Karnataka people show great happiness during Makar Sankranti, an important Indian celebration. Residents celebrate this holiday because it indicates that winter has ended and spring has arrived, along with the Capricorn constellation. People in Karnataka observe Makar Sankranti with religious customs and enjoying festive foods. Many Indian families prepare nutritious and delicious seasonal dishes according to their traditional festival customs during Makar Sankranti. The following article discusses the Sankranti Food Items in Karnataka served during Kannada festival celebrations.

Makar Sankranti Special Food Items in Karnataka

At Sankranti time Karnataka homes prepare traditional dishes that produce extraordinary scents throughout their kitchens. During this festive season, people prepare 10 special food items that became famous across the nation.

1. Ellu Bella

An authentic preparation of Ellu Bella combines roasted sesame seeds with peanuts along with dried coconut pieces and jaggery. As one of the most popular Sankranti Food Items in Karnataka, this traditional sweet symbolizes harmony and togetherness. People celebrate the festival by sharing small packets of this delightful mixture with family members and friends. The combination of low-carbohydrate jaggery, peanuts, coconut, and sesame seeds creates a perfect balance of flavors and textures. According to tradition, sharing Ellu Bella strengthens family bonds and fosters goodwill among loved ones during the Sankranti festival.

2. Sakkare Achu

The preparation of Sakkare Achu sugar figurines involves methods that start and shape sugar syrup through boiling and molding techniques. Many different shapes of decorative treats including animals and symbolic designs make Sankranti celebrations more attractive for people. The process of making Sakkare Achu demands artistic talent where skilled workers use hot sugar syrup to fill wooden or metal molds which slowly transform into detailed shapes. Children tend to love sugar figurines so much that they eagerly assemble these collectible items during the festival.

Related : Sankranti special food items in Telangana

3. Obbattu (Holige)

Traditional festivals in Karnataka prosper without Obbattu, which people commonly name as Holige or Puran Poli. As one of the most beloved Sankranti Food Items in Karnataka, this soft, thin, and flaky flatbread features a delightful stuffing of jaggery and chana dal (Bengal gram). The dough, made from wheat flour and refined flour, is carefully rolled out and cooked on a hot griddle with generous amounts of ghee before being filled with the sweet mixture. This golden-hued delicacy turns crispy yet tender, making it a perfect festive treat that pairs wonderfully with hot milk or butter.

4. Sweet Pongal

Sweet Pongal stands as the traditional dish of Sankranti which comprises rice cooked with jaggery and moong dal and cardamom powder. The creaminess of the mixture forms through a long cooking process in milk or water before it becomes ready for enhancement with abundant ghee combined with cashews and raisins. Sweet Pongal derives its special flavor from the combined use of cardamom and edible camphor in its preparation.

5. Savory Pongal

For those who prefer a non-sweet alternative, Savory Pongal is a comforting and wholesome dish made from rice and lentils, infused with the warmth of black pepper, ginger, cumin, and curry leaves. It is often tempered with ghee, mustard seeds, and cashews, giving it a rich and nutty taste. This dish is not only enjoyed during Sankranti but also serves as a nutritious breakfast option across South India. It is best paired with coconut chutney or tangy sambar for an added burst of flavor.

6. Puliyogare

Puliyogare, commonly known as tamarind rice, is one of the most flavorful Sankranti Food Items in Karnataka, enjoyed for its spicy and tangy taste during festive celebrations. A homemade tamarind paste gives the rice its signature flavor, blending jaggery, mustard seeds, and sesame seeds with dry red chilies. The dish gains additional depth from curry leaves, peanuts, and grated coconut, creating a rich and aromatic experience. Its deep brown hue and bold, zesty flavors make Puliyogare a festival favorite, often served in temples as part of Sankranti offerings

7. Chitranna

Lemon rice called Chitranna represents a basic yet colorful meal that unites rice with lemon juice and turmeric with green chillies while the mixture is seasoned with mustard seeds and curry leaves and urad dal. The sharp lemon taste combined with lively yellow appearance gives Puliyogare its status as a perfect festive meal during Sankranti. Lemon rice gets its variations through the addition of roast peanuts and fried onions alongside grated coconut which provides extra taste and texture to the dish.

8. Mysore Pak

The traditional sweets in Karnataka lead to Mysore Pak which creates a soft and dripping delicious confection featuring gram flour and plenty of ghee mixed with sugar. A traditional sweet made with ghee produces a firm crumbly texture which gradually melts into a buttery sensation. The royal kitchens of Mysore first developed this sweet which later evolved into a crucial festival food. On special social occasions such as Sankranti Mysore Pak becomes a traditional gift for friends and family.

