time : 10 minutes (excluding the soaking time)  

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Difficulty Level: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 cup white urad dal (Black gram lentils), soaked for 2 hours
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 green chili, finely chopped
• Small bunch of coriander leaves, finely chopped

How to prepare 

1. Soak the dal for about two hours; strain the water from it.
2. Grind the dal and ginger in a blender into a very smooth batter. Add very little water while grinding the dal. Transfer the batter to a bowl.
3. Add the salt, green chilies and chopped coriander and stir well to combine the ingredients with the batter.
4. Cover the vadai batter and allow it to rest*
5. Preheat the oil for deep frying the medu vadais.
6. Take a small portion of dough in your hand and drop it gently into the oil.
7. You can add 4-5 at a time depending on the size of the vessel you are using.
8. Once it turns light brown, flip the vadais. When it is well- browned, remove and relish!

Notes: 

• If you add too much water to the dough, the vadais will suck a lot of oil while frying. 
• Medu vadai maker can be used to make the shapes for the traditional vadais.
• It is important to allow the dough to rest to allow the batter to become soft and fluffy.
• To check the heat of the oil before frying, drop a bit of dough into the oil; if it turns brown, the oil is ready for frying.

2. Pulzhi kozhambu (Tangy tamarind gravy with spices)

Preparation Time: 10 minutes  

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Difficulty Level: Easy

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp methi or fenugreek seeds
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 sprig of curry leaves, roughly torn
• 1/2 cup pearl onions (sambar onions), quartered
• 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 200 grams elephant yam (senai kizhangu), peeled and chopped
• 1 cup tamarind water
• 1 tsp sambar powder
• 1 tbsp jaggery
• 1 tsp gingelly oil
• salt to taste

How to prepare

1. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat; add the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds, and allow it to crackle.
2. Add the curry leaves and onions, and sauté until the onions are slightly tender. Once the onions are lightly cooked through, add the remaining ingredients and 1/2 cup of water.
3. Cover the vessel and cook till it gets tender and turn off the heat.

Note: 

• You can also add lady’s fingers and pumpkin in the sambar. 

3. Thair pachadi (Curd gravy side dish with vegetables)

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 200 grams curd 
• 2 onions, cut into cubes
• 2 tomatoes, cut into cubes
• 2 green chilis, cut into small pieces
• 1 sprig of curry leaves,
• A few coriander leaves
• Salt to taste
• Ghee- 1 tsp
• 1 tsp mustard seeds

How to prepare

1. Add ghee in a vessel and heat it.
2. Add mustard seeds; as it splatters, add curry leaves, onion, tomatoes, and green chilis, and slightly sauté it.
3. Switch off the stove and add curd, coriander leaves, and salt. Ready to serve! 

Note:

• You can also add peeled and grated/diced cucumber along with curd. It will leave a fresh taste on your tongue.

4. Avial (Mixed vegetable stew)

Preparation time: 15  minutes  

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes 

Difficulty level: Medium

Ingredients

• 1 tsp ghee 
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• Salt to taste
• Curry leaves
• Coriander leaves
• 1 cup of all seasonal vegetables - fresh green peas,  broad beans seeds, clusters beans, carrot, beans, yam, small yam, arbi, sweet potatoes, potatoes, brinjal, drumsticks, raw bananas, and mango

For gravy

• 1 whole coconut  
• 3 whole green chilis 
• 1 inch ginger 
• 1 tsp cumin seeds

How to prepare

1. Wash and chop vegetables into small pieces and steam them.
2. Grind coconut, green chilis, ginger, and cumin seeds into a soft paste. 
3. Heat 1 tsp ghee in a broad vessel.
4. Add mustard seeds; as it splutters, add the ground coconut masala. Allow it to boil for a few minutes and switch the stove off.
5. Add steamed vegetables, 1 tbsp curd, one handful washed curry leaves,
6. Slightly heat 1 tbsp coconut oil, add to the avial.
7. Add salt and coriander leaves, and serve it hot.

5. Sakkarai pongal (Sweet pongal)

Pongal is not complete without this special recipe! A delectable treat for sweet-lovers with an eye on their weight! 

