Sakkarai Pongal recipe | How to make perfect Sakkarai Pongal / sweet Pongal at home | Sweet Pongal detailed writren recipe and video recipe

Sweet Pongal / Sakkarai Pongal / Chakkara pongal is a popular sweetened rice based dish from south india which is also popular in other countries especially with the tamil community. It is also known as Huggi. This dish is specifically made during the pongal festival with Moong dal, Jaggery and Rice with freshly harvested grains.

There are several varieties of pongal dish and the most common one is the savory ven pongal which is mainly prepared for breakfast. but the sweet pongal or chakkara pongal is especially prepared during the celebration of Sankranti or Navratri festival and served as prasadam in many south indian temples.

The festival of Pongal or Sankrati is celebrated from january 13th to 16th. The occasion is to celebrate the harvest season and about thanksgiving to nature by cooking new rice or freshly harvested grains. Moreover widely sankranti is celebrated on january 14th, but each day to this 4 day festival has a significance and celebrated with unique recipes. but sakkarai pongal recipe or chakkara pongal is a common recipe prepared every day throughout and is served with other desserts and savouries.

NOTES

• Traditionally, Sweet Pongal is prepared from jaggery which also makes it more flavourful. but as an alternative, you can also use white crystal sugar or brown sugar also.
• I have used normal daily use rice and must say it gives the perfect result. Make sure Rice and Dal cooked well and mash it before jaggery syrup is added to it otherwise it may not mix well.
• One can also add pinch of Camphor and Clove while tempering to get that perfect Temple style Pongal

Checkout the video recipe of Sweet Pongal / Sakkarai Pongal here..

INGREDIENTS (1 cup = 250ml)

• 1 cup Rice
• 1/2 cup Moong Dal
• 1 cup + 3 tbsp chopped Jaggery
• 3 tbsp Ghee
• 10 to 12 Cashew nuts
• 10 to 12 Raisins
• 1 tsp cardamom powder / elachi powder

METHOD

In a pan roast Moong Dal for few seconds. No need to wait till Dal changes the colour. Just roast till its warm to touch..

Then add rice and again roast for few seconds. Take roasted dal and rice in bowl. Wash 2 to 3 times. Add drinking water and soak for 30 minutes.

Then, add enough water and pressure cook for 3 whistles on slow flame.
make sure the dal and rice is cooked completely.
Further, in a pan take Jaggery and water. keep stirring till the jaggery melts completely. Allow it to boil for 2 to 3 minutes.
Now filter the Jaggery water into cooked rice-dal mixture. One can add some water if needed to adjust consistency..
simmer till jaggery combines well with rice-dal mixture.
Take Ghee in a pan and fry Cashew, Raisins.
pour the fried Cashews and kishmish into sweet pongal. Mix well.
Add Cardamom powder, mix well.

Sweet pongal / sakkarai pongal is ready to offer to God …

Happy Pongal . Happy Makar Sankrant friends..