9. Kajjaya

Traditional deep frying produces Kajjaya using dough composed of rice flour, and jaggery together with cardamom. Small rounds are formed from the mixture and then placed into hot oil to produce deep-fried goods that acquire a golden brown finish together with an outside crust and inner soft chewiness. Fried dough coated with jaggery produces Kajjaya which offers a perfect fusion of crispy texture and sweet caramel taste during festivals. Preparations of Kajjaya occur in sizable quantities for the family to enjoy as a special holiday dish.

10. Payasa (Kheer)

Payasa, also known as Kheer, is a quintessential Sankranti dessert made by simmering milk with jaggery, rice, or vermicelli. The dish is flavored with cardamom, saffron, and a handful of cashews and raisins fried in ghee. Some variations include the addition of coconut milk or moong dal for a richer taste. Payasa is served warm or chilled, making it a comforting and indulgent way to conclude a festive meal.

Sankranti Special Food Items in Karnataka Veg Items

Karnataka’s Sankranti vegetarian food affair is as varied as it is sumptuous. Here’s a list of 10 vegetarian specialties that take a seat at the center.

1. Ellu Bella

Traditional Sankranti offers families the chance to create a classic combination of sesame seeds with jaggery and peanut and coconut bits that creates a sweet and crunchy Sankranti snack. During festivals, Ellu Bella provides a symbol of friendship that spreads goodwill between people who want to foster sweetness in their relationships and daily lives.

2. Obbattu (Holige)

Karnataka people enjoy Obbattu otherwise known as Holige as a thin flat pliable cake filled with a smooth jaggery-lentils mixture during festive occasions. The wheat flour dough undergoes expert handiwork that involves rolling and stuffing the dough before applying ghee for roasting into a crisp yet chewy delicacy. People typically serve Obbattu along with warm milk while drizzling it with honey.

3. Sweet Pongal

The dessert Sweet Pongal combines cooked rice and moong dal with jaggery and it achieves a creamy texture through slow simmering. Aromatic cardamom gives sweet notes to the dish along with cashews and sautéed raisins cooked in ghee. This traditional food carries both religious and cultural meaning for the harvest celebration because it brings blessings of wealth and thankfulness.

4. Savory Pongal

Savory Pongal is a filling vegetarian dish which unites rice and lentils through its flavors of black pepper along with cumin and curry leaves. The dish obtains its rich earthy taste from mustard seeds tempered with ghee-roasted cashews and ginger. The dish commonly appears during breakfast time and acts as both a typical breakfast meal and a comforting eating experience. People typically serve it with coconut chutney or sambar.

5. Puliyogare

Rice that stands out through its tamarind paste infusion along with red chilies and jaggery and spices results in the vibrant creation called Puliyogare. The dish finishes with a crunch brought by fried peanuts together with toasted sesame seeds along with curry leaves. The persistence of its preservation makes Puliyogare a popular dish that people frequently make for quick meals while serving commonly in temple feasts.

6. Chitranna

A light and zesty dish, Chitranna, or lemon rice, is prepared by tossing fluffy cooked rice with a tangy mix of fresh lemon juice, turmeric, and green chilies. A fragrant tempering of mustard seeds, dried red chilies, and crispy urad dal enhances the overall taste. This simple yet refreshing dish is a go-to meal during festivals, picnics, and everyday lunches.

7. Kharabath

The bold spicy aspect of Kharabath dominates this semolina dish because it incorporates vegetables and aromatic spices together with tamarind extract. The dish achieves both comfort and indulgence through the combination of ghee with fresh coriander and grated coconut. Folks enjoy eating this semolina dish as both their morning breakfast and their evening snack.

8. Vegetable Biryani

The preparation of Vegetable Biryani produces an aromatic rice dish through a slow cooking process that blends whole spices, saffron together with caramelized onions and assorted vegetables such as carrots and peas and beans. Loved during festivities because it requires Dum cooking which validates rice and vegetables into aromatic layers sealed in a container to preserve the flavors and works best with raita and mirchi ka salan.

9. Kosambari

Kosambari consists of mixed ingredients such as moong dal and cucumbers and fresh coconut and green chilies that create a protein-rich and cold salad. The addition of tempered mustard seeds with curry leaves in coconut oil enhances both flavor and scent of the dish. Karnataka residents use this refreshing dish during festivals since it adds pleasant refreshment to traditional heavy meals.

