Sakkarai Pongal - Sweet Pongal

Share

Sakkara Pongal - Sweet Pongal

Sakkarai Pongal or sweet pongal is an important dish made and consumed on Pongal. There are so many ways Sweet Pongal is made. This is one of the recipes that has worked very well for me.

I made this using electric Rice cooker as I find using Pressure Cooker messy. Please do read the Notes before you try this recipe.

Ingredients
Raw Rice - 1 Cup
Yellow Moong Dal - 1/2 Cup
Jaggery - 1.5 Cups (Powdered)
Ghee - 4-6 Tablespoon
Cashew nuts, Raisins - As Required.
Water - 4 Cups (See Notes)
Cardamom - 2 Pods (Crushed)

Method

• Wash and soak the rice in 4 Cups of water in the Electric Rice Cooker for 15-20 minutes.
• In a pan, add tablespoon of Ghee and add the cashews and roast it till golden, then add the Raisins and remove it once it fluffs up.
• In the same pan, then add the Moong Dal and roast till on low flame till the raw smell goes.Ensure  that the colour of the Moong Dal does not change.
• Add the Roasted Moong Dal to the soaked Rice and switch on the Rice Cooker.
• Cook till the Rice and Dal is cooked and all mushy.
• In another vessel, add the Jaggery and pour water till it is immersed and boil it.
• Boil till the Jaggery is dissolved in the water. Add the crushed Cardamom pods to this. 
• Using a filter, filter the Jaggery Syrup.
• Add this Jaggery Syrup to the Cooked Rice - Dal Mixture and cook till they all come together.
• This may take about 5-7 Minutes.
• During this time, add Ghee little by Little and cook. 
• Add the Sauteed Cashews and Raisins and serve. 

Notes:

• The amount of water to be added depends on your quality of Rice. Depending on my Rice quality, I needed 4 cups of water.
• I regularly add 2.5 cups of water to cook rice for daily consumption so I added extra 1.5 cups so it gets cooked well. 
• I prefer the Rice cooker method, as I can check on the rice and decide if it needs more water.
• During the cooking process, if you think the Sweet Pongal is getting Tight/Thick add some warm water or Milk.
• Sweet Pongal tends to become tight after sometime , so switch off accordingly.
• You can make it in Pressure cooker too using the same process.
• Pressure cook the Rice - Dal for 4-5 whistles with enough water and fllow the same steps as above. 

Festive Menu jaggery rice sweet Traditional