Sakkarai Pongal | Chakkara Pongal

A sweet pongal dish made with rice and yellow moong dal cooked in milk and jaggery, flavored with cardamon, raisins and cashewnuts.

Wish you all a very Happy Pongal !!!

Ingredients:

Raw rice – 1/2 cup
Yellow moong dal – 3 tbsp
Jaggery – 1 cup
Milk – 1/2 cup
Water – 2 cup
Cardamon powder – 1/2 tsp
Ghee – 2 tsp + 1 tbsp
Cashewnuts – 1 tsp, broken
Raisins – 1 tsp

Method:

1. In a pan add 1 tsp ghee. Add the moong dal and roast till nice aroma comes. Dal should not turn red.

2. In the same pan add 1 tsp ghee and roast the cashewnuts and raisins till golden. Keep aside.

3. In a pressure cooker add rice, moong dal, water and milk. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles or till the rice is soft and mushy. Mash the rice and keep aside.

4. Powder the jaggery and add warm water just to immerse it. Stir till the jaggery is melted. Strain the jaggery to remove the impurities and add it to a vessel.

5. Bring to boil and then add the rice and dal and combine well. Add the remaining ghee, cardamom powder and keep stirring in low flame.

6. Once it is semi thick, remove from heat and add the roasted cashewnuts and raisins.

Serve hot.

Notes:

1. If its becomes very thick, add milk in step 5 to adjust the consistency.

2. The amount of jaggery may vary from 1 to 1½ cup depending on its sweetness.