Sakkarai Pongal (Sweet Pongal)

There are two versions of Pongal – One is savoury and the other is sweet. It is a South-Indian dish, which is mainly prepared for breakfast. But the Sweet Pongal / Sakkarai Pongal or Chakkara Pongal is specially prepared during the celebration of Sankranti Festival and served as Prasadam in many South-Indian temples.

The festival of Pongal or Makara Sankrati is celebrated from January 13^th to 16^th every year.  It is a celebration of the harvest season and is about offering thanksgiving to nature.  New rice or freshly harvested grains are used to cook on this day.

The word ‘ponga’ basically means overflowing and is referred to overflow cooking style in an earthly pot with wood fire. In villages they cook rice and dal in milk and when it flows up to the brim they say “Hail Pongal !”  Symbolic of let prosperity rise.

Sakkarai pongal  or Chakkara pongal is a common recipe prepared every day throughout the four day festivities and is served with the meals.

Sakkarai Pongal

Ingredients :

• 1 cup Raw Rice
• 1/2 cup moong dal
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 cups grated jaggery
• 2 to 4 tbsp desi ghee
• 1 whole grated coconut
• 3 green cardamoms deseeded and seeds crushed
• 8 to 10 cashew pieces
• A handful of raisins

Method :

• Heat the cooker and add a tsp of ghee and fry the moong dal directly. Fry for a minute.
• Add the washed rice, 2 cups water and pressure cook over a for  2 -3 whistles.
• Once the pressure is released, open and mix some more just to mash and mix well.
• Add 1 cup of whole milk and cook till the mixture thickens.
• Melt the 2 cups of jaggery with about 1/4 cup water over medium heat. Strain the jaggery, if needed. Add the melted jaggery into the rice and dal mixture.
• Let it simmer for a few minutes. Add the crushed cardamom, the grated coconut and the 4 tbsp  ghee and mix it all in well.
• Meanwhile, heat the 2 tbsp ghee in a small pan and fry the cashews and raisins in it till golden. Mix this into the prepared pongal and serve hot.  Yummy !

Handy Tips :

1.  Roasting the moong dal in desi ghee brings out a lovely flavour.  So don’t skip this step.
2. The quantity of jaggery can be adjusted as per your taste.  Sometimes the jaggery is too sweet so adjust accordingly.
3. Coarsely mashing the cooked rice and moong dal, helps it absorb all the lovely flavours from the ghee, cardamom, creaminess of the grated coconut and the milk.
4. Milk makes the Pongal rich and if you want to avoid you can simply replace the milk by increasing the quantity of water.
5. Keep stirring continuously as the moong dal and rice tend to stick to the bottom of the pan as they begin to thicken.