Name: Sakkarai Pongal (Sweet Pongal)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: ¼ cup Rice, short grain like Sona Masoori; ⅛ cup Split Yellow Mung Beans; 1½ cup Water, for pressure cooking; ½ cup Jaggery, dark, crushed; ⅛ cup Water, for melting jaggery; 2 tbsp Ghee, pure desi ghee; 1 tbsp Cashews, split; ½ tbsp Raisins; ¼ tsp Ground Cardamom; ½ pinch Edible Camphor, pacha karpuram (do not use puja camphor)

40 mintotal

Prep 10 min · Cook 30 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: None

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Method

Dry roast the moong dal in a small pan on low heat until it turns aromatic and slightly golden. Do not brown it. Wash it along with the raw rice.
In a pressure cooker, add the washed rice and roasted dal. Add the measured pressure-cooking water and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles until extremely soft and mushy.
While the pressure releases naturally, melt the crushed jaggery with the measured water in a pan. Boil until it dissolves completely to form a syrup (no string consistency needed). Strain it to remove impurities.
Open the cooker and thoroughly mash the hot rice and dal mixture with a heavy spoon until creamy.
Pour the strained jaggery syrup into the mashed rice-dal mixture. Place it back on low heat.
Mix well and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes. The mixture will absorb the jaggery and thicken.
5–7 min
In a separate small pan, heat the ghee. Fry the cashews until golden, then add the raisins until they plump up.
Pour the hot ghee, cashews, and raisins over the simmering Pongal.
Add the cardamom powder and the crushed edible camphor. Mix everything gently and turn off the heat.
Serve hot on a banana leaf for an traditional serving style.

How to tell it's done

The rice and dal should be mashed and creamy, not separate grains, with a glossy jaggery coating and soft raisins between crunchy cashews.

Nutrition

Per serving, from 2 servings.

485kcal

Where the calories come from

Protein5.7 g5%
Carbohydrate83.8 g68%
Fat15 g27%

Sugars: 56 g
Saturated fat: 8.1 g
Fibre: 2.7 g
Sodium: 23 mg
Calcium: 92 mg
Iron: 1.8 mg

Estimated by calculation from the ingredient list, using USDA FoodData Central. Not a laboratory analysis.

Getting it right

Tip

Use only a tiny pinch of edible camphor and add it off heat. Too much camphor tastes bitter and can overpower the jaggery and ghee.

What to serve it with

Serve hot on a banana leaf for Pongal or Makar Sankranti, with extra ghee and fried cashews spooned over the top.

Common mistakes

The pongal becomes grainy or dry.: Pressure-cook the rice and dal until very soft, mash them before adding jaggery syrup, and loosen with hot water if needed.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate leftover sakkarai pongal for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water or milk and add a little ghee before serving.

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Ingredients