Happy Sankranthi

Happy Sankranthi and Pongal to all!!

This is one of the festivals that I have very fond memories of. I remember, as a little girl dressed up in reshme langa / pattu pavadai and decking up with jewelery and going to every house on my street to give Ellu, Sakkare Acchu. I used to wait for this festival so badly. In kannada, there is a saying 'Ellu Bella hanchi, Olle maatu aadu' meaning goes something like distribute sesame seeds and jaggery and speak good words. This being the festival of harvesting, it is customary to use freshly harvested ingredients in cooking. That is the reason everyone makes pongal on this festival. Coming to the topic, a kannada tradition is to make Ellu and Sakkare Acchu and give it to neighbors and friends on this day. Ellu basically is a mixture of Roasted sesame seeds, roasted peanuts (skin removed and split), dalia or hurigadale, kobbari or dry coconut and jaggery pieces. Sakkare acchu is basically made of sugar. Sugar syrup boiled to almost hard candy stage and poured into molds. I just wanted to wish everyone Happy Pongal/Happy Sankranthi!!.

How to make Ellu!!
This cannot even be called a recipe. It is just a mixture of different things. Proportions also vary from house to house. My mother used to combine everything in equal quantity except for bella or jaggery. She would double that. I remember from my childhood that ellu or sesame seeds would always be left over at the end. So, I have made a modification so that it is not wasted. Here it goes..


Ingredients:
Sesame seeds dry roasted - 1/2 to 3/4 measure
Dalia or Hurigadale - 1 measure
Kobbari or dry coconut chopped uniformly - 1 measure
Peanuts dry roasted and skin removed and split - 1 1/2 measure
Bella or Jaggery pieces - 2 measures
Jeerige or cumin candies (optional) - I don't like to mix in these things as I believe it spoils the traditional method.

Method:
Mix all the ingredients in an airtight container and enjoy. Traditionally, 'Ellu Beeruvudu' or distributing ellu consists of some quantity of the ellu mixture, one or two pieces of sakkare acchu, a fruit and a sugar cane cut into at least 6-8" long.


Since this has sesame seeds as one of the major ingredients, I would like to send this as an entry to Priya's Cooking with seeds - Sesame Seeds!!



Enjoy!! Pin It