Go Back
sweet pongal

Sweet Pongal

Abhipriya Raghav
Swwet pongal or chakkara pongal is a dish made with moong dal, rice and jaggery prepared especially during Hindu festivals.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Festive Dish, Sweets
Cuisine Indian
Servings 3 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup raw rice
  • 1/4 cup split moong dal, yellow
  • 2.5 cups water, for cooking dal and rice
  • 100-120 grams jaggery
  • 1/2 cup water, to melt the jaggery
  • 3 green cardamoms, crushed
  • 4 tbsp ghee
  • 10-15 cashews, split
  • 1 tbsp golden raisins

Instructions
 

  • Wash the rice and moong dal and drain all the water.
    sweet pongal
  • Transfer the rice and moong dal to a pressure cooker along with 2.5 cups of water and pressure cook for 5-6 whistles or until the rice and dal can be mashed thouroughly.
    sweet pongal
  • Meanwhile, add 1/2 cup water and grated or powdered jaggery to a kadai and melt it until jaggery completely dissolves.
    sweet pongal
  • Let the pressure settle naturally. Open the cooker and mash the rice and the dal completely.
    sweet pongal
  • When the jaggery completely dissolves in water, filter it using a strainer in a bowl and add the crushed cardamoms to it.
    sweet pongal
  • Take the mashed rice and dal in a kadai on low heat and add the filtered jaggery water to it. Mix well.
    sweet pongal
  • Add 2 tbsp ghee and mix well.
    sweet pongal
  • Add 2 tbsp ghee to a tadka pan and let it heat. Add the cashews to it and fry them until golden brown.
    sweet pongal
  • Switch off the stove and add the golden raisins.
    sweet pongal
  • Add the fried cashews and raisins to the pongal along with the ghee and mix until fully incorporated.
    sweet pongal
  • Serve with some ghee drizzled over.
    sweet pongal

Notes

  • Depending upon the quality of the dal and rice used, pressure cook them.
  • The dal and rice should break when mashed.
  • While mashing, if the dal and rice seems very dry, then add some water and mash it.
  • Add generous amount of ghee. Do not compromise on it.
  • Fry the cashews until golden brown. Do not let it burn.
  • Add the raisins only after switching off the stove. The heat is enough for them to fry.
  • Pour the fried cashews and raisins immediately on the pongal.
  • Instead of whole crushed cardamom, even cardamom powder can be added.
Keyword indian, jaggery, Lockdown Series, moong dal, pongal, rice, south Indian, sweet