It is the time of the year where the sky will be full of coloring kites, and terraces will be crawling with people. In Gujarat, it is more than just a kite-flying festival as, on this day, people eat various toothsome and lip-smacking Makar Sankranti recipes while screaming ‘Lapet’ and ‘Kai Po Che!’

As you already know, festivals in India are incomplete without their unique foods. Uttarayan is not different as people make delicious yet healthy Uttarayan recipes to eat during winters. 

Scrumptious Makar Sankranti Recipes You Must Try!  

Makar Sankranti is celebrated in different ways across the country. Maharashtrian people exchange til-gud as a token of goodwill on the day of Uttarayan. In Uttarakhand, people give Khichadi in charity and take ceremonial dips in holy rivers. In Punjab and Tamil Nadu, this festival is known as Lohri and Pongal. 

However, Gujarat is second to none when it comes to Makar Sankranti celebrations. Gujarati people fly kites and eat delicious and healthy recipes during this festival. A two-day holiday is given as people spend this festival with friends and family. 

The Makar Sankranti recipes are usually easy-to-make and delicious to eat. So, here are some of the Uttarayan delicacies you can make to fill your festival with myriads of flavors: 

  • Til Dry Fruit Chikki
  • Sweet Pongal 
  • Bread Manchurian 
  • No-cook Kite Sandwich 
  • Lemon-mint Drink 

Til Dry Fruit Chikki 

Makar Sankranti recipes are incomplete without chikki. If you want some nutty and nourishing for winter, look no further than this dry fruit chikki. It is crispy, and it is yummy. So, eat it as a dessert or consume it with a cup of tea during this festival. 

Til Dry Fruit Chikki Makar Sankranti Recipes
Til Dry Fruit Chikki

Quick Stats 

Prep Time: 10 minutes 

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serving: 30 pieces of chikki 

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup almonds (Badam) halves
  • 1 cup cashew (Kaju), chopped
  • 3 tbsp pistachios
  • 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds
  • 2 tsp ghee 
  • 2 cups jaggery (gud)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tsp cardamom powder

Method to Prepare

  • Firstly, take a pan and add ¾ cup of almond and cashew with two tablespoons of pistachios and pumpkin seeds.
  • Then, dry roast them on low heat for around 10 minutes until the nuts are crunchy. 
  • Take a large Kadai and add one teaspoon of ghee, jaggery, and ¼ cup of water. 
  • Stir it until the jaggery is completely dissolved. 
  • Let it boil for around 7 minutes until the syrup turns frothy. 
  • Drop the syrup into a bowl of water. It is done if it forms a hardball and makes a snap sound while cutting. Otherwise, boil for another minute. 
  • Keep the heat low and add the roasted dry fruit and ¼ teaspoon of cardamom powder. 
  • Mix them well to ensure that the jaggery mixture coats the dry fruits well. 
  • Now, instantly pour the mixture onto a greased steel plate. 
  • Cover it with greased butter paper and roll it with a rolling pin (belan). 
  • Roll the mixture for uniform thickness. 
  • Once rolled, let it cool for a minute. Cut it into pieces when it is still warm.
  • Now, let the chikki cool entirely. 
  • Store it in an airtight container and serve it on the day of Makar Sankranti! 

Sweet Pongal 

Made with rice and mung lentils and flavored with cardamoms and dry fruits – sweet Pongal is the traditional dish made in Uttarayan. So, if you want to try something new and sweet, you can try this sweet Pongal recipe. 

Sweet Pongal Makar Sankranti Recipes
Sweet Pongal

Quick Stats 

Prep Time: 5 minutes 

Cooking Time: 25 minutes 

Serving: 8 serves 

Ingredients 

For Pressure Cooking 

  • 1 cup rice (soaked 15 minutes)
  • 0.5 cup moong dal (soaked 15 minutes)
  • 4.5 cup water

For Jaggery Water 

  • 1 ½ cup of jaggery 
  • Half cup of water

For Frying Dry Fruits 

  • Four teaspoon ghee 
  • 20 whole cashew (Kaju)
  • Four tablespoons raisins (kishmish)
  • Two cloves of clove (lavang)

Other Ingredients

  • Half cup of water to adjust consistency
  • Four tablespoons of ghee
  • Half teaspoon of cardamom powder (elaichi powder)
  • Edible camphor (karpooram), a small piece 

Method to Prepare

  • First, add ½ cup of soaked rice and ¼ cup of soaked moong dal into a pressure cooker. 
  • Then, pour around 3 cups of water and pressure cook it for 4 to 5 whistles. 
  • Ensure that dal and rice are cooked thoroughly. 
  • Meanwhile, take a pan and add ¾ cup of jaggery and ¼ cup of water. 
  • Boil it until the jaggery is completely melted. 
  • Filter the jaggery water and pour it into the rice-dal mixture.
  • Add another ¼ cup of normal water to adjust consistency as required.
  • Let it simmer for around 2 minutes until the jaggery combines well with the dal-rice mixture.
  • Add two tablespoons of ghee and give it a good mix until you get a glossy look. 
  • Then, take a small Kadai, heat two teaspoons of ghee, and fry ten whole Kaju, two tablespoons of kishmish, and one lavang. 
  • Add the fried dry fruits and lavang into sweet Pongal. 
  • Then, sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of cardamom powder on a small piece of edible karpooram. Mix thoroughly. 
  • Your sweet Pongal is ready to eat. Serve it warm, and enjoy! 

