As the sun shifts into Capricorn, kitchens across India come alive with the nutty aroma of sesame, the warmth of melted jaggery, and the kind of joy only a harvest festival brings. 

Makar Sankranti is more than a date on the calendar. It’s a moment to celebrate abundance and gratitude through food made with care and intention. Whether you’re ladling out comforting khichdi or shaping a perfect laddoo, this Indian harvest festival is all about sharing simple pleasures as sacred prasad with the people you love.

In this blog, Nestasia brings together easy recipes rooted in tradition and adapted for the modern kitchen. 

At the heart of these Makar Sankranti recipes are til and gud, the iconic duo that turns everyday Indian sweets into symbols of warmth and togetherness. You’ll find festive favourites like Til Gud Ladoo, Crispy Chikki, and much-loved regional dishes, including Puran poli, Undhiyu, and delicate Til pitha, each one made to feel special without being complicated.

Along the way, we share thoughtful Nestips about elegant serveware ideas to plate your sankranti sweets beautifully. Let these recipes and styling cues inspire a harvest celebration that feels rich in tradition and easy to bring to life.

Eastern India’s Sweet Traditions

West Bengal

In West Bengal, Makar Sankranti is celebrated as Poush Sankranti or Nabanna. This state turns the harvest into a poetic celebration of pithe (rice cakes) and the prized Nolen Gur (date palm jaggery), a seasonal delicacy available only in winter. It is also called "Poush Parbon," or “Pithe Parbon,” where every home is filled with the aroma of freshly harvested rice and simmering milk.

Patisapta (Thin Crepes with Sweet Filling)

Patisapta are delicate, thin crepes made from rice flour or semolina, stuffed with a luscious mixture of coconut and jaggery or khoya.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Rice flour (Chawal ka atta / Chaler Guro)

• ½ cup Semolina (Suji)

• 2 cups Milk (Doodh)

• 1 cup Grated Coconut (Nariyal / Narkel Kora)

• ½ cup Date Palm Jaggery (Khajur Gud / Nolen Gur)

• Ghee (Clarified butter) for greasing

Steps:

• Whisk the rice flour, semolina, and milk into a smooth, thin batter; let it rest for 20 minutes so the suji softens.

• In a pan, sauté the grated coconut and jaggery together until the mixture becomes sticky and aromatic.

• Use a Non-Stick stainless steel frying pan to achieve those paper-thin crepes that flip perfectly without sticking or tearing.

• Pour a ladle of batter onto the hot pan, spread it thin, add the filling in the centre, and roll it gently into a cylinder.

Nestip: Serve these on terracotta plates accompanied by a dip bowl of liquid jaggery for dipping.

Doodh puli (Rice Dumplings in Milk)

A beloved staple of the Bengali winter, these hand-rolled rice crescents swim in a rich, golden 'doodh' (milk) that has been simmered to perfection with date palm jaggery.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Rice Flour (Chawal ka atta / Chaler Guro)

• 1 cup of water

• Sweet coconut filling (prepared with coconut and Gud)

• 1 litre Milk

Steps:

• Boil water with a pinch of salt, add rice flour, and knead into a soft dough while still warm.

• Shape small balls into thin discs, add the coconut filling, and pinch the edges to seal into a crescent shape.

• Use a saucepan with a lid to simmer the milk and dumplings, keeping the steam trapped so the Puli stays incredibly soft.

• Gently drop the dumplings into boiling milk and simmer until they float and the milk thickens.

Nestip: Use a deep bowl to showcase the dumplings bathed in creamy, sweetened milk.

Assam

In Assam, the Indian harvest festival is celebrated as Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu, a time dedicated to "Bhog" or feasting. The celebration is incomplete without Pitha, traditional rice cakes made from the fresh harvest. These makar sankranti sweets are a true labour of love, often prepared over open fires to mark the festival with authentic flavours.

Til pitha (Sesame Rice Rolls)

A signature sankranti special food, this pitha is a crisp, snowy-white rice roll with a heart of sweet, nutty black sesame.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Glutinous Rice (Bora Saul / Chipka Chawal), soaked and ground into a moist powder

• 1 cup Black Sesame Seeds (Kala Til)

• ¾ cup Jaggery (Gud / Gur)

Steps:

• Dry roast the til (Kala Til) and coarsely grind them, then mix with melted jaggery (Gud) to create a sticky, sweet filling.

• Heat a flat griddle and spread a small amount of the moist rice powder, flattening it into a thin circle.

