Sankranthi Delicacies - Food and the Festive Spirit

Come Sankranthi, and the one thing that we all eagerly look forward to are the tasty delicacies! A festival in Karnataka (or anywhere in India for that matter) is never complete without some ‘Bombaat Bhojana’. 

Food, they say, can put any Scrooge into a festive spirit.

In this post, we’ll explore some tasty specialties from all over Karnataka.

Yellu Bella Mixture / ಎಳ್ಳು ಬೆಲ್ಲ

WHAT: Yellu Bella mixture.

On Makara Sankranthi, young ladies (kids & teenagers) wear new clothes to visit friends, family and relatives with a Sankranthi offering in a plate, and exchange the same with other families. This ritual is called ‘Yellu Beerodu’. Here the plate would normally contain ‘Yellu’ (white sesame seeds) mixed with roasted groundnuts, neatly cut dry coconut & fine cut bella (Jaggery). The mixture is called ‘Yellu-Bella’. The plate also contains Sakkare Achchu with a piece of sugarcane. There is a saying in Kannada “Yellu bella thindu olle maathadi" which translates to 'eat the mixture of sesame seeds and jaggery, and speak only well.'

WHERE: Predominantly in the Mysore / Bangalore regions.

WHY: The science behind this tradition - Sesame seeds are a good antioxidants. The dry kernel of coconut (copra) is an anti-bacterial and an anti-viral agent. Also it has saturated fatty acids which prevent infections.  Oil in the nut helps to rejuvenate the muscles, enhances hair growth and premature aging of the skin. Eating coconut and sesame mixture helps to prevent viral attacks. As Sankranthi is celebrated in mid-winter, the Yellu Bella mixture prepared for this festival is such that it keeps the body warm and gives high energy.

Exchanging ‘Yellu Bella’ between families also signifies strengthening of the bonds between them. This day is used to ‘patch up’ our differences with dear ones and reunite in the festive joy. This includes forgetting all ill-feelings and filling in its place with sweet memories. The occasion also demands getting together as one, living in harmony and peace, for a bright future.

Yellu Bella is thus considered as goodies and is a must-prepare in the Mysore, Bangalore regions.

It is a fairly simple procedure to prepare it. Five ingredients - jaggery, sesame seeds, ground nut, dried coconut and fried gram -go into Yellu Bella, signifying the season of harvest.

HOW: 

You Will Need:

1 cup Jaggery - chopped into really small cubes1 cup Dry Coconut/copra/Kobbari - chopped into small cubes
1 cup Hurigadale/Dalia/Fried Gram
1 cup Peanuts
1/2 cup white Sesame seeds

How To:

1. In a heavy bottomed pan, roast the peanuts. Once cool, remove the skin & halve them.
2. In the same pan, roast sesame seeds in a low flame until they slightly change color, and set aside. Be careful while roasting sesame seeds as they tend to get burnt very quickly & turn bitter. Allow to cool.
3. Grate the brown part of the dry coconut & chop uniformly into small cubes. Make sure the jaggery & dry coconut pieces are all more or less of the same size.
4. Mix all the ingredients together on Makara Sankranthi and store in air-tight jars.

NOTE: 

• Peanuts, Coconut (Kobbari) can also be roasted in the sun about 10 days before the festival. This ensures that the benefits of sunlight – mainly Vitamin D – are well absorbed in the ingredients. 
• Jaggery can also be kept in the sun in the same way. This prevents ants.
• The white portion of the groundnut (called ‘mukku’) is to be removed as this has the ‘Piththa’ component in it.

Sakkre Pongal / ಸಕ್ಕರೆ ಪೊಂಗಲ್ 

WHAT: Sakkre Pongal

Sakkare Pongal or Sweet Pongal is a favourite among many and is an importantdish in south India. Rice and dal cooked with the ingredients like cashews, raisins, edible camphor and elaichi make it smell and taste divine. This is surely everybody’s mother’s staple recipe.

Pongal is prepared for most festivals and poojas. A notable tradition is when a person’s wish is fulfilled, Pongal is prepared and distributed to devotees in temples. It is also prepared as a prasada - an offering made to a deity, as a thanksgiving. You can prepare it in a mud pot to make it more traditional or in a pressure cook. But Pongal made in an open pan, they say, is tastier than the pressure cooked Pongal.

WHERE: Predominantly in Tamil Nadu, Tamilians in Karnataka.

WHY:  Pongal in Tamil generally refers to festivity; more specifically Pongal means ‘boiling over’ or ‘spill over’. The boiling over of milk in the clay pot symbolizes material abundance for the household.

The rice is traditionally cooked at sun rise. The moment the milk boils over and bubbles out of the vessel, the tradition is to shout of "Pongalo Pongal!", pour freshly harvested rice grains into the pot and blow a conch. Tamilians consider it a good sign to watch the milk boil over as it connotes good luck and prosperity. The newly cooked rice is traditionally offered to the Sun God at sunrise to demonstrate gratitude towards the harvest. It is later served to the people present in the house for the festival.

