Ellu Bella Recipe – detailed video instruction.

Sankranthi Mix is the mix of Ellu (sesame seeds) bella(jaggery) along with other ingredients is a perfectly balanced mix for the month of January. It has protein, calcium, oil and iron from the ingredients, which are required for our body to rejuvenate from the winter weather. As we all know in every part of our country Sankranthi festival is celebrated, though each state has its own name for this festival, basically celebrating the harvest. At this time of the year, weather will be cold and dry, the main ingredients we use to prepare the dish for this festival is til/sesame seeds and jaggery along with nuts and coconut, which makes it an absolute health snack for the winter.

Ellu Bella is unique to Bangalore Mysore region. You should try this to know the taste and the benefits of the ingredients used in this super healthy mix for winter!

Ellu Bella is shared with family and friends on the Makara sankranthi day along with sakkare achchu and kabbu(sugar cane).

Ingredients:

• 1 measure dried coconut cut into small pieces
• 1 to 1.5 measure Jaggery cut into small pieces
• 1 measure hurigadale/fried gram dal/pottu kadalai
• 1 measure roasted peanuts
• 3/4 measure toasted sesame seeds

Tools:

mandolin slicer

Nut Cracker for cutting jaggery

Method:

Please watch the video for instructions and tips

Mix all the ingredients in the ratio of 1 dried coconut: 1 jaggery: 1 Hurigadale: 1 peanuts : ¾ sesame seeds.

How to cut Jaggery and Dried Coconut:

1. To cut dried coconut use slicer as shown and to remove the skin use the grater.
2. Grate the brown skin of the coconut
3. Slice it using slicer
4. Stack these pieces together ( as much as you can hold comfortably) and cut into small pieces using a knife.
5. o cut jaggery, I used areca nut cracker(adike kattari) or you can use nut cracker instead of knife. If it is big jaggery piece, first break into relatively small blocks and then use the nut cracker to cut into desired small pieces.
6. Then heat a thick bottom pan/wok. Dry roast the sesame seeds and transfer it to a bowl.
7. In the same pan, dry roast the peanuts, allow it to cool,
8. To remove the skin, pour it onto a towel..
9. Gently rub the peanuts it will helps to remove the skin and splits into halves.Separate the skin and peanuts and keep it ready
10. Final step, mix all the prepared ingredients in a big bowl and offer to god and Enjoy the perfect winter time health trail mix.

NOTES:

TIP: If you sun dry the cut jaggery and cut coconut it will add more taste to the mix.

• You can also warm the jaggery in oven(just warm otherwise it will melt) to get the crunchy pieces, same with coconut too.
• Also check out, Sakkare Achchu (Sugar Mould dolls), which is paired with Ellu Bella during the traditional Sankranthi Festival
• To make sakkare acachu click on this: