SPECIAL

SPECIAL I

S A N K R A N T I F E V E R I N T H E ‘ A I R ’

By Mehak Melwani

Makar Sankranti signifies the end of winter and the beginning of spring. The day before the festival Bhogi / Lohri is celebrated when people discard their old items in the bonfire aiming to get rid of the negative energy and open space for new and positive beginnings. The day of Sankranti for me is always synonymous with buying an array of kites, loads of sweets and the bitter-sweet competition of cutting kites. The inter-building kai po che rivalry and reunion of family and friends is what makes this festival a crowd favourite.

Begum Bazar: There is no venue like begum bazar to fly kites. Most families come to their terrace with bundles of kites and a spirit to be the best. It will be difficult for one to see the sky that day as patangs are everywhere you look and kaate/kai po che is all you can hear. If your kite stays for more than a couple of minutes in the air, then I’ll assume you are very good.

Here are a couple of places you can buy your kites

from:

Begum Bazar: There are a variety of shops to buy kites from here, but Motilal Patang Ghar and Balaji Patang Mahal have been established sellers for decades and offer a reasonable price for kites and manjas. Mangalhat, Dhoolpet: The entire stretch between the two is filled with many wholesale kite shops that spoil you with choice of different styles and colours of kites. This area is said to be extremely popular as the manufacturing of kites and the thread manja is said to take place here. Warasiguda: Sarangapani Kites is very famous in this area. You can find about 10-15 more wholesale shops that sell good quality kites in Warasiguda. Kites? Manja? Sunscreen and Caps? Food and Drinks? Venue...? Don’t worry we have got you. Hyderabad Golf Club: One of the famous kites flying events happens at the Hyderabad Golf club. They have a variety of food stalls, some amazing music and even better surrounding. Nothing like flying kites surrounded by lush green grass and a cool breeze. Parade Grounds: This is one of the sacred grounds to fly kites in Hyderabad. The international kite and sweet festival are held here. Have a jolly time with colourful kites in the sky, contests and delicious food. Entry is usually free. Secunderabad Club: I would consider you lucky if you are a member of the Secunderabad club or know of someone who is because this club has great events. With kites at every gaze, peppy tunes and an electrifying atmosphere one needs nothing more. Members are allowed to bring guests at a nominal fee.

Black Outfits: You must be wondering how come black on festivals since it’s considered inauspicious. Right? But this festival falls on the last day of the solstice and it's said to be one of the coldest days of winter since black absorbs heat, black outfits are a very popular choice. If you’re like me, you must be having tons of black outfits to experiment with this Sankranti.

Chikankari Kurti: White thread embroidery on fabrics like cotton or muslin. They are available in a variety of cool, pastel colours. They can be worn on jeans, sharara, or leggings according to one’s comfort zone. They are very chic and a personal favourite.

Dhoti: Don’t worry you won't need hours to tie up a dhoti, nowadays you get pre-stitched dhoti pants that can be paired with a kurta, or you can add a modern twist and wear a crop top or shirt. They are extremely comfy and stylish option this festive season.

Jhumkas: These are my go-to type of earrings. They come in a variety of sizes and styles and look great with both indian and western outfits.

Jacket style kurta sets: A spinoff on the plain old kurta. A kurta is accompanied by a tie-on jacket. It suits every body type and is available in many colours, prints and embroidery.

Muggus/Rangoli: In many households, Muggus/Rangoli is made by the family and decorated with a variety of flowers and colours. Rangoli stencils are available online that help makes your rangoli stand out. Try your hand at something innovative this time.

Mango leaves: Sankranti is the festival of prosperity so as part of a ritual, families weave mango leaves and hang them outside their houses. It is said to symbolise joy and is considered very auspicious. They are always companied by yellow and orange marigold flowers that give your entrance a pop.

Light it up: Lights are always a sign of new beginnings and positivity, just what this festival embodies. You can hang around some string lights, small Turkish lanterns and even purchase flying lanterns that can be released into the air along with the kites in the evening.

Kite craft: You can use flowers or colours to create kite patterns or even hang a couple of small kites on railings or front doors to create a Makar Sankranti vibe.