HOW:

You Will Need:

• 1 cup Raw Rice
• 1/2 cup Green Gram/ Moong Dal
• 1 cup Milk
• 3 cups Jaggery (powdered)
• 4 tbsp Ghee
• 2 tbsp Cashewnuts
• 2 tbsp Raisins
• 5 no Cardamoms (powdered)/Elaichi
• 2 no Cloves (powdered)
• 1 small piece Nutmeg (grated or powdered)
• A pinch of Saffron
• 2 1/2 cups Water
• A pinch of Salt
• A tiny pinch Edible camphor

How To:

1. In a pressure cooker/ pan, add 1 tsp ghee. Roast dry the green gram dal for a couple of minutes. 
2. Cook the rice and green gram dal with 2 1/2 cups of water and 1 cup milk and set aside. Mash it once done. (Cook until 4 whistles)
3. Dissolve the jaggery in 3/4 cup water and cook on a low heat till the jaggery melts. 
4. Strain the jaggery to filter the dirt. 
5. Heat the jaggery syrup once more on the heat and stir till it becomes slightly sticky. 
6. Add the jaggery syrup to the cooked rice and dal. 
7. Heat the remaining tbsp ghee and roast cashews to golden and add raisins to it. Once it fluffs up, transfer it and keep aside.
8. In the same pan, add cloves, powdered cardomom and turn the stove off. Add nutmeg powder, give a quick stir. Add edible camphor and saffron to the Pongal.
9. Mix well and cook in medium flame for 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water or milk if it gets dry while cooking. Add ghee little by little while cooking. Lastly, add the fried cashews and raisins.
10. Serve hot.

Huggi Gojju / ಹುಗ್ಗಿ ಗೊಜ್ಜು 

WHAT: Huggi and Gojju

Huggi/Khara Pongal is similar to Khichdi. In Huggi no vegetables are used, just moong dal, jeera and pepper corns. This is served as Prasada during Dhanurmasa in temples.

In the South, especially Karnataka, huggi is a regular item on the menu, trotted out at festivals or parties as much as for a daily meal. Accompanied by a richly flavoured, thick tamarind sauce (Gojju), it makes for a simple yet ambrosial meal.

The best - and the traditional - way to eat huggi-gojju is like this: Serve a mound of huggi onto your plate. Add a dollop of ghee to it and mix well. Make it into a circle with a hole/ well at the centre. Ladle the gojju into the well. Mingle the two handful by handful or spoonful by spoonful as you eat - do not mix the whole thing at one go! Add more Gojju when required. Wash down the meal with salted buttermilk.

WHERE: Predominantly in Mysore – Bangalore regions and North Karnataka (accompanied by Badnekayi Bajji).

WHY: During the winter season (Sankranthi), human skin often becomes dry because of the humidity in the air is substantially low. Sodium along with potassium equalises alkaline factors in the blood and regulates the water balance within the body which is important in maintaining the skin in good health. Rheumatic afflictions are also common in this season. Moong dal in huggi contains carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamin c, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and sodium. Potassium and sodium are rich in moong dal. Moong Dal is also free from the heaviness and tendency to flatulence, which is associated with other pulses.

HOW:

Preparation of Huggi 

You Will Need:

• 1 cup rice ( Any rice which softens and mingles with the moong dal easily)
• 2 cups dehulled moong dal
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp ghee (homemade only!)
• 1 handful grated dessicated coconut
• 1.5 litres water approx.
• Salt to taste

How To:

1. Clean and wash the rice and drain.
2. Clean and wash the moong dal and soak it in water for 10 minutes, while you prepare the other ingredients.
3. Put the pressure cooker onto medium heat, and add the ghee.
4. Toss in the cumin seeds when the ghee is hot. Wait for them to turn toasty, and then add the turmeric, cloves and pepper. The cloves typically start splitting - wait for them to split completely.
5. Add the coconut and stir, and then roast the coconut until it turns a light brown colour.
6. Add the moong dal and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Add the rice and stir to mix.
8. Add water and stir, then add salt to taste.
9. Put the lid on and cook until 2 whistles of the cooker (about 15-20 minutes).
10. Once the cooker has cooled down, open the lid and check to see if everything has cooked properly - the moong dal should turn mushy when you stir the dish. In case the dish has turned thick and solid-ey, add a bit of hot water. Suit yourself the consistency.
11. You can top the dish with roast cashews and fried slivers of desiccated coconut if you wish. Some people also add a bit of chopped ginger to it. Huggi is usually made with equal proportions of rice and moong dal. The more coconut you add, the more scrumptious it tastes - so rejoice if you don't have any cholesterol worries!