Preparation time: 5  minutes  

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Total time: 35 minutes

Difficulty level: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice                                       
• 1/3 cup yellow moong dal                          
• 1-1/2 cups powdered jaggery                  
• 5 cups water                                      
• 1 tbsp cashew nuts                            
• 1/4 cup ghee                                       
• 1 tbsp raisins                                   
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder

How to prepare

1. Dry roast yellow moong dal in a pan till it turns light brown.
2. Wash the roasted dal along with rice and let it soak for 1 hour.
3. Strain the dal and rice.
4. Boil 3 cups of water in a container, and add the dal and rice to it.
5. Cook it for about 10 minutes. The rice and dal must be soft and mashable. You can also pressure cook it for 3-4 whistles.
6. In a shallow pan, completely dissolve the jaggery in half a cup of water.
7. To get smooth texture, strain it and then heat it once again until you achieve a one-string consistency.
8. Now, add the cooked rice and dal mixture into it, and keep it on a medium flame for a few minutes. Remove the mixture from the flame.
9. Fry cashew nuts and raisins separately in ghee. Mix it to the prepared pongal and sprinkle cardamom powder.

Delicious and aromatic sweet pongal is ready to serve! 

While Tamil Nadu enjoys the 4-day festival of Pongal, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka celebrate Makar Sankranti on January 14. Here are some special Maharashtrian recipes with til (sesame seeds) and gur (jaggery).

Til recipes for Makar Sankranti

Sankranti is that time when the days get longer and the nights shorter. We are bidding adieu to the cold wintry months. During that last nip in the air, til and jaggery are healthy ingredients that help keep you warm. 

Here are some til recipes for Makar Sankranti that will make your festivities sweet and special.

1. Tilgul (Sesame seed balls) or Til laddoo

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Difficulty level: Medium

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup sesame seeds (til)
• ¼ cup peanuts
• ¼ cup desiccated coconut
• ½ cup heaped grated jaggery 
• 3 tbsp water
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tsp oil 

How to prepare

1. Roast the sesame seeds in a pan on low flame, stirring to ensure it is evenly heated. It will change color. Keep aside. 
2. Add the peanuts and dry roast them on a low flame till they become crunchy. Remove from the flame and cool.
3. Now, add the desiccated coconut to the pan and roast it till it becomes a light golden color. Keep aside.
4. Crush the cooled peanuts coarsely and add it to the roasted coconut and sesame seeds with the cardamom powder.
5. Mix very well. Keep aside.
6. Heat the grated jaggery with water on a low flame, constantly stirring it till it dissolves. Cook till it becomes a soft ball when you put a small piece in water.
7. Turn off the flame and add the dry roasted mixture and mix well.
8. Apply some oil on your palms and make small balls or laddoos while the mixture is hot.
9. Store in an airtight container. 

The perfect snack for Makar Sankranti! 

Note: 

a) You will be able to remove the skin of the peanuts easily when they are done. 

b)The rolling of til laddoos is an art. Also, since the laddoos have to be rolled when they are quite hot, consider wearing protective gloves to avoid getting burned.

2. Til ki revri (Sesame seed rock candy)

This sweet is commonly made in many North Indian states.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Total time: 20 minutes

Difficulty level: Medium

Ingredients

• ½ cup sesame seeds 
• ½ cup jaggery  
• 2 tbsp water 
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder 
• 1 tsp ghee 

How to prepare

1. Dry roast the sesame seeds ensuring that they do not change color. Keep aside. 
2. Now heat the water with jaggery. Turn off the heat once the jaggery completely melts. Strain it to remove any impurities that may be in the jaggery. 
3. Add ghee and cardamom powder to it and reheat the mixture till it thickens. Constantly stir it to ensure it does not burn. It will change color. Take a small ball of jaggery and put it in water. If it hardens, the jaggery mixture is done.
4. Again, keep on the stove, once it boils, add the sesame seeds and turn off the heat.
5. Mix the sesame seeds well and quickly as jaggery sets very quickly. 
6. Grease a plate or some butter paper and drop small portions on it. You can also shape it in the form of squares or balls. Allow it to cool.
7. Store in an airtight container. 

Enjoy this delightful snack on a cold winter evening!

Note: 

• You can use any color of jaggery.
• The jaggery will set quickly so if you want to make balls, wear protective gloves to prevent burning your hands.

3. Karanji (Deep-fried dumplings)

Preparation time: 40 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Difficulty level: Difficult

Ingredients:

For stuffing

• ½ cup unsweetened desiccated coconut
• 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp almonds
• 1 tbsp cashew nuts
• 1 tbsp raisins
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• 3 tbsp sugar, powdered 
• ½ tbsp ghee

For outer cover 

• 2 cups whole wheat flour 
• 2 tbsp ghee
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ cup milk 
• How to prepare

For stuffing

1. Heat ghee in a pan.
2. Add the desiccated coconut and sauté till it turns golden. Keep aside.
3. Now, add sesame seeds in the pan, and roast it till they change color. Keep aside.
4. In a mixer-grinder, grind the almonds, cashew nuts, and raisins till they are semi-fine. You can also chop them if that is more convenient.
5. Add these nuts and raisins to the sesame seeds and coconut mixture.
6. Add the powdered sugar and cardamom.
7. Mix the stuffing well. Keep aside.

