If you are looking for last-minute recipes to help you celebrate or simply enjoy food in the comfort of your home, then follow these recipes to get started
Makar Sankranti is being celebrated across the country on January 14, today. Photo Courtesy: Mid-day file pic/Araiya Palampur
As people get ready to celebrate Makar Sankranti today, Indian festive celebrations are incomplete without food and while most families are already preparing the delicious sweet and savoury dishes, there is always room for some more specials.
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It gets even better if you love cooking and want to experiment with different versions of the classic dishes.
Sesame jaggery cookies
At ITC Grand Central in Mumbai's Parel neighbourhood, they give a twist to the classic til gud laddoos to make Sesame Jaggery Cookies that are absolutely delicious.
Ingredients
Ghee 1/2 cup
Jaggery powder 3/4th cup
Vanilla extract 1 tsp
Wheat flour 1 1/2 cup
Baking soda 1/2 tsp
Baking powder 1/2 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Cardamom & dry ginger powder 1/2 tsp
Sesame seeds 1/2 cup
Tahini paste 1/2 tbsp
Method:
1. Toast the sesame till fragrant and light brown.
2. Mix the ghee and jaggery powder till everything is completely blended.
3. Add vanilla extract to the above and again mix everything together.
4. Mix whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cardamom and dry ginger powder and sesame seeds to the wet mixture and swirl everything to form an even cookie dough.
5. Add tahini to the cookie dough and mix again. Put the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to an hour.
5. Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 375 degree Fahrenheit. Take around 1-2 tablespoon of cookie dough in your hands, form a ball and flatten the little. Sprinkle all the cookies with sesame seeds and pat them a little on top.
6. Bake the cookies for around 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven.
7. Serve the cookies warm.
Til Gud Laddoo
While there may be many variations, the classic is always a favourite not only in Maharashtra but also different parts of the country. Narasinh Kamath, executive chef at Hilton Goa Resort, Candolim, reminds how it is a healthy, delicious, and nutty ladoo prepared with sesame seeds, jaggery and peanuts.
Prep Time: 12 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 10 til laddoo
Ingredients
White sesame seeds 50 gm (1/3 cup)
Peanuts 1/4 cup
Grated jaggery 100 gm (1/2 cup)
Water 3 tbsp
Cardamom powder 1/4 tsp
Water or oil - a bit for greasing the palms
Method:
Roasting ingredients
1. Heat a kadai or pan and add the white sesame seeds in it and roast the sesame seeds on low flame stirring at regular intervals until the seeds pop up and become slightly golden in colour.
2. Remove and set aside in a plate.
3. Then add the peanuts. Dry roast the peanuts on a low heat stirring often until they become golden in colour.
4. Remove the peanuts in a mortar-pestle or on a plate. Allow them to cool.
5. When the peanuts have cooled, crush them coarsely. You can also crush them in a dry grinder as well.
6. Add the coarsely crushed peanuts to the roasted sesame seeds.
7. Next add the cardamom powder.
8. Mix very well. Set aside.
Making jaggery syrup
1. In the same pan or kadai, take the powdered jaggery or grated jaggery and water.
2. Keep the kadai on the stove top on a low heat.
3. Keep on stirring the jaggery so that it dissolves in the water.
4. On a low heat simmer this jaggery and water solution. It will start bubbling first.
5. You have to continue to cook till you come to a soft ball stage.
6. To check the soft ball stage, take some water in a small bowl. Drop a bit of jaggery solution in the water. The water will cool the jaggery syrup and when you remove it, the consistency will be sticky and forming a soft ball.
Making til ke laddoo
1. At this stage, switch off the heat and add the dry roasted mixture of sesame seeds, crushed peanuts and cardamom powder to the melted jiggery and mix thoroughly.
2. Keep the pan on your work surface or kitchen countertop.
3. When the mixture is still hot, begin to shape til laddu from it. If too hot, then wait for a minute and then form the laddu.
Spread some oil or water in your palms to shape the ladoo. If you are not able to shape laddu when the mixture is too hot, wait for some seconds and then shape the laddu
4. You can also use a ½ to 1 tablespoon measuring spoon for scooping the mixture and making the til ke laddu Then just shape the laddu once you scoop them out.
5. For the last batch, scrape the sides very well and then make til ladoo from it.
6. Make all the til ladoo this way. Store in an airtight jar at room temperature.
7. Serve til ke laddu ladoo during Makar Sankranti or have them as a sweet snack.
Sweet Childu
For Makar Sankranti, chef Arun Kumar says Araiya Palampur in Himachal Pradesh celebrates the festival by offering a traditional yet innovative Sweet Childu recipe at the property. He explains, "Childu is a local sweet made from rice flour, which is a typical ingredient for this festival. This recipe is perfect for Makar Sankranti, a festival known for its celebration of harvest and the warmth of the sun."
Ingredients:
Ghee (clarified butter)- 40 gm
Sugar 10 gm
Cardamom powder 2 gm
Chopped nuts (optional) 10 gm (cashews, almonds, walnuts, fox nut)
Rice flour 150 gm
Double cream 50 ml
Milk 100 ml
Salt a pinch (to enhance the flavour)
Saffron threads a few strands, soaked in warm water (for aroma and colour)
Method:
1. Combine the ingredients. add rice flour water and cream to make a batter.
2. Once the mixture has been well combined and the consistency is smooth (not too runny), Please make a crepe on a non-stick flat griddle, flip and cook both sides and remove it from the heat.
3. Add chopped nuts, shredded coconut, or any other dry fruits to the mix. These will give an additional texture and richness to the Childu.
4. Serve hot with milk and jaggery.
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