A Bountiful Harvest of Food & Memories

Food plays a vital role in Sankranti celebrations, symbolising harvest, prosperity, and gratitude. Traditional dishes are prepared with locally harvested ingredients, offered to the sun god, and shared with the community to spread health and happiness.

Food Files

Food in Sankranti represents gratitude for the harvest and respect for nature. This includes dishes prepared using freshly harvested grains, rice, jaggery, and sesame, which symbolise abundance, seasonal balance, and the joy of sharing. Sankranti marks the sun’s transition into Capricorn and is celebrated across India under different names: Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Uttarayan in Gujarat, Magh Bihu in Assam, Lohri in Punjab, and Sankranti in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, each with their own food traditions rooted in the harvest season. Balaji Balachander, Culinary Director & Co-founder at SALT, says, “Sankranti marks the beginning of the sun's journey towards the northern hemisphere, signifying longer days and warmer sunshine. It is celebrated as Makar Sankrant, Uttarayan, or Lohri in different parts of India, bringing communities together.”

Nature’s Nuances

Food plays a deeply symbolic role during Sankranti, as it reflects the harvest season and the abundance of freshly gathered grains, jaggery, sesame seeds, rice, and lentils. These ingredients are not only seasonal but are also believed to generate warmth and energy, making them ideal for winter consumption. “One fascinating aspect of Sankranti is how the festival is celebrated differently across India while retaining the same agricultural spirit. In Uttarakhand, Sankranti is closely associated with ghughuti, a sweet offered to children and birds, symbolising generosity and coexistence with nature. Ghughuti garlands are put around children’s necks early in the morning, and children then offer a portion to crows – an act believed to bring good luck and blessings for the year ahead,” says Manoj Pandey, Chef de Cuisine, Andaz Delhi, by Hyatt.

Tamil Nadu and Karnataka come together in the spirit of Pongal, bound by shared roots of agriculture, gratitude, and tradition. “From harvesting the season’s first grains to honouring farmers, cattle, and the living soil, the celebration reflects a common belief across both lands that prosperity begins on the farm and food is sacred. In these age-old rituals, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are united by respect for nature, community, and the joy of sharing a harvest earned with care and celebrating health,” adds Shilpa Kumar, In-house Chef, Akshayakalpa Organic. Sankranti food is a beautiful reminder of sustainable cooking – using minimal ingredients and local produce. These recipes have been passed down orally for generations and reflect India’s deep-rooted wisdom of seasonal eating.

Symbolic Spread

Sankranti is a harvest festival that celebrates abundance, gratitude, and the cyclical rhythm of nature. “Traditional Sankranti foods are intentionally sweet and nourishing, signifying hope for a sweet year ahead. The use of jaggery instead of refined sugar reflects purity and sustainability, while sesame and peanuts are believed to generate warmth, making them ideal for the winter-to-spring transition. Food during Sankranti is also about sharing – homemade sweets are exchanged among family, neighbours, and communities, reinforcing bonds and collective joy. From a culinary perspective, Sankranti is a reminder of ingredient-led cooking. The festival predates luxury techniques, yet its flavours remain timeless. It celebrates restraint, balance, and respect for produce—values that modern kitchens are returning to today,” says Avisek Bagchi, Executive Sous Chef, JW Marriott Kolkata.

Harvest Season Spread

Ghughuti (Courtesy of Manoj Pandey, Chef de Cuisine, Andaz Delhi, by Hyatt)

Ingredients

• Wheat flour 200 g

• Jaggery (grated) 120 g

• White sesame seeds 20 g

• Ghee 30 ml

• Fennel seeds (crushed) 5 g

• Oil (Deep-frying) 500 ml

Method

1. Heat ghee in a pan on low flame and add grated jaggery and water, stirring until the jaggery melts.

2. Add crushed fennel seeds and sesame seeds and mix well.

3. Cool slightly, then add wheat flour and knead into a firm dough.

4. Rest the dough for 10 minutes.

5. Roll small portions of dough and shape them into rings.

6. Heat oil in a deep pan and fry dough on medium flame until golden brown.

7. Remove and drain excess oil.

Vegan Superfood Barfi (Courtesy of Balaji Balachander, Culinary Director & Co-founder at SALT)

This vegan superfood barfi blends locally harvested ingredients into a nutritious and delicious treat. This vegan recipe combines the goodness of seeds, nuts, and dried fruits. It is a healthy, shareable treat that's perfect for gifting or enjoying with loved ones.