For making the crust 

1. Slightly heat the ghee and pour it in a bowl with the flour. Add some salt.
2. Knead the flour into a smooth dough, adding some milk in parts. 
3. Cover the dough with a moist cloth and keep aside for about 20 minutes.

For stuffing karanji

1. Take a small lemon-sized dough and roll the dough (to a five-inch diameter circle) with a rolling pin. Ensure that the dough is flattened thinly and evenly. 
2. Place this flattened dough into the karanji maker spreading it appropriately on both sides. 
3. Place a tablespoon of the stuffing in the middle of the dough away from the edges. 
4. Close the karanji maker and press it adequately. Make all karanjis this way. Your raw karanjis are now ready for frying!
5. If you don’t have a karanji maker, after Step 1, place 1 tbsp of stuffing in the flattened dough.
6. Apply a little water evenly on the edges of the circle, and gently bring the edges together.
7. Press it to a proper close ensuring the stuffing does not come out, and then pinch the edges to give it the appropriate shape. 
8. Keep them covered with a moist cloth so that they don’t dry out.

For frying karanji

1. Heat oil for deep frying in a pan.
2. When the oil is medium hot,  gently place 2-3 karanjis in it. 
3. Fry the karanjis till they are golden brown and crisp.
4. Remove the karanjis and place them on some paper towels to drain the excess oil.
5. Cool and store in an airtight container. 

Your delicious, crispy karanjis are all ready to gobble!

Note:

• Make sure you don't overstuff the flattened dough as shaping the karanjis will become difficult. They may also break while frying.
• Don’t place too many karanjis in the oil at the same time, as they won’t fry properly and could break.
• You can substitute sugar with jaggery.

Sankranti special food items in Andhra Pradesh:

1. Pulihara (Tamarind rice)

Preparation Time: 10 minutes  

Cooking Time: 20 minutes 

Total Time: 30 minutes

Difficulty Level: Medium

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp mustard + 1 tsp mustard for garnish
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 1 tsp chana dal
• 2 tbsp peanuts or cashew nuts
• 2 dried red chili
• A pinch of hing (asafetida)
• 2-3 sprigs of curry leaves
• 2 chilis, slit
• 1½ cup tamarind extract
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1½ tsp salt
• 4 cups cooked rice

How to prepare

1. Heat oil in a pan.
2. Add mustard; when it splutters, add urad dal, chana dal, peanuts, dried red chili, and hing (asafetida). You can also add chopped cashew nuts.
3. Also add curry leaves and 2 chilis.  Sauté slightly.
4. Now, add the tamarind extract, turmeric powder, and salt.
5. Mix well, cover, and boil for about 5-7 minutes occasionally stirring.
6. When the oil separates from the thickened tamarind extract, you can remove it from the flame. Keep aside.
7. Dry roast 1 tsp mustard for a few minutes, cool completely and blend to a fine powder.
8. Add the cooked rice to the tamarind and spice mix, with salt to taste and mix gently so as not to break the rice.
9. Sprinkle the mustard powder over the mixed rice.

Your Andhra-style tamarind rice is ready to gorge!

Note: 

• Add curry leaves and dry red chilis after the other spices have been fried as they get burnt quickly.

2. Poornam boorelu (Fried dumplings with sweet stuffing)

Preparation Time:  30 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Ingredients

For batter:

• 1 cup rice
• ½ cup urad dal
• 5 cups water 
• Salt to taste

For stuffing

• 1 cup chana dal 
• 2½ cups water 
• 1 cup jaggery 
• ½ tsp green cardamom powder
• ¼ cup grated coconut (optional)
• Oil for deep frying
• 1 tbsp ghee

How to prepare

For batter:

1. Rinse rice and urad dal separately with water. 
2. Pour about 2-3 cups of water in each, cover, and allow both to soak for 5-6 hours.
3. Drain the water, and separately grind the rice and urad dal to a smooth light batter similar to dosa dough consistency.
4. Add salt to taste and mix well. Cover and keep aside.

For stuffing: 

1. Rinse the chana dal and cook it in a pressure cooker with 2.5 cups water for 6 to 7 whistles on a medium flame. 
2. Once done, srain the chana dal, and let it cool. 
3. Then, grind the chana dal with cardamom powder and jaggery to make a smooth paste. Add a little water if necessary.

