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Winter On A Plate: 15 Traditional And Modern Recipes For Lohri, Sankranti, And Pongal
Winter On A Plate: 15 Traditional And Modern Recipes For Lohri, Sankranti, And Pongal
India's winter festivals are deeply tied to seasonal produce, warming ingredients, and food traditions that celebrate abundance and togetherness. From sesame and jaggery-based sweets to comforting rice dishes, nut-forward snacks, and globally inspired festive creations, these recipes reflect both heritage and modern creativity.
Curated from hotel chefs, culinary experts, and festive collaborators, this collection brings together 15 detailed recipes that honour traditional flavours while offering fresh interpretations – perfect for Lohri, Makar Sankranti, Pongal, and beyond.
Til-Gud Fusion Delight Cups
The Ashok Hotel, New Delhi
Ingredients:
Method:
1. Dry roast sesame seeds till aromatic. Let cool.
2. Heat the ghee on a low flame, add jaggery, and stir until just melted.
3. Mix in peanuts, sesame seeds, coconut, khoya, and cardamom.
4. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
5. Spoon the mixture into mini cups or moulds and press gently. Garnish with pistachios or a drizzle of dark chocolate.
6. Let it sit for 20–30 minutes before serving.
Chef's Tip: For extra richness, lightly toast the khoya in ghee before mixing. It enhances the nutty aroma and gives a melt-in-the-mouth texture.
Spiced Sesame-Peanut Pearls in Jaggery Tubes
The Ashok Hotel, New Delhi
Pearls
Ingredients:
Method:
1. Pulse all ingredients in a food processor until they just come together. Don't over-process—you want a slightly coarse, moldable texture.
2. Roll into small, pea-sized pearls. Set aside on parchment paper. Refrigerate.
Jaggery Tubes
Ingredients:
Method:
1. In a heavy-bottomed pan, combine jaggery, sugar, and water. Heat on medium until the jaggery dissolves completely.
2. Add lemon juice to prevent crystallisation. Cook until the syrup reaches 125–130°C (a drop in cold water forms a hard, but not brittle, ball).
3. Lightly grease a silicone mat, pour a little syrup, spread evenly and roll into a tube. Leave aside to cool and harden.
4. Fill each tube with the prepared pearl mixture and enjoy.
Chef's Tip: To get uniform tubes, roll the jaggery-sugar mix while still warm, as it is pliable in that state.
Golden Sesame Chikki Bites
Ingredients:
Instructions:
1. Dry roast the sesame seeds until aromatic. You can also lightly toast them evenly using the Voltas Beko Microwave on low power for quick and fuss-free roasting.
2. Heat jaggery with ghee until melted and slightly thick, then add cardamom powder.
3. Mix in the sesame seeds and stir well.
4. Spread the mixture onto a greased plate, flatten, and cut into small squares while warm.
5. Allow to cool and set before serving.
Curd Rice Poppers
Ingredients:
Instructions:
1. Cook rice and moong dal together until soft.
2. Add milk and jaggery, stirring gently until the mixture turns creamy.
3. Mix in cardamom powder and finish with roasted cashews and raisins.
4. Keep warm using the Voltas Beko Microwave reheat mode for batch serving.
Harvest Veggie Skewers
Ingredients:
Instructions:
1. Store and prep fresh winter vegetables using the Voltas Beko Refrigerator.
2. Parboil vegetables until just tender.
3. Mix honey, chilli powder, salt, and oil to make a glaze.
4. Thread vegetables onto skewers and grill using the Voltas Beko Microwave Grill Mode until lightly charred.
5. Serve hot.
Jeedipappu Chakkara Pongali
Executive Chef Satya Kumar, Sheraton Hyderabad
Ingredients:
Steps:
1. Soak rice for 30 minutes. Roast moong dal in ghee.
2. Add water and milk, bring to a boil.
3. Add rice, camphor, cardamom, salt, and banana.
4. Pressure cook for 4 whistles.
5. Mash well, add jaggery syrup.
6. Garnish with ghee-roasted cashews and raisins.
Bobbattlu (Puran Poli)
Executive Chef Satya Kumar, Sheraton Hyderabad
For Stuffing (Puran)
