Sakkarai Pongal / Sweet Pongal is a traditional South Indian recipe, which is almost prepared on all auspicious days and festivals. As Pongal festival is nearing, I wanted to share my recipe with you all. Thai Pongal is mainly celebrated to convey appreciation to the Sun God for providing energy for agriculture. Part of the celebration is the boiling of the first rice of the season consecrated to the Sun.
Besides rice and milk, the ingredients of this sweet dish include cardamom, jaggery, raisins, Green gram (split), and cashew nuts. Cooking is done in sunlight, usually on a porch or courtyard, as the dish is dedicated to the Sun god, Surya. The cooking is done in a clay pot that is decorated with colored patterns called kolam. Pongal has two variants, sweet and savory. The dish is served on banana leaves. Cooking Pongal is a traditional practice at Hindu temples during Temple Festivals in Tamil Nadu.
Today I am going to share my mom’s method of Sweet Pongal. She uses only a tbsp of Ghee for entire cooking. The aroma spreads the entire house and it simply tastes divine as we get in temples. We are again going to see the easy method of preparation using a pressure cooker. Let’s now get into the recipe.
- 1 Cup Jaggery/Vellam grated
- 1/2 Cup Raw Rice
- 2 tbsp Moong dal/Paasi paruppu
- 1 Cardamom/Elachi
- 1 Clove/Lavangam
- 1 pinch Edible Camphor/Pacchai karpuram
- 10 Cashews
- 2 tbsp Raisins
- 1 tbsp Ghee
- 2.5 Cups Water
- Keep all the ingredients ready. Soak rice in water at least for 1 hour. Powder the Elaichi and set aside. In a tbsp of Ghee roast clove, cashews, raisins and set aside.
- Heat a Kadai. Add Jaggery and half cup water and boil till jaggery melts. Filter it if there is any impurity in jaggery and set aside. Now heat a pressure cooker. Dry roast moong dal until a nice aroma comes and till slight color change.
- Now add water and Rice to moong dal. Pressure cook for 3 whistles. Once pressure releases remove the lid and slightly mash the cooked rice and dal.
- Now add filtered jaggery water and mix it thoroughly till the Pongal becomes thick in consistency. Then add powdered edible camphor, elaichi powder, ghee, clove, half of the cashews, and raisins. Mix it thoroughly. Sakkarai Pongal is ready. Garnish with remaining cashews and raisins.
- The ratio of rice - water is 1:5 for old rice. If using new rice 1:4 is enough.
- You can even use milk. If using milk then half portion water and half portion milk can be used.
- After pressure cooking, if you find rice to be dry add little water or milk to mash the rice.
- Use acchu vellam (urundai vellam) for the best result.
- Colour of Pongal may vary depending on the jaggery used.
- You can also add two tablespoons of grated or bits of coconut fried in ghee to garnish additionally.
You might also like Mysore Pak, Beetroot Halwa, Paneer Kalakand.
Delicious and Divine Sakkarai Pongal is ready for offering God.
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