Sweet Pongal Recipe: A Divine South Indian Delight

Sweet Pongal is also called Sakkarai Pongal, a special rice dish made as offerings in Pongal and Sankranti South Indian festivals. This is a tasty rice pudding, made out of rice, moong dal, jaggery and spices and is sure to melt in your mouth.   

Here’s a Simple Recipe to Try:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw rice
• 1/2 cup yellow moong dal   
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup jaggery, grated   
• 1/4 cup ghee
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder (optional)
• A pinch of saffron strands (optional)
• Cashews and raisin for decoration   

Instructions:

Rinse and Soak:

Clean both the rice and the moong dal and soak them in water for at least half an hour.

Cook:

After one hour, rinse the rice and split dal with water and drain. Over moderate-high heat, bring a pressure cooker filled with rice, dal and 3 cups of water. Instead, cook in the pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles, by the time the rice and dal are cooked through.   

Make Jaggery Syrup:

In a pan melt the grated jaggery in ¼ cup water. Stir the mixture continuously until the jaggery dissolves and the mixture becomes a one-dimensional syrup.

Combine:

When the rice and dal are cooked, first roughly mash it with design with the help of a ladle. Pour the jaggery syrup over the Rice- dal as soon as the color changes to thick brown and mix well.

Simmer:

Simmer for a little longer, maybe five more minutes and stir periodically until the mixture turns thick.

Temper:

Heat ghee in a small pan. Get some cashews and raisins and fry then until they turn brown.

Add Flavors:

Now add cardamom power, nutmeg powder if you like and saffron strands to the pongal that you are making. Stir well.

Garnish:

Place the sweet pongal in serving bowls and garnish it with the fried cashews and raisins.   

Tips & Variations:

You could also drop in one or two cardamom pods and two cloves into the rice and dal as it is being prepared to create more taste.

To boost the flavor , you may fry the rice and dal gently in ghee before pressure cooking.

This pongal tastes mildly sweet and if you want more sweetness in the pongal, you can add more jaggery.   

To make it vegan you can use vegan ghee or any oil of your choice.

Enjoy this Delicious and Divine South Indian treat!