Sweet Pongal

Sweet Pongal, also called as Sakkarai Pongal in Tamil Nadu and Chakkara Pongal in Andhra Pradesh, is a South Indian delicacy that is prepared as ‘prasadam’ and offered to the deity on the occasion of Pongal. Pongal is a four-day-long harvest festival that falls in mid-January. This staple recipe made with jaggery, ghee and nuts is everybody’s favourite from kids to adults. Plus, the addition of nutmeg and cardamom makes it smell and taste absolutely divine. A must-have-anything-sweet-just-can’t-resist recipe is what it is!

 

Serves	Preparation Time	Cooking Time
6 People	10-15 Minutes	20-25 Minutes

• Raw rice – 1 cup
• Moong dal – 1/2 cup
• Milk – 1 cup
• Jaggery (shredded) – 200g
• Ghee – 4 tbsp
• Cashew – 2 tbsp
• Raisins – 2 tbsp
• Cardamom powder – ¼ tsp 
• Clove powder – A pinch
• Nutmeg powder – A pinch
• Saffron – A pinch
• Water – 2 and 1/2 cups

Step 1: Take a heavy-bottomed pan and roast rice and green gram dal separately for a couple of minutes.

Step 2: Pressure cook the rice and green gram dal with water and milk in 50:50 proportion for about 3 whistles. Mash them lightly and keep them aside.

Step 3: Dissolve the jaggery in around 3/4th cup of water and let it dissolve in water on low heat.

Step 4: Stir till the jaggery turns into a syrup-like condition and becomes slightly sticky.

Step 5: Add the cooked rice and dal to the jaggery mixture and add 4 tbsp ghee.

Step 6: Fry cashews and raisins and add them to the rice and dal mixture.

Step 7: Sprinkle powdered cardamom, clove, nutmeg, and saffron of given proportions.

Step 8: Mix them well and serve hot.