• A cast-iron tawa is perfect for this easy recipe, as it maintains the steady low heat needed to crisp the rice without burning.

• Place the sesame filling in the centre and quickly roll the rice disc while it is still warm and pliable.

Nestip: Serve these on a wooden serving tray to complement the rustic, earthy vibe of the harvest.

Sunga Pitha (Bamboo Roasted Rice Cake)

This unique pitha is one of the most interesting recipes from the Northeast, traditionally roasted inside bamboo tubes to give it a distinct smoky aroma.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Glutinous Rice (Bora Saul / Chipka Chawal)

• 1 cup Milk or Water 

• ½ cup Jaggery (Gud / Gur)

• A few Banana Leaves for sealing

Steps:

• Soak the glutinous rice overnight, then drain the water.

• Stuff the rice into a hollow bamboo tube, adding a little milk or water and a bit of gud for sweetness.

• While traditionally made in bamboo, you can recreate this at home by steaming the rice mixture in ceramic ramekins or small glass jars placed inside a steamer to get that perfectly soft, sticky texture.

• Steam until the rice is fully cooked and has fused into a solid, cake-like cylinder.

Nestip: Slice the cake into rounds and serve on leaf-shaped ceramic platters with a dollop of fresh cream or extra liquid jaggery.

Western India’s Sesame & Jaggery Feast

Maharashtra

In Maharashtra, the phrase "Til gud ghya, god god bola" (eat sesame and jaggery, and speak sweet words) defines the festival. It is a time for sharing makar sankranti sweets that symbolise the bond between friends and family, making prasad a central part of the homecoming.

Til Gud Ladoo (Sesame Jaggery Truffles)

These iconic til gud ladoos are the heart of the celebration, crunchy, sweet, and packed with winter energy.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Sesame Seeds (Til)

• 1 cup Jaggery (Gud / Gur)

• ¼ cup Peanuts (Moongphali) roasted and crushed

• 1 tbsp Ghee (Clarified butter)

Steps:

• Dry roast the til until they turn golden and start to pop; set aside.

• In a pan, melt the gud with a little ghee until it reaches a soft-ball consistency.

• Use a Nestasia tri-ply stainless steel kadai to melt the jaggery evenly without it sticking or burning at the edges.

• Quickly mix in the roasted seeds and peanuts, then shape into small laddoos while the mixture is still warm.

Nestip: Display these gud ke ladoo in a tiered cake stand for a festive touch.

Puran Poli (Sweet Lentil Flatbread)

A celebrated sankranti special food, this is a delicate flatbread stuffed with a sweet, spiced lentil filling.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Chana Dal (Bengal Gram)

• 1 cup Jaggery (Gud / Gur)

• 2 cups All-purpose flour (Maida) or Whole wheat flour (Atta)

• A pinch of Cardamom powder (Elaichi powder)

Steps:

• Cook the dal until soft, drain, and sauté with gud and cardamom until it becomes a thick paste (the Puran).

• Roll a small ball of dough, stuff it with the lentil mixture, and roll it out into a thin flatbread.

• Cook your puran poli on a non-stick tawa using plenty of ghee to ensure a soft, golden-brown finish.

Nestip: Serve hot with a dollop of ghee on terracotta dinner plates.

Gujarat

In Gujarat, the harvest festival is known as Uttarayan, famous for its vibrant kite-flying and elaborate feasts. The focus is on a balance of flavours from the savoury complexity of seasonal vegetables to the brittle crunch of Chikki.

Undhiyu (Mixed Vegetable Casserole)

This is a legendary Sankranti special food, which is mainly a slow-cooked winter vegetable pot that is both nutritious and deeply flavorful.

Ingredients:

• Mixed Vegetables: Flat beans, purple yams, sweet Potato, small eggplants, and baby potatoes,

• For Muthiya: Gram flour (Besan) and Fenugreek leaves (Methi),a pinch of Turmeric

• Grated coconut

• Ginger-green chilli paste 

• Carom seeds

• Fresh coriander

• Green garlic 

Steps:

• Prepare small fried dumplings (Muthiya) by mixing besan, methi, and spices; fry until golden and set aside.

• Make a stuffing paste using the green garlic, coconut, coriander, and spices. 

• Slice the eggplants and potatoes and fill them with this masala.

• Slow-cook your undhiyu in a cooking pot with a lid to let the earthy flavours of the winter vegetables develop perfectly.

• Sauté the root vegetables first, then layer the stuffed vegetables and muthiya on top.