Ingredients

• Mixed seeds (white sesame, pumpkin, flax, sunflower, chia) 100 grams (equal parts)

• Peanuts 50 g

• Dates 50 g

• Figs 50 g

• Coconut powder 20 g

• Dried rose petals 10 g

• Jaggery 30 g

• Cardamom powder – to taste

Method

1. Roast the seeds on low heat till fragrant. Cool.

2. Blend dates, figs, jaggery, coconut powder, and roasted seeds.

3. Add peanuts and pulse-blend till the mix sticks together.

4. Mix in cardamom powder and rose petals.

Grapes & Cherry Tomato Chundo (Courtesy: Chef Shreyas Bhat, Culinary Director, Gaia)

Ingredients

• Cherry tomatoes 250 g

• Red grapes 250 g

• Jaggery 70 g

• Garlic, finely chopped, 10 g

• Green chilli, finely chopped, 10 g

• Tamarind chutney 20 g

• Black salt 3 g

• White sesame seeds (toasted): 1 tbsp (for garnish)

Method

1. Heat a pan over medium flame and add the jaggery. Let it melt gently without caramelising.

2. Add the finely chopped garlic and green chilli. Sauté for 2–3 minutes until aromatic.

3. Add the red grapes and cherry tomatoes. Cook until the fruits soften and turn slightly translucent.

4. Stir in the tamarind chutney and black salt, mix well to combine.

5. Cook for 2–3 minutes, ensuring a glossy, jam-like consistency.

6. Remove from heat and garnish with toasted white sesame seeds.

7. Enjoy it with your favourite khakra, lavash, or any preferred cracker.

Avarekai Pongal (Courtesy of Shilpa Kumar, In-house Chef, Akshayakalpa Organic)

Avarekai Pongal (Hyacinth Bean Pongal) is a significant Sankranti dish in Karnataka, celebrating the winter harvest of avarekai, symbolising abundance, prosperity, and health. Through Avarekai (rich in protein/fibre), a traditional crop of Karnataka, farmers offer new produce to Gods as a gratitude during this harvest festival marking the sun's northward journey (Uttarayan), bringing prosperity and good fortune. Greater significance is noted with the combo of Rice (Rakthasali from Tamil Nadu) and Avarekai (from Karnataka). Blending and bonding traditional crops of the two states.

Ingredients

• Rakthsali raw rice/any rice of your choice 200 g

• Fresh hyacinth beans, soaked and peeled, 200 g

• Jaggery/sugar/monk fruit extract/honey 100 g

• Milk 200ml

• 1 tbsp of ghee

• Dry fruits and nuts 50 g (cashews, almonds, raisins and pistachios)

• Saffron strands 10-12 (soaked in a spoon of warm milk)

• Custard powder 1 tbsp (mixed in a spoon of milk)

• Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp

• 1 tbsp of chopped coconut pieces or copra

Method

1. Soak rice for about 1 hour and then pressure cook rice and avarekai or peeled hyacinth beans for 2-3 whistles.

2. In a clay pot, heat ghee and fry all the chopped nuts and coconut pieces and keep aside.

3. Add milk to the ghee, bring to a boil and add the cooked rice and cereal and stir well.

4. Add the sweetener of your choice, cardamom powder, custard powder, or saffron milk. Keep stirring until Pongal becomes thick.

5. Mix fried coconut pieces and garnish with fried nuts and serve hot.