Chane ka saag to gud ke chawal: Plan a quick Lohri 2025 get-together to savour these one-of-a-kind desi delicacies

Waking up to the biting cold has become a way of life at this point, as it does year on year. What is different today, is the warmth of the sun adding some cheer to the day. We won’t blame you really if the lovely weather is giving you that itch to throw together a last minute Lohri celebration for your friends and family. And while getting everybody together in the evening is going to be the least of your problems, we know the menu needs to be an absolute banger so that everyone can truly enjoy themselves. Chane ka saag to gur wale chawal: The easiest, most delicious Lohri 2025 menu for a quick get-together! Well fret not because we have for you the perfect three-recipe menu, which will not only be filling up your guests’ tummies, but also their hearts. Trust us, it doesn’t get easier (or more delicious) than this! Chane ka saagIngredients: Chana saag – 5 to 5.5 cups, moong dal – 2tbsps, quartered tomato – 1, chopped ginger – 1 inch, chopped garlic cloves – 3 to 4, chopped green chilli – 1, hing – a pinch, water – 1/2 cup, salt as required; for tempering — mustard oil – 2tbsps, jeera – 1/2tsp, broken dry red chilli – 1, hing – a pinch, finely chopped onion – 1/3 cup Chane ka saag(Photo: Food Network) Method: Pluck the chane ka saag, including the tender stems while discarding the hardened ones. Wash and soak for a bit to get rid of the dirt. In a pressure cooker, add the saag along with the moong dal, tomato, ginger, garlic, chilli and hing and pressure cook with some water for 8 to 9 minutes or 4 to 5 whles. Once the mixture reaches room temperature, blend it into a fine puree. Now prepare the tempering (sans the onion) and add to the blended saag. Fry onions till golden brown, pour in the saag and let this cook for a bit before taking it off heat. (recipe from Dassana’s Veg Recipes) Makki di rotiIngredients: Makki atta – 2 cups, salt – 1/2tsp, ajwain – a pinch, hot water to knead (as required) Makki di roti(Photo: Rotimatic) Method: Mix the dry ingredients together and add some hot water, stirring the bowl with a spoon. Don’t knead the mixture at this point. Let it rest for 5 minutes before adding more hot water. Now knead into a soft dough and let it rest for 10 minutes before dividing it into 6 equal parts. Now apply some water on your hands and stretch out the dough ball into a circle. Now place it between two sheets of parchment paper and carefully roll out. The roti should be a little thick. Use the parchment paper to transfer the roti to a hot tawa. You may use ghee or oil to cook it. Flip carefully once brown spots start appearing and repeat on other side. Serve hot. (recipe from Cook with Manali) Gur ke chawalIngredients: For the jaggery syrup — water – 2.5 cups, chopped jaggery – 450gms, fennel seeds – 1/2tsp, cardamom seeds, a pinch of salt; For the chawal — ghee – 1tbsp, raisins – 15 to 20, dry coconut – 40 to 50 gms, Basmati rice – 3 cups, water – 4 cups, chopped jaggery – 2 to 3tbsps; For garnish — sliced pachios, mint spring, silver warq, fresh rose petals, saffron strands Method: For the jaggery syrup, cook all ingredients in a deep bottom sauce pot till the jaggery melts. For the chawal, saute the raisins and dry coconut in ghee on medium heat till the raisins puff. Now add the Basmati rice and saute. Cook this in water till about 70% done. Now add the jaggery syrup and finish cooking the rice in it. Take off heat, add some more jaggery and put the lid on, letting it melt in its own heat. Mix well and garnish with led ingredients before serving hot. (recipe from Chef Ranveer Brar) We wish you a blessed Lohri!