10. Majjige Huli

To prepare Majjige Huli you blend coconut and green chilis into an ashen gourd or cucumber before adding yogurt for a mildly spiced yogurt base. Buttermilk or curd provides the dish with a tangy flavor that controls the intense flavors of the spices. The traditional serving method for this dish includes steamed rice which creates a soothing and light and cooling combination for both festive celebrations and regular dining occasions.

Unique Recipes for a Memorable Sankranti Festival

The following are the five unique, easy-to-prepare recipes that can add more flavor to your celebration of Sankranti.

Recipe 1: Ellu Bella

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup Sesame seeds
2. 1 cup jaggery chopped finely
3. ½ coconut chopped finely
4. Roasted peanuts-½ cup
5. Fried gram-½ cup

Method:

1. Roast the sesame seeds till golden and fragrant.
2. Mix sesame seeds with jaggery, coconut, peanuts, and fried gram.
3. It can be served as a festive snack or shared with friends and family.

Recipe 2: Sweet Pongal

Ingredients:

1. Rice – 1 cup
2. Moong dal – ½ cup
3. Jaggery – 1 cup
4. Ghee – 2 tbsp
5. Cashews and raisins – 2 tbsp each
6. Cardamom powder – ½ tsp

Preparation:

1. Cook rice and moong dal together until soft.
2. Melt jaggery dissolved in water along with the rice-dal mixture.
3. Heat ghee, fry cashew and raisins, add it all to the pongal.
4. Sprinkle some cardamom powder and serve warm.

Recipe 3: Obbattu (Holige)

Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour – 2 cups
• Chana dal – 1 cup
• Jaggery – 1 cup
• Ghee – for frying

Method:

1. Prepare dough with wheat flour and water by kneading, then allow it to sit.
2. Cook the chana dal, mash, and mix the same with jaggery for making the stuffing.
3. Roll dough and fill up it with that filling, now put it into hot griddle greased by ghee.

Recipe 4: Puliyogare

Ingredients:

• Cooked rice – 2 cups
• Tamarind paste – 2 tbsp
• Sesame seeds – 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves, peanuts – as needed
• Mustard seeds, red chilies – for tempering.

Method:

1. Heat oil, add mustard seeds, red chilies, curry leaves, and peanuts.
2. Mix tamarind paste and sesame seeds into the tempering.
3. Combine with cooked rice and serve.

Recipe 5: Kajjaya

Ingredients:

• Rice flour – 1 cup
• Jaggery – 1 cup
• Water – ½ cup
• Ghee – 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Ghee is melted in water and strained for impurities.
2. Rice flour is mixed in the jaggery syrup to form a dough
3. Small discs shape and deep fry until golden brown.

Conclusion for Sankranti Food Items in Karnataka

Makar Sankranti is a festival celebrated in Karnataka. It symbolizes togetherness, thanks, and a culinary feast. The traditional dishes prepared on the occasion show that the state indeed has a deep heritage, wherein seasonal and whole ingredients are crucial. From Ellu Bella which is sweet to comfort food like pongal and even festive obbattu, every dish represents love. By trying these recipes or by enjoying the products from local sweet shops, you can make your Sankranti celebration truly special.

FAQs

Q1. Why is Makar Sankranti celebrated in Karnataka?

Ans:- It is the harvesting season. So, Makar Sankranti is done with a gesture of gratitude towards the sun god for good harvesting.

Q2. What are the traditional dishes during Sankranti of Karnataka?

Ans:- The famous one is Ellu Bella, Sweet Pongal, Obbattu, and Puliyogare.

Q3. Are all Sankranti dishes vegetarian?

Ans:- Nearly all the items for Sankranti in Karnataka are vegetarian dishes.

Q4. Are these dishes vegan?

Ans:- Yes, ghee can be replaced with vegan butter or oil in most dishes.

Q5. Karnataka from where do I get the sweets of Sankranti?

Ans:- You get these sweets available from local shops as well as you can obtain the festive hamper online, containing all those varieties.

Q6. How many days do Sankranti recipes last in terms of freshness?

Ans:- Most dishes, such as Ellu Bella and kajjaya can stay fresh for up to a week.

Q7. In Karnataka what would be an ideal way of celebrating of Sankranti?

Ans:- The best way to celebrate Sankranti in Karnataka is by participating in traditional rituals, preparing festive dishes, and spending time with loved ones.