While it’s a harvest festival — Makar Sankranti is celebrated in different ways in India. According to religion, it’s the day when Sun God begins his entry into the northern hemisphere and as Hinduism states, the Sun stands for wisdom and spiritual light and therefore Makar Sankranti suggests that we all look towards the light for a better life.

While the ethos remains the same, the methods of celebrating Sankranti varies according to traditions. One of the common connections however, is the kite flying frenzy that takes over the entire nation. In Karnataka, Makar Sankranti is celebrated in a unique fashion. Friends and relative come together where they exchange pieces of sugarcane and a mix of fried sesame, molasses, dry coconut bits, peanuts and fried gram.

On farms, cows and bulls are washed and their horns painted with colours and are garlanded as well. And what would Sankranti be without the scrumptious food. Since it’s a harvest festival, different communities across the country indulge in a lot of cooking.

Here are some recipes from different parts of the country, made especially during Sankranti, which you can try at home.

Sakkare Achchu
You need
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
A drop of food colour

Here’s how
Take a thick bottom pan and add the sugar and water and let the sugar melt. Keep stirring till it boils and then add the milk and keep stirring.

The milk enhances the taste and removed the dirt from the sugar. Once the syrup starts to froth, sieve the syrup. Pour the syrup back into the pan and boil again. Add the remaining milk and stir and sieve again. Pour the syrup back in the pan and continue to boil until the mixture becomes thick and white.

Keep the moulds ready and pour the mixture into them. Using a knife, trim the extra sugar over the mould. Leave it aside for 10 minutes and remove gently from the mould.

Sweet pongal
You need
2 cups rice
6 cups fresh milk
1 1/2 cup sugar 
3tbsp cashews 
2tbsp raisins and almonds
4 cardamoms
4 tbsp ghee 
A dash of rose water

Here’s howWash the rice and soak in water for 20 minutes. Boil milk in pressure pan, add soaked rice and cook till tender. Heat a tawa, add sugar stir for few minutes until sugar is dissolved.

Add cardamoms and cooked rice, stir for few minutes. Heat the ghee in a pan. Add cashewnuts, almonds, raisins and fry till the colour changes.

Pour into the rice mixture. Add little rose water to the rice and stir gently. Let it simmer on low flame for about two minutes and then remove. Serve hot.

Wheat laddoos
You need
1 cup wheat flour 
3/4 cup powdered sugar 
1/2tsp cardamom 
2 cloves 
1/2 cup ghee 
1 tsp raisin

Here’s how
In a wok, heat a teaspoon of ghee and fry the cloves. Add wheat flour and fry on low flame for around 10min. Add the sugar and fry for another five minutes. Add in the cardamom and raisins. Now add the remaining ghee, cool it a little while but make sure the mix is still warm. It takes a little time for the mixture to bind so be patient as you roll the ladoos. If it becomes a bit difficult, add in some more warm ghee. Once done. Store in an airtight container and cool the ladoos in room temperature.

Venn Pongal
You need
1 cup raw rice
1 cup moong dal
1tsp pepper corn
11/2tsp jeera 
1inch ginger 
1 cup milk
50gm cashews 
Ghee
A pinch of asafoetida
Curry leaves and salt to taste

Here’s how
Fry the rice and dal separately in a wok, without any ghee. Keep it aside.

Fry the cashews in 1tbsp ghee till the colour becomes golden. Grind the pepper and jeera to a coarse powder. Chop the ginger into very fine bits. Then, wash the dal and rice.

Add six cups of water and one cup of milk to the rice and dal. Add in the pepper, jeera powder, asafoetida, curry leaves and salt. Boil this mixture in a pressure cooker. Switch off the gas after 1 whistle. Now, add fried cashew and ghee to the pongal.

Gajak
You need
10 almonds and cashews 
20 peanuts
1/2 cup walnut
1/4 cup melon seeds (shelled)
1 cup sugar
1tsp ghee
5 cardamoms
1tsp lemon
A drop of kewra essence
Khoya

Here’s howTake a pan and melt the sugar and put lemon, khoya, white melon, kewra essence in the melted sugar and stir till the mixture turns to a drop consistency.

Mix in the ghee, add badam, cashew, peanuts and walnuts and mix well. Pour the mixture into a thali and cut them into pieces. Let it cool and then serve.