Here are some recipes that capture the spirit of Sankranti

Kodi pokada, also known as chicken bajji or chicken pakoda, is a popular Indian snack from the Telugu cuisine. Here’s a simple recipe to make kodi pokada:

Ingredients:

• 250 grams chicken

• 1 cup gram flour (besan)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds

• 1-2 green chilies, finely chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste

• Water, as needed

• Oil, for frying

• Chutney or sauce, for serving

Instructions:

• In a large bowl, mix together gram flour, salt, baking soda, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, green chilies, and ginger garlic paste.

• Gradually add water to the bowl and mix until a smooth batter forms.

• Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat.

• Dip chicken pieces into the batter, coating it evenly.

• Carefully drop the battered chicken into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, turning occasionally.

• Remove the kodi pokada from the oil and drain on paper towels.

• Serve hot with chutney or sauce.

- Satya Pandari, executive chef, The Park Hyderabad

Bellam pongal or Sweet pongal is an authentic traditional South Indian dish made with rice, moong dal (split green gram) and jaggery (bellam). It is an easy naivedyam or prasadam for festivals as well.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw rice

• ¼ cup moong dal (Split green gram)

• 1 cup grated organic jaggery

• 4 cups of water

• 4 spoons of ghee

• 15 – 20 pieces of cashew 2 piece size

• 15 – 20 pieces of raisins

• 1 tsp of cardamom (elaichi powder )

• 4 tsp of chironji seeds

• A small pinch of edible camphor (karpoor)(optional)

• A pinch of salt

Instructions:

• Roast dal : Take the moong dal in a pan and roast it until it turns golden on medium heat.

• Cook rice and dal : Cook the roasted moong dal and rice with water in a pressure cooker. Let it sit for 4 -5 whistles until soft and mushy.

• Prepare jaggery syrup: Take a separate pan, add grated jaggery and some water. Heat until jaggery melts and forms a syrup. Strain it and keep aside.

• Combine: Add the jaggery syrup to the rice and dal mixture. Cook it on low flame until well mixed.

• Add flavours: Take another pan, heat the ghee and add cashewnuts, raisins and chironji till golden brown. Once done, add this to Pongal along with elaichi powder and salt.

• Cook on simmer: After a few more minutes of cooking, add a pinch of edible camphor. Stir it continuously until it reaches a thick and creamy consistency.

It can be served hot or cold. For garnishing, you can add extra fried cashews and raisins. Enjoy this traditional authentic delicacy!

- Chef Srinivas Juloori, executive chef, Antera Gachibowli.

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup tender coconut pulp

• 1 cup tender coconut water

• 1 cup milk

• 3 tablespoon Nolen gur

• 1 cardamom powdered (optional)

• 4 cashew nuts

• ½ teaspoon ghee

Instructions:

• Boil milk and put the flame to medium or low and let it thicken for five minutes.

• Cool the milk completely.

• Meanwhile, grind tender coconut pulp along with the water — coarsely or smoothly, which ever texture you prefer.

• Save some pieces of the pulp for garnish.

• Golden fry cashew nuts in ghee.

• Mix the ground pulp to the cooled milk.

• Add Nolen gur, cashew nuts along with cardamom powder and mix well. Serve chilled.

Chef Abhishek Nair, chef and co-founder | Banh Mi Babe