For boorelu:

1. Heat ghee in a pan. 
2. Add the chana dal and jaggery mixture along with grated coconut if you so like. Cook on a low flame, stirring continuously.
3. When the mixture leaves the sides, switch off the flame. Allow it to cool.
4. Make medium-sized balls from the mixture, cover, and keep aside. 
5. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying.
6. Dip the balls of stuffing in the batter, coating it evenly.
7. Then, gently slide the balls into the medium-hot oil. You can put 3-4 at a time in the oil. 
8. When one side is golden, gently turn it over and fry the other side.
9. Once both sides are golden brown and crispy, remove from oil and keep in a dry container with paper towels to drain the excess oil.

Your deliciously crispy boorelu are ready to devour!

3. Gutti vankaya (Stuffed brinjal curry)

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Difficulty Level: Medium

Ingredients

For brinjals

• 250 gms small purple brinjals
• ½ tsp salt or as per taste
• Water 

For curry

• 3 tbsp oil
• ⅔ cup water
• Salt as required
• 2 -3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves 
• ½ tbsp tamarind 

For the masala stuffing 

• 2 tbsp peanuts 
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds 
• ½ tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
• ¼ tsp methi seeds (fenugreek seeds)
• 3-4 dry red chilis 
• ½ tsp turmeric powder 
• 1-2 tbsp tamarind extract 
• Salt to taste

How to prepare

For brinjals

1. Rinse and slit each brinjal at the base horizontally and vertically, keeping the stalks. 
2. Soak them in water with salt for about 20 minutes.
3. Drain and keep aside. 

For masala stuffing

1. Soak tamarind in warm water for about 15 minutes.
2. Squeeze the soaked tamarind; keep the extract and remove the pulp. Keep aside.
3. In a frying pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil. 
4. Add mustard, once it splutters, add urad dal, chana dal, cumin seeds, methi seeds, and coriander seeds.
5. When they become fragrant and turn light brown, add the peanuts.
6. Once it is fried, add dry red chilis till they change color. Keep the mix aside.
7. Once all the spices have cooled, put them in a mixer-grinder, add salt, turmeric powder and tamarind extract with water. Grind to a smooth thick paste. Your stuffing is ready.

For curry: 

1. Add some of the masala stuffing in each brinjal. Keep aside.
2. In a frying pan, heat 3-4 tbsp of oil.
3. Add the stuffed brinjal in it along with 4-5 tbsp of water and ½ tbsp of tamarind extract.
4. Add salt to taste.
5. Cover the curry and cook for about 20 minutes. You can also cook the curry in a pressure cooker for 5-6 whistles.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves.

You can eat lip-smacking gutti vankaya with rotis or rice!

Sankranti-special food items in Karnataka:

1. Avarekaalu chithraanna (Indian lilva beans with lemon rice)

Preparation Time :  10 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Difficulty Level: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 cup avarekalu/lilva beans
• 2 cups cooked rice
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 pinch hing (asafetida)
• 5 green chilis, slit
• 2-3 sprigs curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp mustard
• 1/2 tsp urad dal
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 3 sprigs of coriander leaves
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 tbsp ghee or oil
• Salt to taste

How to prepare

1. Cook the rice separately in a cooker. 
2. Add some oil to the cooked rice, mix well. Keep aside.
3. Cook the avarekalu in a pan with water separately till it is soft. Then, strain the water and keep aside.
4. Then, heat a pan with some oil; add mustard seeds, urad dal, hing, and curry leaves.
5. Once that is done, add the onions and green chilis and sauté till it is golden brown.
6. Add the boiled avarekalu and sauté.
7. Now, you can add the boiled rice and take off the stove.
8. Sprinkle the lemon juice and coriander mix it. 

You can serve this as breakfast or tiffin on Sankranti Day or part of your special Sankranti lunch!

2. Gasagase payasa (Poppy seeds kheer)

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Difficulty level: Easy

Ingredients 

• 3 tbsp gasagase or poppy seeds 
• 2 tsp rice
• 1/2 cup jaggery
• 1/2 cup grated coconut
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup water 
• 1-2 cardamom 

How to prepare

1. Dry roast gasagase (poppy seeds) and rice in a pan under a medium flame until it slightly changes color. Take off flame, cool. Keep aside. 
2. Grind it in a mixer grinder.
3. Next, add grated coconut and cardamom and grind into a smooth paste. Use water as required. 
4. Transfer the mixture to a pan
5. Add milk, jaggery, and the remaining water.
6. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. 

Your gasagase payasa is ready! You can serve it hot or cold. Drink to your heart’s content! Hope your Sankranti is filled with mouthwatering delicacies! May your life’s harvest be sweet and fulfilling! 

Which recipe was your favorite? We’d love to hear from you. Leave your comments @artofliving

The festival of Holi is next! Take a look at these delicious Holi recipes!

Written with inputs from Kaushani Desai, Ayurvedic cooking teacher, Art of Living