Sakkara Pongal : Sweetened Rice & Lentil Pudding

What is Pongal without the Sakkara Pongal – rice and roasted moong dal which is sweetened with some jaggery! Make this Pongal special with this Sakkara Pongal!

This morning while I was cooking Sakkara Pongal, for the child who demanded we make it today, since we are traveling tomorrow,  I was thinking I will share it online too I realised I haven’t posted it on blog at all. What a shame since it, truly, is one of my favorite South Indian desserts!

So here is Sakkara Pongal, a sweet version of the humble pongal. Sweetened with jaggery, flavored with cardamom, I love how the nuttiness of roasted moong dal (which BTW I started doing only after moving to Bangalore, never roasted my moong dal before) is complimented by the jaggery and cashews. Almond silvers are my own sweet addition to it, since I absolutely adore almonds.

Isn’t it amazing how the same harvest festival is celebrated in so many different ways across the country? Come January and there is Pongal in the south, Lohri in the north, Uttarayan in the west! Whether it is celebrating it by dancing to the dhols or flying kites, we sure have an awesome way to celebrate the harvest season! I love the concept of celebrating these festivals, because they give so much importance to the harvest! I remember celebrating Lohri with great gusto when I was a kid! Eating rewri and groundnuts, and of course the yummy til gajak, sarsoon ka saag and makki di roti! The dancing around the bonfire in the evenings! Oh, what fun 🙂 I am sure a lot of us have some amazing food memories associated with every festival when we were growing up!

May the festival of harvest bring along happiness, joy and success for everyone! Because festivals are the time to enjoy with friends and family 🙂

Sakkara Pongal : Sweetened Rice & Lentil Pudding

Sakkara Pongal, a sweet version of the humble pongal. Sweetened with jaggery, flavored with cardamom. Perfect to be served along with ven pongal, vadai and chutney for the festival morning

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Servings 5 serving

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup Sona masuri rice
• 1/2 cup Moong dal
• Milk 1/2 milk
• 2 tsps Ghee
• 1 cup Jaggery
• 1/4 cup Cashew nut
• 2 tbsps Almond Flakes
• 1/4 cup Raisins
• 1/2 tsp Cardamom powdered
• 2 tbsps Coconut Fresh sliced

Instructions

 

• In a heavy bottom pan or kadhai, dry roast the unwashed and dry moong dal till light brown and fragrant. This should take 3-4 minutes and needs constant monitoring so that the dal doesn't get burned. Keep aside till cool.
• Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes
• Once the dal is completely cool, wash in it running water. Combine the washed dal, rice together and add 5 cups of water to it. Boil it for 2 whistles in a pressure cooker. Once you turn off the heat, wait for the steam to escape naturally before opening the cooker.
• In the meanwhile, in a heavy bottom pan or kadhai, melt grated jaggery over low flame. Be careful not to burn the jaggery. Cook it only till it is melted and take off the heat.
• Add the melted jaggery, warm milk, cardamom powder to the cooked rice and dal and simmer till it all comes together for about 4-5 minutes
• In another small kadhai or pan, heat ghee and roast the dry fruits and coconut till fragrant and brown. Add to the simmering pongal.
• Serve warm after ven pongal, vadai and chutney for a happy festive breakfast.

Notes

Also make this easy but yummy til gajak for sakranti

 

Til Gajak

I have been in a very sad and nostalgic mood since morning… its been 9 years now but still every winters my heart starts to ache for Delhi and every lohri its at the peak…  I have been thinking about those cold mornings and evenings and the very warming winter food. The Til Gajak…
www.sinamontales.com

 

Or this poran poli two ways

 

Ubattu (Poran Poli) : Sankranti Special

So we the kitchen divas decided that for this Saturday, we must do a Sankranti Special. I knew that usually all across South India, pongal is made and in Karnataka Sankranti Ellu
www.sinamontales.com

If you make this, share a picture with me on twitter, instagram or Facebook? I would love to hear what you have to say about it !

 

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!