Sankranti special: From vankaya koora to payasam, here are the festive recipes from top Hyderabad hotels

If you are celebrating Sankranti at home and want to rustle up some dishes that bring back the memories of childhood festivities, from years ago, we have you sorted. Here are a few dishes from Hyderabad’s star hotels that are laced with nostalgia and a hint of spices from the region. Here are our picks:

Gutti Vankaya Koora by chef Utkarsh Phadnis, sous chef at Mrs Mage, Hyatt Hyderabad Gachiwbowli

Ingredients: 
For the gravy:
 

Eggplant- 4 pieces
Ginger-Garlic paste- 1 teaspoon
Oil- 2 tablespoon
Asafoetida- Just a pinch
Mustard seed- 1/4 teaspoon
Cumin- 1/2 teaspoon
Onion- 3/4 cup, sliced
Green chillies- 2 slit
Curry leaves- 1 sprig
Coriander leaves- Just a handful
Salt- To taste

For the stuffing:

Dry chilli- 6-7 pieces
Peanuts- 4 tablespoon
Sesame seeds- 1 tablespoon
Coriander seeds- 1 tablespoon
Cumin- 1 tablespoon
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Cloves - 6-7 
Cardamom- 3-5
Grated Coconut- 2 tablespoon
Tamarind pulp- 1 tablespoon 

Method of preparation:

Dry roast red chillies and peanuts on a low to medium flame until the peanuts turn golden and the chillies are crisp. 

To that add sesame seeds, coriander seeds, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and roast for a minute on low flame, after which add grated coconut to the roasted whole spices and toss until aromatic. 

Allow spices to cool and then blend it with tamarind paste to a fine powder. 

Slit the eggplant diagonally with the stalks intact and soak it in saltwater for about 20 minutes. Stuff the slit eggplant with the powdered mix.

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin, curry leaves and asafoetida then add chopped onion and slit green chillies.

Fry until the onions turn golden brown after which add ginger-garlic paste and fry until its cooked, add salt and turmeric powder. 

Add the stuffed eggplant to it and sauté until the out skin of the eggplant are cooked. 

Add water, bring it to boil and cover with a lid, and cook a low medium flame until the eggplant is completely cooked.

Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve!

Ragi Payasam by Satish N, sous chef, Novotel Hyderabad Airport   

Ingredients:

Ghee- 1 tablespoon
Raagi flour- 2 tablespoons
Milk, boiled: 1 and a half cups
Sugar: 50 grams
Pistachio: 2 to 3
Almond flakes: A few
Saffron: 6 strands
Cardamom powder: 1/8 teaspoon
Phool makhana: A few

Method of preparation:

In a thick bottomed pan or kadhai, heat one tablespoon of ghee, add flour to it, sauté for a while until well-cooked.

Add milk to the pan, then add flour to it, start boiling it slowly, by using a whisk. Whisk continuously to avoid flumps and boil it for another 3 to 4 minutes.

Add sugar to it and check for sweetness. Adjust the sweetness according to taste and stir for around 2 minutes.

Serve hot in a bowl by garnishing it with, cashew nuts, almonds, pistachio and phool makhana. Garnish with fresh mint leaves if available.

Poornam Boorelu by chef Thirupathi Reddy, Mercure Hyderabad KCP

Ingredients :

Channa dal – 1 cup
Water – As required for boiling
Jaggery – 1 ½ cup (Palm jaggery or sugar)
Fresh coconut – 2 slices
Green Cardamom, powdered – 1 pinch

Ingredients for batter :
Urad Dal – ¾ cup
Rice – 1 ¼ cup
Salt – 1 pinch
Oil to fry

Method of preparation:

Boil channa dal and cook till it is well cooked and drain all the water when hot, and let it dry.

Powder it in a mixer-grinder and add jaggery to channa dal powder. Cook till thick.

Add some flavour with cardamom powder and let it cool. Make small dumplings for the batter fry.

The batter is similar to dosa batter but less fermented. Put the dumpling in the batter and deep fry them in fresh hot oil.

Add rice flour to the batter if the batter is thin or not coating the sweet dough properly.

Served it hot after adding a dash of ghee and sprinkle with almond flakes.