Makar Sankranti 2023: Traditional foods to ring in the auspicious festival of kites

To make the festival of kites more memorable and fun, especially when people are confused about what traditional foods they should indulge in, here is a curated list of iconic foods that are a must to celebrate the auspicious festival of kites.

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The auspicious festival of Makar Sankranti is celebrated all across the country with great joy and zealousness. From Punjab and Gujarat to Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, each state rings in the festival in its distinctive way. The festival marks the beginning of the harvest season as the days start getting longer. 

The sun starts moving towards the Northern side and transcends into the zodiac sign Capricorn, also known as Makar in Hindi. Kite flying is also synonymous with Makar Sankranti. You will see people of ages enjoying this fun activity on this day. When it comes to festivals, how can one not talk about food?

Like all Indian festivals, food plays a pivotal role in Makar Sankranti festivities. From ghee-laden desserts like puran poli and gajak to payesh, the range of Makar Sankranti delicacies is a dream come true for Indian foodies.

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1. Til Ladoo:

Til ladoo is a flavorful Sankranti staple. These bite-sized ladoos made with warming sesame seeds and jaggery are a treat to the soul. Both sesame and jaggery is an integral part of Sankranti celebrations. So much so that Maharashtrians often greet each other saying, 'til-gul ghyaa, aani goad-goad bolaa', (Translation: eat til and jaggery and speak well), while feeding each other til ladoos.

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2. Puran Poli:

Another Maharashtrian delicacy that makes Makar Sankranti one of our favorite festivals is puran poli. Puran Poli is a sweet flatbread stuffed with sweet and crumbly moong-based filling. The famous breakfast dish got prepared during Diwali and Naraka Chaturdashi celebrations.

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3. Payesh:

There are few winter specialities that can come quite as close to Nolen gur. Nolen gur is date palm jaggery. It has an intensely deep, almost chocolatey flavor that never feels too much. Nolen gur payesh, popularly known as Payesh, is a milky rice pudding sweetened by nolen gur, a Sankranti favorite in Bengal and other parts within East India.

Bengalis and their love affair with payesh needs no introduction. Payesh is a thickened rice and milk pudding flavored with aromatic spices. It can also be called a close cousin of the iconic Indian dessert kheer. Poush Sankranti payesh is extra special. Payesh, the closest cousin of Kheer, is sweetened with date palm jaggery or khejur gur, which is available only during winters.

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4. Gajak:

Made using just jaggery and peanuts, this rich and brittle sweet is quite popular during winters. Jaggery, also known as Gur, is considered highly auspicious during Makar Sankranti.