T I L G U D K E L A D O O

Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Total Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

145 grams organic unpolished or unhulled white sesame seeds or 1 cup organic unpolished white sesame seeds 40 grams organic raw peanuts or ¼ cup peanuts 20 grams desiccated coconut or ¼ heaped cup desiccated coconut (nariyal ka boora) 100 grams organic jaggery powder or ½ cup heaped organic jaggery powder or grated jaggery ½ teaspoon cardamom powder

Instructions

Roasting Sesame Seeds

Before you begin, take the sesame seeds (til) in a plate or tray. Pick them if there are any small, tiny stones. Then heat a thick bottomed pan. Keep the flame to low or medium and add 1 cup unpolished white sesame seeds. On a low flame or sim, stirring often roast the sesame seeds. The sesame seeds should become crunchy. So do roast well. You will also hear their crackling and popping sound when being roasted. Roast for 4 to 5 minutes on a low flame. Taste a few sesame seeds and they should be crisp and crunchy. Then remove them in a plate or tray.

Roasting Peanuts and Desiccated Coconut

In the same pan, add 1/4 cup peanuts. Stirring at intervals, begin to roast the peanuts. Keep on roasting till the peanuts become crunchy. The peanuts should not have even a bit of rawness in them. They should be roasted very well. Just cool and taste a few peanuts. You should not feel even a bit of hardness or rawness while eating them. If yes then continue to roast for some more minutes. You can even roast the peanuts in an oven. Remove the peanuts also and keep aside. Now add 1/4 heaped cup desiccated coconut. Switch off the flame. Roast the coconut with the flame being switched off. Roast till you get a light golden color. Remove the roasted coconut in the same plate in which the peanuts were kept. Or you can keep all three - sesame seeds, peanuts and coconut in one plate. Let them cool down or become warm.

Making Til Gud Ladoo Mixture

Now add them in a grinder jar. Add 1/2 cup heaped jaggery powder and 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder. Run grinder or mixer for a few seconds and then stop. Check the consistency. Scrape the sides and add in the jar. You can also use the pulse option in your grinder. Continue in the same way, till you get a consistency in the mixture, where a bit of oil releases from the sesame seeds, peanuts and coconut. Take a small portion of the mixture in your hands and then press. It should hold shape and not crumble. Don’t grind at one stretch or grind too much as then much oil will be released from the mixture.

Shaping Til Gud Ke Ladoo

Now remove the ladoo mixture in a plate or tray. Now take a small portion of the til ladoo mixture in your palms and begin to shape it into ladoos. Make ladoos with the rest of the mixture. This recipe yields 14 to 15 til ladoos. The recipe can be easily doubled or tripled. Store the sesame jaggery ladoos in an airtight jar. If living in a warm or humid place, then keep the jar in the fridge. If living in a cool or cold climate, then you can keep at room temperature. Serve til gud ke ladoo as a sweet snack.

Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Total Time: 20 mins

Instructions Ingredients

½ cup rice (any short to medium grained variety) or 100 grams ⅓ cup moong dal (husked and split mung lentils) or 85 grams, you can also add ¼ cup mung lentils 3 cups water – for pressure cooking ½ up jaggery chopped and tightly packed, 115 to 120 grams or ½ cup tightly packed jaggery powder ½ cup water – for the jaggery solution 1 pinch edible camphor (optional) 5 green cardamoms or ½ teaspoon cardamom powder 1 clove (optional) For Frying Dry Fruits 4 to 5 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) 15 to 18 cashews 1 tablespoon golden raisins

Roasting Rice & Moong Dal

Pick the rice and moong dal first to get rid of stones if any. Then heat a small pan or a small kadai and add both the rice and moong lentils. On a low flame stirring often roast both the rice and moong lentils, till they become aromatic. You only need to roast till the moong lentils become aromatic. No need to brown them. Now take them in another bowl. Rinse both the roasted rice and moong dal a couple of times with water.