• Add a splash of water, cover, and simmer on low heat until tender.

Nestip: Serve this hearty dish in stoneware bowls with handles or deep serving dishes alongside hot, fluffy puris.

Chikki (Jaggery Brittle)

One of the most popular easy recipes, this crunchy chikki is the ultimate winter snack made with peanuts and jaggery.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Peanuts roasted and skinned

• 1 cup Jaggery (Gud / Gur)

• ½ tsp Ghee (Clarified butter)

Steps:

• Melt the gud in a pan until it reaches a hard-crack stage (it should snap when dropped in cold water).

• Stir in the roasted peanuts quickly and pour the mixture onto a greased flat surface.

• Use a silicone spatula to spread the hot mixture thinly and evenly before it sets.

• Mark into squares while warm and break into pieces once cooled.

Nestip: Keep these sankranti sweets ready for guests in airtight glass jars.

North India’s Makar Sankranti Table

Uttar Pradesh

In Uttar Pradesh, Makar Sankranti day is centred around the ritual of "Tehri" or Khichdi, where the first grains of the season are offered as prasad. It is a day of giving, with a focus on simple, soul-warming recipes that bring comfort during the crisp January mornings.

Khichdi (Slow-Cooked Rice & Lentils)

The definitive makar sankranti special food, this dish is a wholesome blend of new rice and lentils, seasoned with aromatic spices.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Rice 

• ½ cup Split Green Gram (Moong Dal) or Black Gram (Urad Dal)

• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds

• A pinch of Asafoetida (Hing)

• 1 inch Ginger finely chopped

• 2 tbsp Ghee (Clarified butter)

• Seasonal veggies: Peas  and Cauliflower

Steps:

• Wash the rice and dal together; sauté them in a pot with a little ghee until fragrant.

• Add the ginger, seasonal vegetables, and 4 cups of water. Pressure cook or simmer until soft and mushy.

• For that authentic, slow-cooked taste, prepare your khichdi in a deep-bottomed stockpot to allow the flavours of the grain and ghee to meld perfectly.

• Prepare a tempering (Tadka) by heating ghee with jeera and hing, and pour it sizzling hot over the cooked mixture.

Nestip: Serve this easy recipe in ceramic serving bowls, traditionally topped with an extra dollop of ghee and accompanied by curd, papad, and pickle.

Dahi Chura (Yogurt and Flattened Rice)

A staple Sankranti special food across the Indo-Gangetic plain, this no-cook meal is prized for its cooling properties and instant energy.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Flattened Rice (Chura / Poha)

• 1 cup Fresh Curd

• 2 tbsp Jaggery (Gud / Gur) – grated or powdered

• Sliced Bananas – optional

Steps:

• Wash the chura in a colander under running water until soft, then drain completely.

• In a big bowl, mix the softened rice with fresh, thick dahi.

• Use a glass baking dish as a mixing bowl to prep this, as it allows you to see the layers of fruit and rice.

• Top with a generous amount of gud and sliced bananas for a natural sweetness.

Nestip: Present this in pastel-toned snack plates for a light yet festive morning start.

Bihar

In Bihar, the harvest festival is popularly known as Makar Sankrant or Sakraat. The celebration is defined by a unique focus on crunch and texture, making the state home to some of the most specialised Indian sweets in the country.

Tilkut (Pounded Sesame Brittle)

Hailing famously from Gaya, this legendary Makar Sankranti sweet speciality is a thin, flaky disc made by painstakingly pounding sesame seeds with melted jaggery.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup White Sesame Seeds (Safed Til)

• ¾ cup Jaggery (Gud / Gur)

• 1 tsp Cardamom powder (Elaichi)

• A little Ghee (Clarified butter) for greasing

Steps:

• Dry roast the til in a pan until they are light golden and aromatic; set them aside to cool slightly.

• Melt the gud in a deep vessel until it reaches a hard-boil stage (the syrup should become brittle when dropped in cold water).

• The secret to Tilkut is the pounding. While the mixture is hot, use a heavy-duty mortar and pestle to crush the seeds and jaggery together, creating those signature airy, flaky layers.

• Shape the pounded mass into flat discs while still warm and allow them to cool until they become perfectly crisp.

Nestip: These delicate sweets look beautiful when served on gold-rimmed dinner plates, making them a sophisticated treat for your festive guests.

