New Delhi, Jan. 10 -- The lyrical phrase tirr-moori translates to sesame-radish in Sindhi. These ingredients are synonymous to the festival of Makar Sankranti. "It is mandatory to eat as well as donate them along with rice and oil or ghee. Since it celebrates a good harvest, it is recommended to share the abundance with the less privileged," shares Alka Keswani, one of the most well-renowned advocates of Sindhi cuisine, who documents the food on her long-running blog, Sindhi Rasoi.

The festive special in Keswani's kitchen is pulao paired with sai bhaji, a nourishing combination of winter greens, like spinach and fenugreek leaves, cooked with taro root and Bengal gram. "The idea is to make something that nourishes the body and builds immu...