Cooking Rice and Moong Lentils

Drain well and then add them in a pressure cooker. Pour 3 cups water. The amount of water you can add depends on the consistency you prefer and on the quality of moong dal. Pressure cook on medium heat for 11 to 12 minutes or for 8 to 9 whistles. Let the pressure settle down on its own in the cooker. Then remove the lid to check the doneness and consistency of the rice and lentils. If you see a separate texture like that of a pulao/pilaf, then add ½ to 1 cup hot water and mix very well. Both the rice and the moong dal should be cooked very well and look mushy. With a spoon, slightly mash the cooked rice and moong lentils. If cooked well, then cover with the lid and keep aside. The consistency of the cooked rice and lentils is like a khichdi.

Preparing Jaggery Syrup

Meanwhile when the rice is cooking, crush seeds of 5 green cardamoms + 1 clove in a mortar-pestle. If using cardamom powder alone, then you can add ½ teaspoon of it. Chop jaggery. You should get about ½ cup tightly packed, chopped or grated jaggery. This much amount of jaggery makes the pongal just sweet. Now take ½ cup water in a pan. Add the jaggery. On a low to medium flame, heat this jaggery solution until the jaggery melts completely. Do stir and break the jaggery chunks or pieces with a spatula so that they melt easily. You will get an amber colored syrup when all the jaggery is melted, if you have used dark jaggery. If you have light colored jaggery, then the color will be pale yellow to yellow.

Sweetening Cooked Rice and Lentils

Straining the jaggery syrup through a seive, directly add it in the cooked rice+lentils mixture. If using jaggery powder, you can add directly. Now add the crushed cardamom+clove powder and a pinch of edible camphor. Mix everything very well. Pongal will thicken as it cools. So if the mixture looks thick, then you can add ¼ to ⅓ cup hot water or hot milk.

Frying Dry Fruits

Heat 5 tablespoons ghee. You can add less ghee if you want. Add the 12 to 15 cashews. Saute the cashews till they become light golden. Then add 1 tablespoons raisins. Begin to stir and fry. Stirring often fry until the raisins swell and become plump.

Making Sweet Pongal

Then immediately remove the pan from the stovetop and add the fried cashews, raisins and ghee to the cooked rice and lentils. Mix thorughly. Offer to the Goddess or you can serve sweet pongal hot or warm to your family members.

Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 10 mins Total Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

1 cup peanuts – 160 grams ½ cup jaggery powder or chopped jaggery (tightly packed) – 100 grams 2 tablespoons water 1 to 2 teaspoons oil or ghee for greasing

Instructions

Roasting Peanuts

Heat a thick bottomed heavy kadai or pan. Add the peanuts in it. On a low to medium-low heat, roast the peanuts stirring often till they become crunchy. Roast till you see some black spots on the peanuts and they should have a crunch in them. Taste a few peanuts and if it feels raw, then continue to roast. Once the peanuts have got roasted well, then remove them in a separate plate or tray. Let them cool down. Grease the back of a metal tray or back of a steel plate or a marble board with some oil or ghee. When the peanuts have become warm or cool down, then rub them between your palms. The husks peels of easily. Now to get rid of the husks, you can use a winnow or use a sieve with large perforations. Add the peanuts in the sieve and sift. The husks will get sifted easily. Remove the husked peanuts and set aside.

Making Jaggery Syrup

In the same kadai or pan, take the jaggery powder. You can also use jaggery block and chop it. If there are impurities, then you will need to strain the jaggery syup. Add water to the jaggery powder. Heat the kadai or pan on a low flame. With a spatula or spoon, begin to stir, so that all the jaggery gets dissolved. Keep on stirring the mixture often. Cook the jaggery syrup on a low heat with frequent stirrings. While the jaggery syrup is cooking, also keep a bowl of cold water where you can check the consistency of the syrup. Keep on cooking till the mixture reaches the hard ball stage. Add a few drops of the syrup in the cold water. It should be firm, brittle and break or snap easily.

Making Peanut Chikki

When the jaggery syrup reaches this hard ball consistency, quickly add the peanuts and give a quick stir and mix very well. Switch off the heat and quickly pour the chikki mixture on the greased plate or marble board. Then quickly place a foil or a butter paper or parchment paper on the chikki. mixture. With a rolling pin roll to even out the chikki layer. Roll to a neat even layer. Next remove the paper and then with a knife, cut horizontally and vertically to make squares. Let the peanut chikki cool at room temperature. Once cooled, break them and serve peanut chikki. If not serving, then store them in an airtight jar at room temperature.