Southern India’s Pongal & Tamarind Flavours

Tamil Nadu

In Tamil Nadu, the festival is celebrated as Thai Pongal, a four-day event dedicated to the Sun God. The most iconic tradition is cooking the new harvest in a decorated clay pot until it spills over, a moment met with the joyful cry of "Pongalo Pongal!"

Sakkarai Pongal (Sweet Harvest Rice) 

A rich, gooey makar sankranti special food, this sweet dish is the ultimate prasad made with newly harvested rice and creamy jaggery. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Raw Rice (Arisi / Chawal)

• 1/3 cup Yellow Moong Dal (Moong Dal)

• 1 ½ cups Jaggery (Vellam / Gud)

• ½ cup Ghee (Clarified butter)

• Sweet toppings: Cashews, raisins, and cardamom

Steps:

• Roast the moong dal until aromatic, then cook it with the rice until they are soft and well-mashed.

• Melt the gud with a little water to form a syrup, strain it, and stir it into the rice-dal mixture.

• Use a Nestasia traditional-style brass cookware to simmer your Pongal; the thick walls ensure even heat for that perfect, velvety consistency.

• Sauté cashews and raisins in plenty of ghee and pour the sizzling mix over the Pongal.

Nestip: Pair this meal with a strong filter coffee served in an artisanal Dabara set for an authentic morning experience.

Ven Pongal (Savory Ghee Rice)

This savoury version of the harvest meal is a classic, easy recipe, celebrated for its peppery warmth and comforting texture.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Rice 

• ½ cup Moong Dal (Moong Dal)

• 1 tsp Black Peppercorns (Milagu / Kali Mirch)

• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds (Seeragam / Jeera)

• Ginger 

• Curry Leaves 

Steps:

• Pressure cook the rice and dal with a pinch of salt until soft.

• Heat ghee in a pan and add cumin, crushed peppercorns, ginger, and curry leaves until they crackle.

• Use a non-stick saucepan for the tempering to ensure the ghee-infused spices don't stick and retain their full aroma.

• Mix the hot tempering into the rice and serve hot.
  

Nestip: Plate your Ven Pongal on a minimalist white dinner set with a side of coconut chutney in a small dip bowl.

Andhra Pradesh

In Andhra Pradesh, the festival is celebrated as Sankranti, featuring intricate "Muggulu" (rangolis) and the preparation of "Bommala Koluvu" (display of dolls). The feast here is famous for its bold balance of deep-fried Indian sweets and zesty, tamarind-based savouries.

Ariselu (Deep-fried Rice Flour Sweet)

A traditional sankranti sweet, Ariselu is a prized delicacy made of rice flour and til, representing the heart of the harvest.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of soaked rice ground into a fine powder

• 1 cup Jaggery (Bellam / Gud)

• 2 tbsp Sesame Seeds (Til)

• Ghee or oil for deep frying

Steps:

• Boil the gud until it reaches a "soft-ball" consistency, then slowly stir in the rice flour to form a dough.

• Flatten small portions into discs and coat them generously with til.

• Use a heavy-bottomed kadai to fry these; it maintains the steady oil temperature needed to get a golden-brown crunch without burning the tilgud exterior.

• Deep fry until golden and press out the excess oil immediately.

Nestip: Stack and store these golden discs in glass food storage containers.

Pulihora (Tamarind Rice)

Known as the "King of Rice Dishes" in the South, this tangy sankranti special food is a must-have for every festive lunch.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked rice

• 1 cup tamarind extract

• Roasted peanuts and green chillies

• Tempering: Mustard seeds, urad dal, and turmeric 

Steps:

• Simmer the tamarind extract with turmeric and salt until it thickens into a dark paste.

• Fold this paste into the cooked rice, ensuring every grain is coated in the golden-yellow hue.

• Use a large ceramic mixing bowl to toss the rice; the spacious design prevents the rice grains from breaking while you mix.

• Add a crunchy tempering of peanuts and dals for that signature bite.

Nestip: Pair it with chilled buttermilk served in elegant fluted glasses.

What an incredible journey we’ve taken through the kitchens of India! Makar Sankranti is a beautiful tapestry of flavours. This harvest festival reminds us that whether it is a simple bowl of khichdi or a handcrafted til gud ladoo, the secret ingredient is always the joy of sharing.

As you recreate these easy recipes at home, let Nestasia be your partner in the kitchen. Our curated Dining and Kitchen collection is designed to make your festival cooking and serving effortless. 

We hope these regional sankranti treats fill your home with warmth and abundance as you celebrate a flavorful start to the year.