For Dough
Method
To Prepare Puran
1. Soak chana dal for 1 hour. Drain and transfer to the cooker.
2. Add turmeric, ghee, and water. Pressure cook for 3 whistles on medium flame.
3. Drain excess water and transfer dal to a kadai.
4. Add jaggery and mix until melted, then mash dal well.
5. Cook till mixture thickens and holds shape.
6. Add ghee and cardamom powder; cook until the mixture leaves the pan.
7. Transfer to plate, cool slightly, and shape into balls.
To Prepare Dough
1. Mix wheat flour, turmeric, salt, and oil in a bowl.
2. Add water gradually and knead into soft dough.
3. Grease with oil, cover, and rest for at least 1 hour.
To Assemble
1. Place a puran ball inside a dough ball, seal without cracks.
2. Dust lightly, flatten, and roll gently into thin discs.
3. Cook on medium-hot tawa, flipping once, until half-cooked.
4. Apply ghee on both sides and cook well.
5. Serve hot with ghee or milk.
Fresh Cherry Pie Pops
By Chef Meghna Kamdar (On behalf of Chilean Cherries)
Ingredients
Method
1. Combine cherries, water, lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch in a saucepan. Cook till thickened.
2. Remove from heat, stir in almond extract, and cool.
3. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
4. Place lollipop sticks on dough shapes, and add cherry filling.
5. Top with another dough piece, seal edges, and brush with egg wash (optional).
6. Bake for 12–15 minutes until golden.
7. Cool slightly and serve warm.
Chilean Cherry, Wild Rice & Quinoa Salad
By Chef Meghna Kamdar (On behalf of Chilean Cherries)
Ingredients
For the Salad
For the Vinaigrette
Method
1. Cook wild rice for 30 minutes, then add quinoa and cook till tender. Drain and cool.
2. Toast pecans at 350°F for 8 minutes, cool and chop.
3. Whisk vinaigrette ingredients together.
4. Toss grains, cherries, celery, Gouda, and pecans with vinaigrette.
5. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Baked Vegetarian Spiced Pecan Taquitos
By Kavita Devgan (On behalf of American Pecans)
Ingredients
Method
1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Sauté cauliflower rice in oil till golden.
3. Add pecans, spices, and toast till fragrant.
4. Add tomato paste, water, and seasonings; cook through.
5. Fill tortillas with the mixture and cheese, roll tightly.
6. Brush with oil and bake 15–20 minutes till crisp.
7. Serve hot with dips.
Pecan Chickpea Cookie Dough Bites
By Kavita Devgan (On behalf of American Pecans)
Ingredients
Method
1. Blend pecans, chickpeas, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt till smooth.
2. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Roll into bite-sized balls.
4. Chill if needed. Store refrigerated.
Coconut Vegetable Khichdi (Satvik Style)
Chef Arjyo Banerjee, Chief Culinary Officer at Compass Group India
Ingredients
Method
1. Heat ghee, add cumin and ginger.
2. Add dal, rice, vegetables, coconut, and sesame.
3. Add water and salt. Pressure cook till soft.
4. Finish with ghee.
Sesame–Peanut Energy Bar (No Sugar)
Chef Arjyo Banerjee, Chief Culinary Officer at Compass Group India
Ingredients
Method
1. Warm dates, paste, and coconut oil.
2. Mix all ingredients thoroughly.
3. Press into tray and chill.
4. Cut into bars.
Til–Chocolate Truffle Bites
Chef Arjyo Banerjee, Chief Culinary Officer at Compass Group India
Ingredients
Method
1. Dry roast sesame and grind coarsely.
2. Heat cream, pour over chocolate, mix till smooth.
3. Add butter, honey, and sesame. Chill.
4. Roll into balls and coat with cocoa.
Ven Pongal Sushi
Chef Ashu Chugh, Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort, Greater Noida
Ingredients
For Pongal
For Tempering
For Filling
Method
1. Pressure cook rice and dal with spices, ginger, water, and salt.
2. Prepare tempering and mix it into the pongal. Cool to room temperature.
3. Toss paneer with spices, shallow fry till golden.
4. Spread pongal on a sushi mat, add filling and vegetables.
5. Roll tightly, sprinkle sesame seeds, slice and serve with chutneys.
Source: News18
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