Must Read:- Rasgulla Recipe – Effortlessly Make Rasgulla at Home!

Bread Manchurian 

Surprise your friends and family with this one of the most unique and delicious Makar Sankranti recipes. Bread Manchurian is one of the easiest and tastiest recipes you can make. All you need are a few ingredients, and boom! Your bread Manchurians will be ready to relish. 

Bread Manchurian
Bread Manchurian

Quick Stats 

Prep Time: 10 minutes 

Cooking Time: 25 minutes 

Serving: 8 serves 

Ingredients 

For Manchurian Balls 

  • Eight slice bread (white/brown)
  • 3 cup cabbage (finely chopped)
  • 2 cup carrot (grated)
  • 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 1 cup cornflour
  • 2 tsp ginger garlic paste
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 6 tbsp water
  • Oil for deep frying

Other Ingredients

  • 8 tsp oil
  • Eight clove garlic (finely chopped)
  • Three chilies (slit)
  • 11 tbsp spring onion (chopped)
  • 6 tbsp onion (finely chopped)
  • One capsicum (sliced)
  • 6 tbsp tomato sauce
  • 3 tsp chili sauce
  • 1 tsp pepper (crushed)
  • 3 tbsp vinegar
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 tsp cornflour
  • 1 cup water

Method to Prepare

  • First of all, cut eight slices of bread and blend it into a fine powder (breadcrumbs) without adding any water.
  • Then, transfer it to a large mixing bowl. 
  • Add one cup of cabbage, carrot, chili powder as per taste with ½ teaspoon of ginger garlic paste. 
  • Then, add cornflour, salt per your taste, and two tablespoons of water. 
  • Squeeze out cabbage and form a dough. 
  • Now, grease your hands and create small round balls. 
  • Heat oil in a deep fry pan. Fry these balls until they are golden brown. 
  • Meanwhile, take a skillet. 
  • Pour some oil and add onion, spring onion, vinegar, soy sauce, capsicum, tomato sauce, garlic, crushed pepper. Heat these ingredients. 
  • Once golden brown balls, take them out and throw them in the skillet.
  • Cook them for a few minutes. 
  • Once it is read, garnish it with chopped spring onion and serve it hot for a perfect and effortless dinner. 

No-cook Kite Sandwich 

This no-cook kite sandwich recipe can ooze your friends and family with its taste and colorful appearance. Full of various veggies and mayonnaise – try this dish and make your Makar Sankranti delicious, healthy, and bright! 

No-cook Kite Sandwich
No-cook Kite Sandwich

Quick Stats 

Prep Time: 2 minutes 

Cooking Time: 5 minutes 

Serving: 1 sandwich 

Ingredients 

  • Two slices of bread 
  • Lettuce
  • One cup of corn
  • Half cup of cabbage, finely chopped 
  • One cup bell pepper and carrot
  • One and a half cups of mayonnaise 
  • Salt and pepper, to taste 

Method to Prepare

  • First of all, remove the brown part from the slices of bread. 
  • Then, diagonally cut it to make the base of the kite. 
  • Cut a small triangle part from the corner of the second slice to make the lower part of the kite. 
  • Now, put lettuce on a plate. Lay the prepped bread on it. 
  • Then, spread a generous layer of mayonnaise on both parts. 
  • Take a butter knife, smooth the mayonnaise, and gently engrave a kite structure. 
  • Now, put chopped veggies on it and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
  • Close it off with another slice of kite-shaped bread and serve. 

Lemon-mint Drink

This is the drink that will save you from dehydration and let you fly kites the entire day. This rejuvenating drink is one of the best to satisfy your thirst and provide our bodies with the necessary electrolytes. So, make this mint lemonade and charge yourself up for Makar Sankranti. 

Lemon-mint Drink Makar Sankranti Recipes
Lemon-mint Drink

Quick Stats 

Prep Time: 5 minutes 

Cooking Time: 5 minutes 

Serving: 8 serves 

Ingredients 

  • 8 cups Water
  • Six tablespoons Granulated Sugar
  • 6 Lemons
  • 12 Mint Sprigs

Method to Prepare

  • First of all, take a large jug and pour water into it. 
  • Then, squeeze six lemons into it and add sugar. 
  • Stir well until the sugar is completely dissolved. 
  • Now, throw in the mint sprigs and lemon slices into the jug. 
  • Cover it with a lid and slide it into the refrigerator for at least two and a half hours. 
  • Serve and rejuvenate yourself with this chilled Lemon mint drink. 

Must-try:- Delicious Homemade Instant Jalebi Recipe!

Final Words 

These Makar Sankranti recipes will not only satisfy your taste buds but will also provide you with the stamina to enjoy kite flying all day! Moreover, these recipes are effortless to make. So, you need not have to spend all your time in the kitchen. Try these Uttarayan delicacies and enjoy your festival with unique flavors.