Preparation of Gojju

You Will Need:

• 1 lemon sized ball of tamarind
• 2 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 lime sized ball of jaggery, or failing that 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2-3 green chillies
• 1 fistful fresh grated coconut 
• Salt

Tempering

• 2 tsp oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 10 curry leaves
• Pinch asafoetida (heeng)

How To:

1. Soak the tamarind in a large cup of hot water for 10 minutes.
2. Dry roast the sesame, mustard and fenugreek seeds and grind them into a fine powder.
3. Add the turmeric, chillies and coconut and wet grind the mixture till it is finely ground.
4. Squeeze the tamarind into the water until you have extracted all the flavour.
5. Strain this liquid into a pan and put it on medium heat.
6. Let the tamarind liquid simmer for a few minutes so it loses the sharp smell of tamarind.
7. Add the masala mix to this and add salt and the jaggery. Stir to mix and turn up the heat to max.
8. Let it boil for some time (7-8 minutes) until the liquid thickens to a maple syrup consistency.
9. Take off the heat and prepare the tempering:  
10. Heat the 2 tsp oil and pop in the black mustard seeds. When they are done popping, add the curry leaves and asafoetida and take off the heat. pour this over the tamarind sauce and stir.
11. Taste the tamarind sauce to check for the right balance of flavours - it should be spicy, salty, sour and sweet all at once - quite heavenly.
12. If you want, you can add vegetables to the gojju at the stage when it begins to boiling. Typical additions are green or small purple eggplant, cut into 2 inch segments, lady's fingers cut the same way or pumpkin segments. The eggplant or lady's fingers are cooked in oil before being added while the pumpkin is boiled. You can also add green bell peppers cut into 1 inch pieces and cooked in oil, or julienned onions.

Shenga Holige / ಶೇಂಗ ಹೋಳಿಗೆ

WHAT: Shenga Holige

Shenga Holige/Peanut-Jaggery stuffed flat bread. This is a tasty North Karnataka recipe where groundnuts are grown.

WHERE: North Karnataka

WHY: Peanuts in English is Kadlekayi in kannada and Shenga in Marathi. Peanuts are about as popular in North Indian dishes as coconut is in South Indian dishes. Peanuts are used in several fried teatime snacks like the Chivda, mixture, Peanut laddoos, chikkis and fried masala peanuts. We also use it in almost as seasoning in many of the rice items like the Bisibele bhath, Vangi bhath and Puliyogare.

Peanuts and Til are widely grown in North Karnataka and their usage during the festival signifies the season of harvest.

The nutritional composition of peanuts is extremely good, with most of the peanut’s fat being mono-unsaturated. They also provide an excellent source of protein, vitamin E, and fiber.

In fact, research confirms that eating a portion of peanuts every day, may help reduce the risk of heart disease, type II diabetes and gallbladder disease, without the risk of weight gain.

HOW:

You Will Need:

• 1 cup Shenga/Peanuts 
• 1 tbsp Sesame seeds/til 
• 3/4 cup  Bella/Jaggery(for optimal sweet version, add equal measure of peanut and jaggery for a sweeter version)
• 2cups Godhi Hittu/Wheat Flour : Alternative - Use Maida/Plain Flour or Chiroti rava for making holige as shown here step by step
• Tuppa/Ghee for brushing on holige
• Cardamom powder (if it suits your taste)

How To:

1. Dry roast the groundnut in a pan or in the microwave for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring after every minute for even cooking. Allow them to cool. Cooling makes them crunchy.
2. Dry roast the til for 2 minutes in a pan (In the microwave, til will crackle and spread all over). Grind the roasted til to a fine powder.
3. Skin the groundnut and grind coarsely. You can grind with skin also. Powder the jaggery well.
4. Mix the powdered Til, Groundnut, jaggery and cardamom.
5. Sprinkle a table spoon of water, mix well and keep aside. This is used as the filling.
6. Make a soft dough with whole wheat or maida, adding ghee and required amount of water - little at a time to make a stiff, yet soft dough. 
7. Pinch a lemon sized ball of the dough and roll it down with a rolling pin. Place peanut jaggery mixture in the centre. Stuff as much as the dough can hold! It can vary between 1 spoon to 2 spoons. fold the edges of the circle to lock the dough in. Make a ball and press it down gently. Roll it again to make 5" diameter circle. Heat a tawa on a medium flame and cook both sides of the holige, till they turn lightly brown.
8. Take it out on a plate and brush the flat bread with ghee generously.

That’s all for this time folks! We hope you enjoy the preparation of these tasty delicacies. Don’t forget to post pictures of your preparations and share with us the specialties you prepared for Sankranthi.

Write to: bangalorepressblog@gmail.com

And most importantly, don’t forget to invite us home when you prepare them :-) We can smell the aroma!