Sweet Pongal | Sakkara Pongal | Indian Sweets | Indian Festival Recipes

If you are looking for more Sankranthi recipes click here.

Indian Sweets- Bobbatlu / Puran Poli / Obbatu,  Boondi Laddu,  Coconut Kajjikaya, Coconut chocolate Barfi ,

Rava Laddu,  Poopy seeds Halwa | Gasalu/ Gasa Gase Halwa,  Poha Laddu | Atukula Laddu,

Coconut Jaggery balls | Kobbari bellam vundalu,  Sooji Halwa/Kesari bath/Rava Kesari

Cracked wheat Halwa/ Godhuma rava Halwa,  Semiya (Vermicelli) Payasam,  Whole wheat halwa | Aate ka halwa

Ugadi/Gudi Padwa/ Yugadi is around the corner and I am planning to share few recipes for this New Year’s Day which is celebrated in few states across India. To start off, I am sharing Sweet Pongal aka Chakkara Pongal recipe, a traditional Neivedyam during any festival season. Rice and Moong dal are cooked in milk and simmered in Jaggery syrup. And finished it off with some ghee roasted nuts and our Indian Lavender the cardamom powder. A simple recipe, big in flavors and taste.
Actually I made this sweet pongal on makara sankranthi this year. That day was a bit crazy so couldn’t post the recipe. Happy to finally share the recipe. I was very happy the way the pictures turned out, considering the fact that i took these pictures in a hurry and literally less than five minutes went into clicking these.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1. Rice – 1 cup
2. Moong dal (pesara pappu)- 1/2 cup
3. Jaggery- about 1 1/2 cup
4. Milk-2 cups
5. Fresh grated coconut – 3 tsps ( optional)
6. Water- 5 cups
7. Cardamom pods – 3 crushed
8. Ghee – 5 tsps

Procedure:

1. In a pan add a tsp of ghee and moong dal. Roast the dal in low flame for five minutes.

2. Take the roasted dal, rice and four cups of water. Pressure cook for two whistles. Make sure
the dal and rice are completely cooked but still holding its shape. If you over cook it, then pongal will further become mushy when it’s cooked in the jaggery syrup.

3.  Boil two cups of milk and keep on the side.

4. In a pan add a tsp of ghee and roast the cashews, almonds and raisins. cashews and almonds
need to get light golden brown and raisins should plump up. Remove and keep on a side.

5.In the same pan add a cup of water and jaggery. Keep in low flame and melt the jaggery completely.

6. Now add the cooked rice and dal mixture to the melted jaggery. Mix well. Add the boiled milk,grated coconut and cardamom powder. Mix and Let the whole mixture simmer for ten minutes in a low flame.

7. Finally add the roasted almonds, cashews and raisins and 3 tsps of ghee. Mix and tun off the heat.

8. Serve the sweet pongal as Neivedyam and enjoy it with your loved once.

9. Sweet pongal tastes best when eaten hot.

My Notes:

1. The recipe is called Chakkara Pongal, but is mostly made with Jaggery.
2. If you feel the sweet pongal is thicker in consistency, add little more boiled water Or milk to it.
3. If you feel he pongal is not sweet enough, you can add some grated jaggery or sugar at the end. That should work.
4. Add more ghee for a richer pongal.

If you are looking for more Sankranthi recipes click here.